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The Hurricane Tapes

Factual: Life Stories

The true story of the triple murder convictions of boxer Rubin Hurricane Carter.

Racism, poverty and violence. Enter the world of Rubin Carter #HurricaneTapes

Meet Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter. To understand the events of June 1966 we must first understand him: the man, the boxer, his life and the times he lived in.

The previously unheard cassette recordings reveal his traumatic childhood, entwined with racism and violence; how he finds redemption in boxing, and how his violent persona in the ring spills out on to the streets of Paterson, New Jersey. It’s about why he thought cops targeted him, all set against the 1966 backdrop of civil rights era America.

The Hurricane Tapes: Murders at the Lafayette

26/01/2019 GMT

Murders at the Lafayette

BBC World Service - The Hurricane Tapes, Murders at the Lafayette

Four shot, three killed, two murderers on the run

Four shot, three killed, two murderers on the run. What exactly happened on the night of the murders?

We walk through the night of the murders, hearing from Rubin Carter via the audio tapes, and speak to John Artis - the other man convicted of the crime. 

We also meet the lead detective’s son, who gives us access to his father’s private files. Lt Vincent De Simone died in the 1970s, but these tapes produce something never heard before: his account of that night, and the case in his own words. 

So for the first time ever, we hear from both sides, as the story unfolds of the night of the murders, and how the two suspects were locked in interrogation rooms for 17 hours immediately after the crime.

Presented by Steve Crossman
Produced by Steve Crossman and Joel Hammer

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