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The true crime genre has a new medium, or perhaps even a whole new language and structure: officer-worn camera recordings. Countenances of those harmed, observers and potential offenders loom up to the cameras, at times in the intense brightness of headlights or torches as the officers approach, their faces and voices expressing wariness or fear or indignation or dubiously feigned naivety. And we frequently incidentally glimpse the expressions of the law enforcement personnel, one standing by blankly while the other asks the questions with what sometimes seems like remarkable hesitation – though perhaps this is because they are aware they are being recorded.

A Growing Trend in Documentary Filmmaking

We have already had the Netflix true-crime documentary American Murder: Gabby Petito, about the killing of an Instagram influencer by her partner, whose primary focus was officer recordings and in which, as in this film, the law enforcement seemed extraordinarily lax with the perpetrator. There is also Bill Morrison’s Oscar-nominated short Incident, made exclusively of officer footage. Now comes Geeta Gandbhir’s documentary about the grim case of Ajike Owens in a city in Florida, a African American woman whose four young kids allegedly harassed and antagonized her neighbor, a local resident. In 2023, after an increasing number of neighbour-dispute incidents in which the police were summoned multiple times, Lorincz fatally shot Owens through her closed front door, when Owens went to the neighbor's residence to confront her about throwing objects at her children.

The Investigation and State Laws

The arresting officers found evidence that the suspect had done internet searches into Florida’s “stand your ground” laws, which permit residents and others to shoot if there is a reasonable belief of danger. The documentary constructs its narrative with the body cam footage captured during the repeated police visits to the location before the shooting, and then at the disturbing and disordered incident site itself – prefaced by emergency call recordings of the caller calling the police in a melodramatically shaky voice. There is also police cell footage of Lorincz which has a disturbing, unsettling appeal.

Depiction of the Suspect

The film does not really imply anything too complex about the neighbor, or any mitigating factors. She is obviously disturbed, although the kids are heard calling her a derogatory term, an ugly jibe. The production is showcased as an example of how “stand your ground” laws lead to unnecessary and heartbreaking violence. But the fact of gun ownership and the constitutional right (that longstanding U.S. legal right that a late commentator notoriously said made gun deaths a price worth paying) is not much highlighted.

Officer Questioning and Gun Culture

It is feasible to watch the police interrogation scenes here and feel surprised at how minimal concern the officers took in this aspect. At what time did she purchase the firearm? Where (if anywhere) did she train in its use? Had she ever had occasion to fire it before? Where did she store it in the house? Was it just on the couch, loaded and ready? The police aren’t shown asking any of these undoubtedly important questions (though they may have done in recordings that didn’t make the edit). Or is possessing a firearm so normal it would be like asking about microwaves or bread heaters?

Detention and Consequences

For what appeared to her local residents a extended period, Lorincz was not even arrested and charged, only held and even offered a hotel stay away from home for the night (another parallel, incidentally, with the Gabby Petito case). And when she was finally officially taken into custody in the detention area, there is an remarkable scene in which Lorincz simply refuses to stand, will not extend her arms for the handcuffs, not aggressively, but with the courteously pathetic demeanor of someone whose psychological state means that she is unable to comply. Did the gentle handling up until that point led her to think that this could be effective?

Conclusion and Verdict

It was not successful; and the panel's decision is saved for the closing credits. A deeply sobering portrayal of American crime and punishment.