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Arts & Culture

Cruel And Unusual

Exterior photo of San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, Marin County, California.
Courtesy of Sam Banning
Exterior photo of San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, Marin County, California.

Airs Tuesday, June 16, 2015 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV

Kelly Turner (left), a freed three striker featured in the film "Cruel And Unusual."
Courtesy of Sam Banning
Kelly Turner (left), a freed three striker featured in the film "Cruel And Unusual."

Success Stories

To date, Stanford Three Strikes Project students have been successful in every case that has reached final resolution. These client profiles are representative of the Project's many success stories.

"Cruel And Unusual" investigates the repercussions of California’s Three Strikes Law and its impact on the criminal justice system and society. The film comprehensively explains the origins, evolution and meaning of the law, presenting all sides of the argument.

Prominent prosecutors, defense attorneys, criminologists and civil rights advocates weigh in on the political, economic and social consequences of the law. The film also tells the personal stories of three freed three strikers caught up in the system for extraordinarily minor crimes, including shoplifting and writing a bad check.

Featuring Michelle Alexander, author of "The New Jim Crow," Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles District Attorney, Connie Rice, director of the Advancement Project, Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Irvine School of Law, and Michael Romano, director of the Stanford Three Strikes Project.

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This film is by Sam Banning.

Trailer: Cruel And Unusual
Sam Banning Interview