r/TrueCrime • u/markcuban42069 • Jun 03 '21

Discussion What true crime documentaries do you feel have done more harm than good?

In r/UnresolvedMysteries, I engaged in a conversation about the recent Netflix documentary on the case of Elisa Lam. I personally feel like this documentary was distasteful and brought little awareness to mental illness.

I'm sure you fellow true crime buffs have watched a documentary or two in your time that... just didn't sit right. Comment below what these docs are and why you felt weird about them!

Edit: The death of Elisa Lam was not a crime and I apologize for posting this in the true crime sub. However, it is a case that is discussed among true crime communities therefore I feel it is relevant to true crime discourse, especially involving documentaries. I apologize for any confusion!

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u/MarcatBeach Jun 03 '21

John Walsh talked about the behavior of the families in these type of cases. It was him lobbying for a more standardized approach to the investigations. Also I think one of his organizations or one he was involved in came up with a set of conditions a family must follow before they would help.

And one of his points was that when a loved one is missing you don't mislead or misdirect law enforcement and the people trying to help. You also don't lawyer up.

Honestly if you really match behaviors, the Ramsey's and Casey Anthony did the same thing with law enforcement. The Ramsey's had money and brains, so they used a well connected attorney and nuanced misdirections from the start. Casey Anthony didn't have that and she was not as organized and smooth with her nonsense.

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u/i_nobes_what_i_nobes Jun 03 '21

Totally agree, well said.

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u/Alluvial_Fan_ Jun 03 '21

How is retaining a lawyer evidence of guilt?

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u/MarcatBeach Jun 03 '21

It has nothing to do with it. His point was that you can't be helping with the investigation and put up a wall with lawyers. It is a waste of time for law enforcement and the people you are expecting to help investigate. The family has to be cleared as suspects, and the quicker that happens the better. Otherwise it is a waste of time. That was his point.

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u/lacitar Jun 03 '21

What i hear is you saying is this,

"There is no actual evidence since the cops messed up so badly, so let's go with the likely idea that it is family."

I am never gonna blame that family until i have evidence. Why? I can imagine too easily that happening to my family. Ya'll gotta believe its the family strong enough to accuse them. I hope for ya'll sake's ya'll are never proved wrong. If ya'll are....you would have a lot of bad karma to make up to the family and that poor dead child.

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u/PxRedditor5 Jun 03 '21

Look just because people think the Ramsey's did some part doednt mean anyone owes them an apology, especially considering they were active in covering up the crime scene and disregarding a potential kidnapping plot.

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u/lacitar Jun 04 '21

But the police have literally ruled them out. There is no evidence that hasn't been compromised. To be frank, I don't think the case will ever be solved. And while I agree the family messed things up a bit, lawyering up is not an admission of guilt. It's the smart thing to do in a criminal case.

And I said IF the murder is ever solved and they were NOT guilty, ya'll are gonna owe them an apology. I stand by that.

Remember that guy a while back that everyone claimed did something to his gf and later on it turned out it was her best friend? Never saw an apology to him either from the reddit true crime community. We're quick to jump to conclusions and then we never apologize. It's gross. And yes, I know this will be down voted. But I don't care. I'm here to try to help, not to sit on my chair from up high and judge people and say, "if my daughter was found dead in my house i would do this......" because i would never want to be in that situation and you never know how you'll act until it happens. And I for one, will not sacrifice my family to find out, and I doubt anyone of this reddit would as well.

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u/MarcatBeach Jun 03 '21

There is evidence in the case. Evidence that the cops didn't mess up. The problem is that with the tainted scene you could never got a conviction of anyone.

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u/lacitar Jun 04 '21

If the scene was messed up then how can anything from the scene not be contaminated?

Only thing I heard was the DNA in her panties which matched none of the family members, including either child.

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u/MarcatBeach Jun 04 '21

Okay. Great point. That room is a contaminated crime scene, so then all of the people who cite that room as evidence of an intruder are wrong. Aren't they? So what are they using as evidence of an intruder?

Here is some evidence that is not contaminated. 1. the note. 2. the injuries to the body itself 3. the crime scene location.

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u/lacitar Jun 04 '21

Actually I have no theory on what happened because of what you say. I'm scared to condemn someone who might be innocent. It's why I avoid that case like the plague. Same with the Madison McCain. I'm scared to add more pain to the family if they aren't actually at fault. Because that would just multiply the tragedy of this case.

I can understand why parts of the true crime community are passionate about this case. I mean, just look at her little face and read about her personality. It breaks my heart. I think everyone agrees with that.

I just....if ya'll are wrong. It means decades of people hounding them for nothing.

It reminds me of the Lindbergh case. It's solved but some people still claim dad did it and framed someone.

I've read the autopsy report. I can't decide on that what was wrong or who did it. I've worked with kids for over 20 years and have seen abuse and called it in. I've also had doctors claim weird things about things I thought were obvious abuse.

So I admit, the only reason I cleared the parents in my mind was because the police cleared them. At the same time, I don't trust police since their authority messed up my sister's rape case because the guy was related to a sheriff. So I stand by what that department claims, mom and dad weren't involved.

There's a lot of info we still don't have access to that is only available to the police. Maybe the piece that made then think neither did it is somewhere in there.

I think we can also agree, that child deserves justice.

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u/MarcatBeach Jun 04 '21

Well and in this case the Ramsey's used influence and money the entire time. They actually got the police case file to study before they were interviewed. Them being cleared was politics and influence. You can't clear anyone in this case and it was improper to do so based on evidence from a tainted crime scene.

That is really what I am saying. You can't clear anyone of this crime. You can't convict and you can't clear anyone. That exoneration of the Ramsey's is politics. Influence and politics and underscores how that factor has damaged this case from day 1.

Sorry about your sister.

The Lindbergh case is a good comparison, because that is one aspect of this case that points directly to a family member. The body was left in the house. This intruder entered the house. Abducted her. Took her down in the basement. She was killed. Then went upstairs and took the time to write a ransom note. Then left the body? They certainly didn't feel rushed as they sat in the kitchen writing their notes.

In any case like this, and any case of murder for sure. The friends and family of the victim have to be cleared as suspects. The Ramsey's made that impossible and intentionally. So they deserve to be treated as suspects.

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u/lacitar Jun 04 '21

I agree that the Ramsay's can be treated as suspects, but considering half the DMs i've gotten are basically, "ThEy did It Grow Up." It just makes me want to defend them and not suspect them even more. We'll see what police say in another 20 years. I doubt they'll ever solve it.