Documentary Films

Investigation of a Hit and Run with Legal Discussion


From the Pittsburgh Police series
by John Marshall
black and white, 56 min, 1972



institutional price includes public performance rights
Paypal purchases ship via UPS Ground only
contact us for overnight shipping, purchase / international orders and rental / 16mm sales and rental

This film follows the investigation of a hit-and-run accident by two officers, with the initial reports, the questioning of people who witnessed the eighteen-year-old suspect, and his girlfriend's subsequent interrogation and statement. A number of factors complicate the case: the suspect was without a driver's license; he reported the car stolen to cover himself; he could not be persuaded to confess; and the girl was pregnant. The police use considerable pressure on the girl, and treat her eventual statement as though it were a confession. (33 minutes)

In A Legal Discussion of a Hit and Run, a Harvard Law School class, led by Professor James Vorenberg, discusses the salient legal points about the police investigation and interrogation and the rights of witnesses or suspects after the class has screened the film Investigation of a Hit and Run. (23 minutes)

These two films are now offered on one DVD, providing a unique educational tool for anyone interested in police procedure and consitutional rights.

Other films in the series: