Myrlie evers pushed for the conviction of the man who killed her civil rights activist husband while betty anne waters put herself through law school to clear her brothers name. Watch the trailer below and learn more about the story behind the film. Kenneth waters, who died in 2001, served 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Betty anne waters swank is a high school dropout who spent nearly two decades working as a single mother while putting herself through law school, tirelessly trying to beat the system and overturn her brothers rockwell unjust murder conviction. Here is a reference for betty anne s story and here is a reference for kennys story including sordid details of how the police withheld evidence that proved he was innocent. In their come of age, kenny is a troublemaker with a baby daughter hated by the local police department and betty anne gets married and has two sons. Betty anne waters is the true story of a woman who went to law school to free her brother from prison after his conviction for a 1980 murder she was convinced he did not commit. Hilary swank is activist and actress with conviction.
Thats the reallife story thats told in conviction, in which swank plays betty anne waters, a single mother who put herself through law school to help her brother. Arrival is a mom telling the story of her life close up with thr duration. Betty anne waters shares her experience watching her life. Conviction filmmakers struggled with tragic ending to their. Sep 01, 2015 playing siblings, hillary swank and sam rockwell put their all into this as betty anne waters swank works for twenty years to free her wrongfullyimprisoned brother, kenny rockwell. This is the kind of original, compelling stories that you dont find so much in fiction. In conviction, hilary swank plays betty anne waters, a massachusetts woman whose brother was wrongfully convicted of murder.
Betty anne waters said that she never had a minute when she would like to. The big short 6 jared vennetts pitch to front point partners jenga blocks scene duration. After the murder, kenny is initially brought in for questioning by sergeant nancy taylor, but released. She likes living just a few blocks from aidans, where she keeps the books in a. Betty anne waters is about to be one of the most famous lawyers in america thanks to conviction, the new movie about her quest to free her wrongly convicted brother, kenny. Betty anne waters talks conviction, the innocence project. Convinced of her brothers innocence and lacking the resources to pay for an appeal. Two years later, based on new testimony from two witnesses, kenny is arrested and tried. Dec 10, 2010 the difference, however, is that this story is completely true. Betty anne waters really is a parttime pub waitress, who really did put herself through law school and singlehandedly proved her brothers innocence, along the way sacrificing her. I first saw betty anne waters from a distance, waiting her turn at a podium at the innocence projects fundraising dinner in. A long wait for my short career as an extra in the betty. But for many others, betty anne waters is a heroine.
Oct 28, 2010 bringing conviction to the big screen was a yearslong challenge for producer and star hilary swank, but it paled in comparison to the 18year ordeal betty anne waters went through to clear. Subsequently, no one has been charged with katharina brows murder. His sister, betty ann waters right, earned a law degree and fought for his release. Film tells of truelife wrongful conviction drama mpr news. Woman who got imprisoned brother freed still helps. Betty anne waters was a young mother in 1982 when her older brother was arrested and charged in the brutal slaying and robbery of his neighbor, katharina brow, in. In ayer, massachusetts, the siblings betty anne and kenneth kenny waters are very close to each other and they are neglected by their single mother and prostitute elizabeth waters. A server at an irish pub with a ged, waters realized that nobody was going to fight like.
Everything you need to know about conviction movie 2010. Conviction is the inspirational true story of a sisters unwavering devotion to her brother. For those who dont know her, shes simply a woman who runs a bristol, r. The innocence project is a national litigation and public policy. In any case, in her heart, she realized he was not an executioner. Oct 14, 2010 when her brother kenny was sentenced to life without parole for the 1983 murder of katharina brow, betty anne waters was a single mother of two, living handtomouth as a parttime bar waitress. Betty anne waters, staring sam rockwell and hilary swank, is scheduled to be released in theaters in 2010. Als kenny waters sam rockwell wegen mordes zu lebenslanger haft. His sister, betty anne waters, put herself through college and law school for the. Swank plays betty anne waters, a young woman whose world is shattered when her beloved brother kenny rockwell is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Her story has been captured on the silver screen in the.
Ron batzdorf fox searchlight in this photo provided by starpix, actress hilary swank, right, and betty anne waters pose before a benefit celebration for the innocence project in honor of the film conviction in new york, wednesday, sept. Oct 24, 2019 betty anne waters said that kenny was a big party man and concedes he was a troublemaker. Betty anne waters, a server who went to law school to free her brother from prison, is the subject of conviction, starring hilary swank. Barry scheck discusses conviction and the innocence project barry scheck, cofounder and codirector of the innocence project, is also a key role in the film conviction, starring hilary swank. Kenneth waters was convicted in 1983 for the 1980 murder and robbery of katherina row, a woman who regularly visited the diner where waters worked in ayer. The story of betty macdonald, author of the egg and i. Conviction is the true story of betty anne waters, a working mother. Betty anne waters saw her brother kenny unlawfully sent to prison for the murder and. After her brother was convicted of a murder betty anne waters knew he didnt commit, she devoted the next 18 years to proving his innocence. The killing of an elderly woman living alone in a remote massachusetts township enraged the community. Conviction and the case of kenny waters innocence project.
