Wilco: A Documentary on the Impact of Plea Bargaining and the Criminal Justice System
Wrongful convictions are a big problem in the US, and it’s happening to real people who are wrongly accused of crimes they didn’t do. The impact of these false accusations is massive, not just on the person who’s wrongly convicted, but also on their loved ones.
It is more than just time in jail. It’s a total life-wrecker that affects not just the person, but also their family and friends. The emotional toll is huge, with families losing a loved one, struggling financially, and being traumatized by the felony stigma. This can last a lifetime and impact entire communities.
We have to do something about it. Everybody deserves a fair trial and a chance to clear their name if someone has wrongly accused them. We all need to work together to stop wrongful convictions and help those who’ve been wrongly accused get the support they need to rebuild their lives.
Enter plea bargaining - a key part of the criminal justice system that has a tremendous impact on people’s lives. But the system has one major loophole, and it leans towards convictions above all else, leading to a lot of injustice.
So, being a filmmaker, I got a team together and we’re pursuing this important topic. The documentary—Wilco shines a light on the impact of plea bargaining on people and their families.
The movie tells the story of Troy, a man who chose between life in prison or ten years of probation for something he didn’t do. Plea bargaining can be a double-edged sword. It speeds up court proceedings, but it also has a dark side.
Troy had to decide between life in prison or ten years probation for something he didn’t do.
Troy’s story is just one part of the movie, which also covers the history of Williamson County and its 100% conviction rate. The movie covers many other cases of people who have been affected by the plea bargaining system. Just talking about the cases’ info doesn’t tell the entire story.
Wilco also inspects how plea bargaining affects families. Through interviews with Troy’s loved ones, we see how a felony charge can completely change the dynamics of a family. It puts a lot of stress and burden on everyone involved. Our film isn’t only about Troy, it’s about the millions of families affected by the corrupt plea bargaining system.
The movie has experts in mental health, finance, and the criminal justice system to provide their insights and perspectives on the impact of plea bargaining. Wilco makes the stats come to life, helping us better understand this loophole and how it affects hundreds of thousands of people.
The goal of Wilco is to raise awareness and make change happen. We hope to encourage people to look closer to our societal norms by sharing the stories of people and their families negatively impacted by plea bargaining. To make this happen, me and my team need your help. Whether it’s spreading the word, sharing on social media, or financial support, every bit helps. We can’t do this alone; the story is too important not to share our joy in bringing this to light.
We need people who see the importance of the issue. We need people who will put their efforts into making a difference. This is the path we are running down, and we’d love to have you join our efforts.
I am always happy to give you the entire story and show you how we plan on making this story come to life. You can find my schedule to chat more here.