True crime has never been so popular, but it also has a dark side. A newNetflix series about serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer has been criticized forplaying the truth. The line between entertaining and respecting victims isthin, Belgian true crime experts confirm.
Paul NotelteirsOctober 20, 202203:00
“I’m not telling anyone what to watch or not, but if you’re really interestedin the victims, my family and I are angry.” In a message on his Twitteraccount, Eric Perry argues against the new Netflix hit at the end of September_Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story_. The series tells the true story of anAmerican murderer who murdered 13 men between 1978 and 1991.
One of his victims is Errol Lindsey, Perry’s cousin. He died in a horrificmanner that is portrayed quite frankly in the series. Perry finds it unheardof for his family trauma to be recuperated in an exciting series and joins along line of outraged relatives of victims. They believe that the makers ofthe series deviate from the facts too often and regret that they were notcontacted beforehand.
Their anger is widely picked up by the press, but actually they don’t have tosurprise them. In recent years, the broad interest in true crime has increasedrapidly. In addition to the classic documentaries about famous killers likeCharles Manson or Ted Bundy, fans of the genre can enjoy countless fictionseries and a wide variety of podcasts. The makers offer enthusiasts atemporary trip to a sinister world that appeals to the imagination, althoughvictims and relatives often have difficulty with this because the escapade ofthe masses is their daily reality.
Recognizable
Chris De Vleeschauwer (60) can identify with the frustrations expressed by therelatives of Dahmer’s victims. In 1996 his brother Peter, a gendarmerie, waskidnapped and killed. The perpetrator was never caught and that opened thedoor to speculation. The story was not only talked about in the local villagepub for years, but also in the mass media.
A few years ago, the popular podcast The People ‘s Jury in an episode aboutthe murder of De Vleeschauwer. In the episodes, the hosts often discuss theirown lives, after which they go through murder cases and speculate about apossible culprit. The light-hearted tone is typical of _The People ‘s Jury_and contributes to the podcast’s success, although it’s questionable whetherit’s appropriate to sip bubbles while discussing the greatest tragedy of aperson’s life.
“It is indeed very non-committal, you can hardly call it investigativejournalism,” says De Vleeschauwer. “I didn’t discover the episode about mybrother until two years later and found it superficial and beside the point.They read newspaper articles and made their own interpretations, but becauseof that they confused things with each other.” The man absolutely does nottarget the podcast, but is mainly disappointed because the popularity of truecrime does not mean that makers dig deeper and rarely bring new things tolight.
Yet true crime can also do more than entertain or move. In the United States,the podcast spent serial such extensive attention to the murder of Hae MinLee, after which the case was re-examined and the charges against her friendAdnan Syed dropped. He was allowed to leave prison after 23 years.
Unsolved Cases
Closer to home, director Stijn Coninx notices that fact-based fictionsometimes also helps to draw attention to unresolved issues. In 2018 hebrought Do not shoot out, a film about the Gang of Nivelles. At that time,the investigation was at a standstill and new investigators were appointedafter the release. This does not mean that all victims and their relativeswere immediately enthusiastic about the plans for a film.
“You always have to make a decision. For example, I would never make a filmabout Dutroux, unless victims or relatives really begged for it,” says Coninx.In case of Do not shoot the question arose for a fiction project by DavidVan de Steen, who lost his parents in 1985 during a robbery that the Gangcarried out in the Delhaize in Aalst. Coninx, in collaboration with the city,organized an information moment to explain his plans and also spokeextensively with those involved. This won him the trust of many people,although that does not mean that it made it easier to shoot the film.
Michael Beach as Detective Murphy, Colby French as Detective Kennedy and EvanPeters as Jeffrey Dahmer in episode 105.Image COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Anyone who works with a true story also risks legal repercussions if somethingis not portrayed completely accurately or just too explicitly. As a result,Coninx received constant legal advice. “In addition, there is the risk of realviolence. I know someone who wrote a book about the Gang and is afraid topublish it because he experienced an attempt on his life before. The fear isjustified.”
In this way, true crime is not only a reason for moral discussions about theboundary between entertainment and respect, but also a reason to talk aboutartistic freedom. While the relatives of Dahmer’s victims respondrespectfully, there is no guarantee that makers of other true crime storieswill not face lawsuits or violence. “That’s why fiction is such an interestinggenre, because by definition it’s untrue. Although you can look for a grayzone within that medium where you get inspiration from true facts.”