After seeing people post about it on my timeline, I decided to check out Seven Seconds on Netflix and I ended up binge watching the whole 10 episodes.
The show is executive produced by Toronto born Veena Sud, whose parents are from India. The series is based upon a Russian film with a similar plot but a different criminal court system, in a different country.
“When 15-year-old black cyclist Brenton Butler dies in a hit-and-run accident — with a white police officer behind the wheel of the vehicle — Jersey City explodes with racial tension. This crime drama explores the aftermath of the accident, which includes an attempted cover-up by the police department and a volatile trial. Assistant prosecutor KJ wants to prosecute the hit-and-run as a hate crime, in addition to a negligent homicide. The longer the case drags on without a resolution, the more tense the situation becomes. Emmy winner Regina King stars as Brenton’s churchgoing mother, Latrice.”
The storyline, writing and production of Seven Seconds was great. The story follows a Black assistant prosecutor and a unit of corrupt New Jersey Narcotics Officers–as well as family of the Black kid killed by one of the police in this narcotics squad, detailing how death can have the ripple effect of literally ripping families apart.
The cop Jablanski, hits this kid with his car one morning and he really did not see him. He called the Sergeant in his unit who pulls up to the scene with the two other cops in the group. After seeing the kid was Black, the Sergeant DiAngelo, tells Jablanski to leave the scene.
“Have you watched the news lately? They are going to crucify you and we are all going to pay. For Ferguson. For every cop that’s killed a Black kid. There are no accidents anymore.”- DiAngelo
This assistant prosecutor and the detective on the case were much better at their jobs and eventually figured out these cops were the culprits behind the murder.
The series does a great job breaking down how the odds are set up against young, Black, males and how they are seemingly put on trial in their deaths due to the media’s bias. The series also does a great job outlining the work that goes into preparing a defense (or building a case) and how powerful the Judge, actually is.
