25 Jun 2024

What happens when true crime turns out to be an accident?

From Nine To Noon, 10:07 am on 25 June 2024
Image: Movie poster and portrait of Chris Kasick.

Photo: Supplied: Elephant Publicity, IMDb

The true crime genre has exploded in recent years, but a new film, Citizen Sleuth, is a cautionary tale of what can happen when real life events are a form of entertainment for others.

In 2011, 20-year-old Jaleayah Davis was killed in a car crash in the state of Ohio.

Unusual elements in the case led her family to believe she'd been murdered and it spurred Emily Nestor to make a podcast about it, called Mile Marker 181 - so named for the point on the road Jaleayah's body was found.

Emily's investigation into Jaleayah's death was being documented by Chris Kasick.

But as it went on, Emily became less convinced there was anything suspicious - but her legion of podcast fans didn't like that.

Citizen Sleuth is playing as part of the DocEdge film festival, and Chris and Emily join Kathryn to talk about the ethics of true crime.