Remembering Kitty Genovese

A New Commentary Each Wednesday March 19, 2014

REMEMBERING KITTY GENOVESE

This past weekend, I read that March 13th, 2014 marked 50 years since Kitty Genovese, a 28 year-old bar manager, was brutally slain in New York City by a serial killer, Winston Mosely. After she closed the bar at 3:00 in the morning, Genovese drove her car to a railroad station parking lot near her apartment.

When Mosely, an employed married man with two children, saw her get out of her car, he stalked her almost to the door of her home and attacked her with a hunting knife. She screamed for help endlessly and fought for her life.

At least 37 people heard those shrieks and did nothing.

I should add "almost nothing." A neighbor across the street raised his window and yelled at Mosely to stop. Mosely ran back to his car. The first witness didn't call anyone nor did he go to the seriously wounded woman's aid. Instead, he went down to his basement and took a nap.

Critically wounded, the victim was still able to make her way into the vestibule of her building.

Mosely returned, followed her into the vestibule and resumed stabbing her. He then sexually assaulted her.

A man who lived on the first floor of the building opened his door, saw the knife and the blood, closed his door and telephoned a friend. The friend advised him not to get involved. This witness was so panicked that he climbed out of his first floor window and made his way to a neighbor's apartment. He later stated that he was too drunk to do anything more.

What brought this horrific event to the attention of the public was an investigative report published on the front page of the New York Times. It had this headline: 37 WHO SAW MURDER DIDN'T CALL THE POLICE. (Actually, it was later found out to have been 38 people who witnessed the attack or heard the woman screaming for nearly 30 minutes).*

When interviewed, the newspaper found that all stated in one way another that they "did not want to get involved."

This sensational case of mass apathy shocked the nation. I was then working at a radio station in Tucson, Arizona. I read a follow-up story on Associated Press later that day and at this moment can't remember exactly what it was that I, and I'm sure millions of others felt: shock, revulsion, anger, fear, disgust...it was more than mere dismay or a confirmation of "that's what it's like to live in a big city" kind of feeling.

We've no right to insist on intervention with a madman, yet I would hope that I would not be so insensitive and yes, cowardly. Yet, for so many to close their windows, to cover their ears and turn their backs and fail to even call the police, after something so horrible had been going on for even a second, let alone a half hour, is almost beyond belief.

The reason I revisited this story of anti-semaritanism is that I was a little bit astounded that I did not hear more recognition this week of the 50th anniversary of something that shocked so many people in 1964.

Winston Mosely was caught while burglarizing a home five days after Kitty Genovese's gruesome murder and readily confessed to attacking and killing other young women as well as Kitty Genovese. A jury decided that he was to be sentenced to life in prison, where he remains today. The defense attempted to get the jury to consider an insanity plea, but the jury rejected that option.

A final weird twist to this case came when police decided conclusively that one of the women Mosely claimed to have slain was actually murdered by someone else.

Phil Richardson, Observer and Storyteller.

*I learned this weekend that a woman, Sophia Ferrar, who, upon hearing Miss Genovese's screams for help, came to her aid after Mosely fled, but could not save her life.

If you wish to comment, my eMail address is k7os@comcast.com or, you can go back to the eMail with a link to his page and click "Reply."

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