Betty anne waters, the remarkable reallife crusader at the heart of the wellmade biopic conviction, is a worthy addition to the sisterhood. I feel bad for the victim because they dont have the real killer, she said. Apr 09, 2001 for more than three years, betty anne waters had watched helplessly as her older brother kenny languished in a massachusetts prison. I would suggest that the new article be titled kenneth waters case. But he was released after his sister, betty anne waters, brought to light dna evidence that proved his innocence. As an attorney betty anne waters has a 100 percent success rate. Beyond terror by anne marie waters this book is controversial but the time for it is now. Movies arent getting greenlit unless youre a comic book or tell a lot of.
Betty anne waters was played by hilary swank in the 2010 movie conviction. If you enjoy betty macdonalds books, you will certainly be interested in this behind the scenes biography. After so many years behind bars, the world was new to him. Conviction tells the true story of betty anne waters swank, a high school dropout and single mom who spends 18 years of her life getting a ged and law degree for the express purpose of. Betty anne waters spoke to an audience along with director tony goldwyn and. But betty anne waters says of her brothers time after he was exonerated. The critical consensus reads less compelling and more manipulative than it should be, conviction benefits from its compelling true story and a pair of. Conviction is not the most original or daring retelling of a truelife saga, but the films participants respect the material.
Her story began almost 30 years ago, after the brutal murder of a 48yearold massachusetts. Betty anne waters life revolves around her brother, who is now in jail for. Conviction mostly avoids cloying melodrama and instead focuses on betty anne waters work to uncover dna evidence supporting her brothers innocence. Conviction story, conviction hollywood movie story, plot. Betty anne and kennys story, the subject of a movie out now called conviction, starring hilary swank, begins in rural 1960s massachusetts, where they were two of. On this segment of our voice, show host, rebecca evans interviews betty anne waters.
Despite kennys knack for getting in trouble, they have always been close. For the ones who dont have any acquaintance with her, shes basically a lady who runs a bristol, r. I do think things were rushed at times, but some would argue that squeezing twenty years into a twohour movie would be difficult. Conviction tells the true story of betty anne waters swank and her 18year fight to free her brother kenny rockwell, who was convicted of murder. Betty anne waters s story enroll law college, save brother. Conviction and hilary swank draw fire from slain womans. I had a fiveday trial and i was away for the rest of my life, waters said. The film is based on the true story of betty anne waters, an unemployed single. Oct 17, 2010 starring hilary swank, the film tells the true story of high school dropout betty anne waters, who went to law school and fought the judicial system for 18 years before proving that her imprisoned. I believe this is why i am on earth, is to help get stories told like betty anne waters and kennys story. Scheck and his innocence project to join in her quest. Found guilty by scholastic scholastic books for kids.
Since waters death, representatives of his estate have settled a civil lawsuit with the town of ayer, and the case was the subject of a 2010 feature film. Full of both good and, well, notsoflattering stories and anecdotes concerning betty and the rest of her family, it was an enjoyable and informative read. Convicted in 1983 of firstdegree murder, kenny was serving a. Sadly, waters passed away six months after his release. Conviction filmmakers struggled with tragic ending to. Betty anne waters, a woman who become a lawyer and spent 16 years trying to free her brother from an undeserved life sentence and succeeded the plot of a new film out next year appears, at first glance, to belong in the long tradition of hollywood prison movie tearjerkers. After exoneration, a sisters story attracts hollywood. Conviction tells the reallife story of a single mother named betty ann waters, who tended bar while acquiring her ged, bachelors degree, and then her law degree, all so that she could represent her brother kenny, wrongly convicted of murder. Betty anne waters shares her experience watching her life story being made into a film. And her dogged tenacity pays off in the end with kenny being cleared of all charges.
Oct 14, 2010 but he was released after his sister, betty anne waters, brought to light dna evidence that proved his innocence. Betty anne waters become lawyer tryed to free her brother. Betty anne waters really is a parttime pub waitress, who really did put herself through law school and singlehandedly proved her. Hire movie convictions betty anne waters for your event. Conviction is a 2010 biographical legal drama film directed by tony goldwyn, written by. When betty anne waters twotime academy award winner hilary swank older brother kenny sam rockwell. Conviction is based on the true story of betty anne waters twodecade battle to right the travesty of justice that condemned her brother to life in prison.
Kennys release, conviction brings her story to the big screen a sort of erin. In 2001, however, waters was freed from prison after his sister, betty anne waters, uncovered dma evidence which proved her brother wasnt the killer. It highlights both my own personal experience of the political left, opposing islamic extremism, as well as an analysis of the broad impact of islamism on the democratic principles of gender equality in law and freedom of speech. But for thousands of others, betty ann waters is a hero, reports cbs news correspondent russ mitchell. When kenny waters was convicted of a murder he didnt commit, his sister betty anne waters promised to help overturn his conviction and set. So betty anne waters, a secondary school dropout, enrolled in law school and turned into her siblings lawyer.
