The best-selling author and the man wrongly convicted of her rape
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 9 December 2021
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In 1981, Alice Sebold gave evidence that sent a man she believed raped her to prison for 16 years. She wrote about her ordeal which took place in Syracuse, New York, and the subsequent trial in her memoir Lucky. When the book was turned into a film, producer Timothy Mucciante became concerned about some of the details that lead to the conviction of Anthony Broadwater.
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Guests: Rosie Kinchen, features writer, The Sunday Times.
Host: David Aaronovitch.
Clips: Syracuse.com, NBC News, Simon & Schuster Audio.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before we start a content warning, this episode contains references to sexual assault and violence. |
| 0:08.0 | I'm not good at it, you know, selling these proceedings by saying I'm sorry, that doesn't cut it. |
| 0:14.0 | This should never have happened. |
| 0:16.0 | Based upon my review of emotions and representations of Council, this warrant grants a sentence motion. |
| 0:24.0 | A family's conviction. |
| 0:29.0 | The tears of Anthony Broadwater. |
| 0:32.0 | A man convicted, imprisoned, but finally cleared of committing a rape back in 1981. |
| 0:38.0 | In a tunnel where I was raped, a tunnel that was once an underground entry to an amphitheater. |
| 0:44.0 | A place where actors burst forth from underneath the seats of a crowd. |
| 0:48.0 | A girl had been murdered and dismembered. |
| 0:51.0 | I was told the story by the police. |
| 0:54.0 | And comparison, they said, I was lucky. |
| 0:58.0 | The terrible attack and subsequent court case were turned into a memoir called Lucky. |
| 1:04.0 | 40 years later, when the book was being turned into a film, Lucky helped exonerate the man convicted of the crime. |
| 1:11.0 | When we finally did see the trial transcript, I mean, you can read it for yourself. |
| 1:19.0 | It does not reflect a lot of one hour's described in the trial. |
| 1:24.0 | Really? |
| 1:25.0 | It's just very interesting that a memoir is to write a book about a rape. |
| 1:29.0 | Ultimately, free the rapist, based on what you wrote in her memoir. |
| 1:34.0 | You're listening to stories of our times from the times and the Sunday times I'm David Aronovich. |
| 1:39.0 | Today, victims of rape. |
| 1:42.0 | The best-selling author and the man wrongly convicted of her brutal assault. |
... |
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