This Saturday at 10:00 p.m. on CBS, "48 Hours" will air an updated hour on Marty's case, including the first and only interview Marty's given since being released from prison. The exclusiveness of the interview is due in large part to its timing, taped after DA Thomas Spota said he was dropping all charges against Marty, and before Governor Spitzer and Attorney General Cuomo took over the case, the first effect of which was to postpone the dropping of the charges. Such a turn of events would make anyone circumspect, at least temporarily, so Marty interviews are scarce at the moment.
Along with Bruce Lambert of the New York Times, Zach Dowdy of Newsday (where some senior editors still, in 2008, buy the Suffolk County law enforcement myth of Marty's guilt) and Lily Stolzberg of TV 10/55 on Long Island, "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty and her producer Gail Zimmerman have been on the story since 2003 and, to echo Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's promise, simply followed it where it led them. Like a lot of us, they were skeptical at first: Guy in prison says he's innocent, what else is new? Of course, now we know, because the facts speak for themselves.
Moriarty recently told Newsday, "I just don't believe that Marty Tankleff had anything to do with the murder of his parents." Not a tough statement to make now that a unanimous appellate court panel vacated Marty's conviction and the Suffolk County DA who fought to keep him in jail finally relented and said he would drop the charges. But it's refreshing to hear from a journalist these days, when too many reporters are "balanced" to a fault. There are not two sides to every story. Sometimes there's just the truth and some bullies who want to cover it up.
Tomorrow's "48 Hours Mystery" is aptly entitled "Fight for the Truth." It's a mystery alright, but it's not a whodunit. Since it's clear Marty didn't do it and others did, It's a how'd-they-get-away-with-it.
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Read the "48 Hours" write-up, watch Erin Moriarty's "Reporter's Notebook" and a 30-second promo here.
I just saw the airing of Marty's case and I laud everyone who are involved and tirelessly fought in finding the truth for freedom . Good luck to Mr. Tankleff's endeavors.
Posted by: dmc | January 27, 2008 at 02:07 AM