Divided into nine gripping episodes, The Innocence Files explores the backstories of people who were wrongfully convicted of crimes, and includes several jaw-dropping moments. The Netflix docuseries primarily focuses on the evidence and witness testimony of select cases, along with all the systemic issues that allow for innocent people to be easily targeted by agenda-driven prosecutors. Released in April 2020, The Innocence Files was directed by Roger Ross Williams, Alex Gibney, and Liz Garbus.
The Innocence Project was founded by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck in 1992. Since then, their work has led to nearly 200 exonerations, inspired by a mission to "free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment." The Innocence Files on Netflix prominently features both Neufeld and Scheck as they reflect about specific cases and attempt to explain the Whys and Hows of the criminal justice system.
Overall, The Innocence Files is a revelation in itself. Each episodes details a collection of injustices that ultimately sent innocent people to prison for decades. The following is a thread of thematic reveals that connect the Netflix docuseries as a whole.
Once a renowned forensic odontologist, Dr. Michael West has been heavily criticized over the years for his "direct comparison" approach when analyzing bite marks. West is prominently featured in The Innocence Files, speaking declaratively and unapologetically about methods that have largely been debunked. For example, West's testimony led to the convictions of two men who supposedly bit their victims — Levon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer — but the marks in question were later explained during The Innocence Project investigations. West uses phrases like "Suck it up, buttercup" in the Netflix docuseries, and describes fellow odontologist Richard Souviron (who testified in Ted Bundy's trial) as a "Witness Having Other Reasonable Explanations. W-H-O-R-E." The filmmakers use West's past and questionable methods to underline how flimsy science can be presented as damning evidence in court.
The Innocence Files on Netflix reveals that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department had a Neo-Nazi gang operating within the organization. This fact is connected to the 1991 murder of Donald Sarpy, and how a Hispanic man named Franky Carrillo ended up being manipulated by "the most oppressive and criminal law enforcement gang" in the region. Inside the Lynwood sheriff station, a map of the city was found in the shape of Africa, and it's implied that officers didn't think highly of local African-Americans or Hispanics. The Vikings apparently had their own gang signs and ankle tattoos, and would essentially target local gang members. In the present, Carrillo reflects about being judged for the conditions of his existence, most notably how prosecutors shamed his family in court by questioning their day to day routines. This particular sequence about social perceptions and gender roles effectively complements the opening commentary about flawed evidence.
A recurring theme in The Innocence Files reveals that DNA evidence wasn't always viewed as a gateway to crime scene clarity. Instead, many prosecutors in the documentary's cases relied on DNA evidence when it worked to their advantage, but questioned the science when it was used to exonerate wrongly-convicted individuals. This connects to the withholding of exculpatory evidence, or information that would be beneficial to defense cases. From beginning to end, The Innocence Files on Netflix pinpoints the systemic failures of authoritative people who presumably wanted the truth, but somehow ended up manipulating information for court proceedings. Episode by episode, The Innocence Files connects the dots: flawed evidence, corrupt law enforcers, and different beliefs about the reliability of DNA tests.
In The Innocence Files, everything boils down to neuroscience, or how people associated with criminal cases incorrectly analyze information from the start. This happens at the crime scene, and also during suspect lineups. The Netflix docuseries reminds viewers that some police work is just plain sloppy, and that well-meaning people simply interpret data differently than others, as painfully detailed in a sequence about the cross-race effect. By deconstructing heavy issues such as racism and the absence of morals in law enforcement departments, The Innocence Files reveals the complexities of the human mind, and how memories are often conjured up based on concepts rather than facts.
