Update: This chat has ended (watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h2ixTqFxhA). Thank you to all who participated and submitted questions.
Filmmaker Nadine Pequeneza of 15 to Life: Kenneth’s Story will join POV for an online video chat on Tuesday, August 5, 2-3 PM ET (11 AM-12 PM PT). She will be joined by Jody Kent Lavy, director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, and Jeanne Bishop, a Chicago public defender whose sister, brother-in-law and their unborn child were killed by a teenager, to take your questions about making the documentary and issues surrounding young people serving life sentences.
Does sentencing a teenager to life without parole serve our society well? The United States is the only country in the world that routinely condemns children to die in prison. This is the story of one of those children, now a young man, seeking a second chance in Florida. At age 15, Kenneth Young received four consecutive life sentences for a series of armed robberies. Imprisoned for more than a decade, he believed he would die behind bars. Now a U.S. Supreme Court decision could set him free. 15 to Life: Kenneth’s Story follows Young’s struggle for redemption, revealing a justice system with thousands of young people serving sentences intended for society’s most dangerous criminals.
Ask the subject and filmmaker questions by posting your comments below.
Here is an overview of the event:
Where: Online on POV’s Google+ page
When: Tuesday, August 5, 2-3 PM ET (11 AM-12 PM PT).
Who: Filmmaker Nadine Pequeneza, Jody Kent Lavy, director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, and Jeanne Bishop, a Chicago public defender whose family members were victims of gun violence, will attend.
How: Go to the Google+ event page to watch the live video. Let us know you’re coming and get your questions in early by RSVPing on the Google+ event page. You can also leave your question as a comment on this post or by tweeting with the hashtag #docchat. If you are accessing the chat via a mobile device, you will need the Hangouts app which must be synced to YouTube. Download the app for iOS or Android devices. If you miss the event, revisit this page later for a recorded video of the discussion.
On August 4, 2014 at 10 PM, POV will present the national broadcast premiere of 15 to Life: Kenneth’s Story on PBS (Check local listings). The film will be available for streaming on the POV website from August 5 to September 3, 2014.
For updates on the 2014 season of POV, subscribe to POV’s documentary blog, like POV on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @povdocs.
