Watch The Last Word For Free
The Last Word
This documentary takes the "Innocent Man on Texas Death Row" tale to a dark corner feared by all - - proving that an innocent man has been executed by the State. A clash between good and evil strikes up on the High Plains of Texas when Johnny Frank Garrett, a 17 year old retarded boy is arrested, convicted and ultimately executed for the Halloween night rape, mutilation and murder of Sister Tadea Benz. The 76 year old nun was attacked while she slept in her room at the St. Francis Convent in Amarillo, Texas. Garrett claimed his innocence from the time of his arrest until his dying breath. Sixteen years after Garrett's execution new evidence rose up from the cold case grave of the Amarillo Police Department proving they executed the wrong man! During interviews with key players the case of Johnny Frank Garrett unfolds like a recipe for executing the innocent.
| Release : | 2010 |
| Rating : | 7.2 |
| Studio : | |
| Crew : | Director, Original Music Composer, |
| Cast : | |
| Genre : | Documentary |
Watch Trailer
Cast List
Related Movies
True Crime
The Negotiator
Have Dreams, Will Travel
The Life of David Gale
Halloween: Resurrection
U.S. Marshals
Brideshead Revisited
12 Angry Men
Cruel Intentions
The Big Departure
American Pie
The Green Mile
Reviews
Simply Perfect
I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
This movie left me chilled to the bone. I have seen documentaries about wrongful convictions and eyewitness errors but never have I seen such a lynching. The most jaw dropping moment was an interview with the defense attorney who did not present a case and didn't even know that he could have asked for money from the state to do an investigation. He did no investigation. He has a look of sympathy and ignorance and guilt that is shocking. His confession can only be surmised as a request for forgiveness in order to make peace with his soul. The mother recounts the details of the arrest of her son and the fear and disbelief is displayed with a helplessness that is heartbreaking. The boy is 17 and considered "retarded" and a past that would explain severe trauma but not violence. The attorneys, police and the judges seem comfortable to circumvent the law and I am reminded of a line from the Denzel Washington movie, "Hurricane." The Police stopped and told him,"We're looking for two negroes in a white car." Hurricane responded, "Any two will do? The injustice becomes unbelievable and the director effectively invokes a feeling that something evil and unholy is going on. Religion is used as an important theme with the Catholic Church fighting for clemency and religious fanatics hell bent on the electric chair, each one claiming to be in Jesus Camp. Good and evil fighting for the soul and who does God side with? The injustice and incompetence will have you on the edge of your bed and then you find out that something evil and unholy IS going on. The execution isn't the final blow.
I'd never heard of this documentary, but after reading the plot summary on Netflix I decided to check it out. Honestly, I almost turned the movie off after the first five minutes. The opening re- enactment, ham fisted narration, and use of stock footage was almost laughable. But, as the movie went on it really grabbed me. The opening presents you with a mystery and you begin to question what you're seeing. "What did the letter say?""Did he or didn't he commit the crime?"The films finale is very effective. This is a truly frightening film, for a lot of reasons, I'm glad I had the chance to see it.
