"Lenell Geter's in Jail" is an episode of 60 Minutes that aired in 1983. In the episode, Morely Safer reports on a successful, black engineer, Lenell Geter, who was convicted of robbing a Kentucky Fried Chicken and sentenced to life in prison despite multiple eyewitness testimonies which stated his presence at work that day. Because of the report created by Morely Safer and the 60 Minutes team, Lenell Geter was granted release in 1984 and the episode won a Peabody Award.
The “critical framework” approach analyzes media through a critical perspective that views media in such that it is a reflection of the social constructs and structures that dominate society. This approach implies that “access to the production of news, whether as a reporter, an expert, or as a source of news, should be broadened to include a wider range of voices regardless of status or power” (Creeber, 128). This is essential when looking to understand and analyze how media affects society and its teachings; media greatly affects the way people understand not only certain topics but the world around them. 60 Minutes is a segment that does just that by “bringing the world to the television screen for an hour, championing the “little guy” in struggles against corrupt politicians, profit-driven corporate scams, and uncaring, inaccessible institutions” (Unruh, “60 Minutes’ History of Peabody Awards”).
When looking at the 60 Minutes episode entitled “Lenell Geter’s In Jail,” one can analyze it through the critical framework approach to better understand its impact. The episode teaser opens with the main officer on Geter’s case claiming his without a doubt confidence on Geter’s guilt; in contrast to this, Morley Safer, the 60 Minutes reporter, starkly contrasts the police officer by noting Geter’s “swift trial” and following up his sentencing facts with an immediate question of Geter’s ability to even commit the crime: “Could Lenell Geter have been a successful engineer who went out to rob fast food restaurants in his lunch hour or coffee breaks or after work?” (60 Minutes, 00:00:55- 00:02:00). This question in combination with the three eye witness immediately shown who claim Geter’s innocence formats the argument for the unjustness he faced within
his accusation, trial, and sentencing from the very beginning of the episode. Continuing throughout the episode, Safer tears down each of the arguments made by police officials; he
allows the officers to stumble on camera and tight shots of their faces only lend their confusion for further support in Geter’s defense. This theme continues throughout the entire segment and the same style proves to have the opposite effect on the eyewitnesses who are without-a-doubt certain that it was not Lenell Geter who robbed the Kentucky Fried Chicken that day or, too, any of the other fast food restaurants he was accused of robbing. His co-workers and associates appear together, all sitting in one living room to testify for Geter's presence at work that day. Even when looking at the
portrayal of Lenell Geter, he is not portrayed as one would think a convicted felon would be-
in a prison suit, behind bars, and/or as a hardened individual. Instead, he is a successful engineer who has friends and family; he is a man who liked to feed the ducks on his lunch break. Through these methods, “Lenell Geter’s in Jail” challenges the competence of the officials who convicted Geter as guilty and proves his innocence in more ways than just giving facts. The audience sides with Geter from the very beginning and hopes for the best for this innocent man behind bars.
Works Cited
Creeber, Glen. (2015). The Television Genre Book (3rd Edition). British Film Institute.
“Lenell Geter’s in Jail.” 60 Minutes, created by Don Hewitt, presented by Morley Safer, CBS News, 1983.
Unruh, Wes. “60 Minutes' History of Peabody Awards.” Peabody Awards, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, 5 Aug. 2014, www.peabodyawards.com/stories/story/60-minutes-history-of-peabody-wins.
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