Brother's Keeper (documentary) - Essay Example

Brothers Keeper (documentary) This film is about the death of 64 years old William Ward. He died in a bed shared by his younger brother, Delbert, aged 59. This happened in the shack he was living with three brothers in New York dairy farm on June 6, 1990. William had several ailments, and his death was considered natural. An autopsy, however, showed that William was murdered. Delbert confessed to have suffocated his brother, Bill to death with the authority of his two brothers. They termed their actions as a mercy killing.

The brothers were semi-illiterate and had strange behaviors. The society considered the brothers harmless. They kept long beards, disregarded personal hygiene and had few friends. After the arrest of Delbert, his cousins, neighbors and residents of the county joined in his defense. They all contributed to the $10,000 required as his bail. Delbert, according to the society, was incapable of killing. The police coerced him to sign the confession form out of illiteracy. Delbert got acquitted for lack of evidence after many months.

The case drew attention from media and Delbert had so many supporters.Sociology of law is a science of how people behave in a society and the accepted legal norms in that society. The laws function is to establish norms of conduct that governs how individuals interact in a given society. Brothers Keeper film is about a society that found its identity after uniting to help one of its own. The film brings out the sociology of law when the society supports Delbert’s innocence. They refused intimidation from the legal law enforcers.

In conclusion, this is a story of social victory. It depicts how sociology of law influences a community bringing them together for a worthy course. Work CitedBrother’s Keeper. Dir. Joe Berlinger and Bruce Synofsky. Perf. Delbert Ward, Lyman Ward, Roscoe Ward and Bill Ward. MB, 1992. Film.