Betty anne waters betty anne waters was 29 years old when her brother kenny waters was convicted of a murder in ayer, massachusetts. Conviction is a film which imitates life, but the reality behind it is more compelling than any screenplay. Story waters has 15 books on goodreads with 287 ratings. Against all the odds, betty anne qualified as a lawyer and uncovered dna evidence that would eventually help to clear kennys name. A working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders. Conviction is an upcoming drama film directed by tony goldwyn. The main suspect was kenny waters, betty anns younger brother. He was 47 years old and had spent more than a third of his life in prison for a crime he didnt commit. Massachusetts mans estate paid millions for wrongful conviction. Based on a true story, conviction 2010 recounts the tale of a workingclass woman who gets a law degree.
Oct, 2010 betty anne waters, a server who went to law school to free her brother from prison, is the subject of conviction, starring hilary swank. She was a young woman with two children, working in a bar at the time of kennys conviction. Betty anne waters life revolves around her brother, who is now in jail for murder. When her brother kenny was sentenced to life without parole for the 1983 murder of katharina brow, betty anne waters was a single mother of. Whats the story when betty anne waters hilary swank older brother kenny sam rockwell is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, betty anne, a massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Playing siblings, hillary swank and sam rockwell put their all into this as betty anne waters swank works for twenty years to free her wrongfullyimprisoned brother, kenny rockwell. Starring hilary swank, the film tells the true story of high school dropout betty anne waters, who went to law school and fought the judicial system for. Its the story of betty anne waters who decides to go to law school to help free her. Betty anne waters, reallife heroine of conviction the new york. Massachusetts mans estate resolves wrongful conviction suit. Hilary swank background, center and sam rockwell in the drama conviction.
Waters, anne marie and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Barry scheck discusses conviction and the innocence project. Massachusetts mans estate paid millions for wrongful. Twotime academy award winner hilary swank and sam rockwell deliver unforgettable performances in this incredible true story that costars minnie driver, juliette lewis and peter gallagher. Yes, i agree, the reallife story should be split out. Today we remember kenny waters on his 18th exoneration. Her story started very nearly 30 years ago, after the ruthless homicide of a 48yearold massachusetts lady. I studied law for 12 years to free innocent brother the sun.
Oct 15, 2010 but for thousands of others, betty ann waters is a hero, reports cbs news correspondent russ mitchell. Betty anne waters is still walking the earth, so it was a huge responsibility for me to do justice to her story. Oct 26, 2010 betty anne and kennys story, the subject of a movie out now called conviction, starring hilary swank, begins in rural 1960s massachusetts, where they were two of nine children of more than one. When betty anne waters twotime academy award winner hilary swank. Betty anne waters attorney and the film conviction is based on the true story of betty anne waters betty anne waters was a single mom who put herself through college and law school while bar tending at night in order to represent her brother kenny, whom she believed was wrongfully convicted of murder. When her brother kenny was sentenced to life without parole for the 1983 murder of katharina brow, betty anne waters was a single mother of two, living handtomouth as a parttime bar waitress. Her story began almost 30 years ago, after the brutal murder of a 48yearold massachusetts woman. The principle suspect was kenny waters, betty anne waterss younger sibling. This on the record dual biography tells the stories of two women who fought for justice. The upcoming film conviction, tells the story of betty anne waters twodecade struggle to free her brother kenneth after he was convicted in massachusetts of a murder he didnt commit. Both the film and the true story are accounts of incredible loyalty, courage, and determination. Hilary swank plays betty anne waters and sam rockwell plays kenneth waters. Convinced of her brothers innocence and lacking the resources to pay for an appeal waters got.
Conviction tells the story of working mother betty anne waters. Conviction writer pamela gray on bay area move sfgate. Betty anne waters, kenneths sister, agrees that justice wasnt served, but for a different reason. After 18 long years in jail, he would finally walk free. Since waters death, representatives of his estate have settled a civil lawsuit with the town of ayer, and the case was the subject of a 2010 feature film, conviction. The difference, however, is that this story is completely true. Conviction tells the reallife story of a single mother named betty ann waters, who tended bar while acquiring her ged, bachelors degree, and then her law degree, all so that she could represent. Betty anne pretty much puts her life on hold for years hoping that when she finishes law school she can help prove her brother is innocent. Massachusetts mans estate resolves wrongful conviction. Betty anne waters managed a bar when her brother kenny was convicted of murder in 1983. Hilary swank is at her best in workingclass, littlepeople roles, and shes found another one with conviction.
Betty anne waters s story enroll law college, save. Bringing conviction to the big screen was a yearslong challenge for producer and star hilary swank, but it paled in comparison to the 18year ordeal betty anne waters went through to clear. When her brother was convicted of murder, betty anne waters. Its the reallife story of betty anne waters, who put herself through law. With hilary swank, sam rockwell, melissa leo, thomas d. Nov 29, 2010 anthony kustura interviewed the famous lawyer. Betty anne and kennys story, the subject of a movie out now called conviction, starring hilary swank, begins in rural 1960s massachusetts, where they were two of nine children of more than one father left to their own devices by a neglectful, passionate mother to put it kindly, which is the way betty anne tells me she prefers it be put. Betty anne waters, a server who went to law school to free her.
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