FREE ESSAY ON OF MARK SINGER'S PROFILE OF FILMMAKER ERROL MORRIS

OF MARK SINGER'S PROFILE OF FILMMAKER ERROL MORRIS

Chaim H. Respes
September 16, 1999
Summary of Mark Singer's
Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris
Dallas police officer, Robert Wood, was shot five times and murdered after pulling over a
vehicle for a minor traffic violation. Randall Dale Adams was arrested, convicted and
sentenced to death for the crime. Adams plead not guilty to the charges. He claimed 16
year old David Harris, whom he had spent several hours with on the day of the crime, was
the true killer.
In Mark Singer's Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris, Singer describes Randall Adams case
as it was portrayed in the movie The Thin Blue Line. Singer argues that Morris made the
film to prove Adams innocence and illustrate that Adams had received anything but a fair
trial. Singer, an author for The New Yorker Magazine, took personal interest in the case
because he, as well as Morris, believed Adams was innocent and deserved a new and fair
trial.
The prosecution won the case against Adams for three major reasons: David Harris'
testimony, Prosecutor Douglas Mulder's prominence, determination, and the prosecutions
three key eyewitnesses, Emily Miller, Robert Miller, and Michael Randell.
After the conclusion of the trial Adams maintained his innocence and filmmaker, Errol
Morris met with David Harris and began to have doubts about Adams guilt. Morris
investigated the case further and discovered it was unfair on constitutional grounds and
Adams was in fact innocent.
Morris made a movie entitled The Thin Blue Line, which was a description of the actual
events in the Adams homicide case. Morris intended to illustrate thirteen points of
unwarranted prosecution.
There were four blatant acts of perjury or outright unfairness in Adams first trial.
Judge Metcalf would not permit the use David Harris' extensive previous criminal record,
including pending charges in another county as evidence. This left Adams in the guilty
chair even before the trial began. Prosecutor Mulder demanded a guilty verdict with a
death penalty sentence for this trial and he was willing to go to any length to achieve
that. He found three witnesses to the crime scene after offering a $20,000 reward and an
all expense paid stay at Dallas motel during the trial. The first witness, Emily Miller,
had a daughter who was facing robbery charges in another county and Mulder agreed to drop
the charges in exchange for Emily's testimony. Emily testified to witnessing Adams in the
driver's seat of the car, at the time of the shooting, and she positively identified
Adams in a police line-up. Morris conducted interview with the three witnesses, Emily
Miller, Robert Miller and Michael Randell. Emily Miller admitted to being directed to
pick Adams in the line-up after she chose the wrong man. Robert Miller was quoted as
saying; I didn't see anything. Randell admitted to being drunk out of his mind when he
passed the scene. The fourth major point of perjury in Morris' defense for Adams was
Teresa Turko's, Robert Woods' partner, original description of the killer. She described
him as Mexican or light-skinned black which varied greatly from Adams Caucasian skin. Her
original description was not used and had evolved to match Adams description by the time
of the trial.
The Thin Blue Line was effective in getting Adams a writ hearing and the chance for a new
trial. The judge ruled on six grounds of constitutional unfairness deeming it an unjust
trial.
It was apparent that Singer was on the side of the defense for several reasons. Singer
said, Dennis White (Adams attorney) was simply no match for Doug Mulder, who is said to
have once boasted, Anybody can convict a guilty man. It takes talent to convict an
innocent man. He includes this quote to demonstrate Mulder's determination to win even if
he is prosecuting the wrong man. A quote such as that evokes the sentiment of a reader
who is in favor upholding justice.
Throughout the excerpt Singer uses words like, unfortunately to depict actions Adams'
lawyers did not take, and ensconced to describe the so-called witnesses stay at the Alamo
Plaza motel. Singer recognized Adams bad luck and referred to it as consistent. These
words and phrases are influential in expressing his opinion because they have negative
connotations and portray the prosecution in a bad light.
Singer's distaste for witness Emily Miller is very clear. He describes her as a bleached
blonde and says one of her childhood ambitions was to be the ...wife of a detective. A
woman who is willing to settle for the position of wife to her goals, is not a beneficial
member to society. Singer makes it a point to quote Emily's interview with Morris because
it shows her ignorance. She did not use proper English and stumbled over her words in
brief and barely coherent sentences.
Singer concludes his passage by detailing the writ judges predictions. The judge
predicted a new trial for Adams during which he would be freed and pardoned of all
homicide charges.
Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris is effective in displaying the actual events in the
Adams homicide case. Mark Singer summarizes the movie The Thin Blue Line and includes his
opinion about the verdict. The movie was intended to prove Adams innocence by displaying
the perjury committed during the trial. Singer included his beliefs in Adams innocence by
using negative words towards the prosecution and bad-mouthing the witnesses.