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Kitty Genovese

mariomike

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Those of us who are a certain age may remember this case. I most certainly do. Her murderer-rapist died in prison this year. He was originally scheduled for the electric chair at Sing-Sing. He should have, in my opinion.

Her family was, of course, heart-broken by it. But, wanted to put it behind them. They never discussed it.

All except one of her brothers, that is. He just would not let it go. It consumed him. Because of that, we learn a lot more about Kitty than was originally known. She was a vibrant and much loved young woman.

And her brother, William ( Bill ), is an honest to God war hero who has quietly fought a battle of his own since 1967.

They didn't have 9-1-1 back then. The police and ambulance were much delayed. I think she would have had a chance with the system we have now.

Well worth watching! I saw it on Netflix.

http://www.thewitness-film.com/
"Some stories haunt us forever."
 

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Of course today, residents at the Mowbray Apartments could dial 9-1-1 on their cell phones. Even film it with their phones, if they want to.

It is my understanding that her murder / robbery / rape had something to do with the creation of the 9-1-1 system,

This Woman’s Murder Is The Reason You Can Call 911

The Brutal Murder that Started 9-1-1

An Iconic Murder Helped Create the 911 System

etc...

She was running from her murderer / robber / rapist ( temperatures were freezing ), trying to reach the Emergency Call Box on the corner ( I remember when we still had them in Toronto ), but did not quite make it before he caught up to her.
The first attack - there were two separate attacks - began at 0320 AM.

The perp ran to his car and drove away after the first attack, but when he didn't hear any sirens, he returned to the scene of his crime and systematically searched the parking lot, train station, and an apartment complex. Eventually, he found Kitty, who was lying, barely conscious, in a hallway at the back of the building where a locked doorway had prevented her from entering the building and finished her off. Then he raped her

The two attacks went on until about 0350 AM.

The ambulance arrived on scene at 0415 and departed scene at 0425 en route to Queens Hospital. She was still alive, but DOA at the ER.

People said they called it in, and I believe them. Calls "got lost" in those days. Later that year, emergency calls were simplified from dialing "O" for Operator or a precinct or borough headquarters, to a central phone number. The unified 9-1-1 system was established in 1968.

This incident happened in 1964.

( In Toronto, on January 1, 1967 the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Department of Emergency Services (D.E.S) opened up Metro Toronto’s first centralized ambulance dispatch centre, located at 2200 Yonge St.
9-1-1 was not established until March 22, 1982. )

My first ten years on the job were before the 9-1-1 system. People loved it, and Call Volume sky-rocketed, especially after cell phones came along. 
The number of calls received for a single incident can be very high. It can get confusing too, because with so many callers, a single incident can sound like multiple.
 
mariomike said:
In Toronto, on January 1, 1967 the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Department of Emergency Services (D.E.S) opened up Metro Toronto’s first centralized ambulance dispatch centre, located at 2200 Yonge St.
9-1-1 was not established until March 22, 1982.

I grew up in Winnipeg and before 9-1-1 was introduced we could call 9-9-9 for emergencies, just like in England.  The Winnipeg 9-9-9 system went back at least to the 1960's.

Cheers,
Dan.
 
Dan M said:
I grew up in Winnipeg and before 9-1-1 was introduced we could call 9-9-9 for emergencies, just like in England.  The Winnipeg 9-9-9 system went back at least to the 1960's.

Cheers,
Dan.

Winnipeg 999 Emergency Call Line - CBC-TV, 1959
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lmNzt_W7zU

With taped lines. June 21, 1959.

That did not exist in NYC in 1964. Just old fashioned log books. It was until 1968 that Toronto got taped lines, and not until 1982 that we got 9-1-1.

Me speculating,

I suspect the City may have taken it out on the neighbourhood rather than admit the possibility existed that it was a botched call. People sue over botched calls.
Reliable people signed affidavits that they called it in. That they were told, "We already have the call."

The first entry into the log book was not made until 0455.

Call Receiver(s) may have downgraded it to a drunken argument. The victim and perp moved separately to less visible locations after the first attack.

Without taped lines to verify the calls were received, there is no way of knowing.

That, and The New York Times trying to sell newspapers.

Even now, I read the other day that North Dakota has text to 9-1-1. Toronto and NYC do not.


 
John Tescione said:
I plan on watching the Movie.

Did you get a chance to see it, Tess?

For some reason, it really touched me. How do you explain the response time to the parents?

I remember when Mosely, who had been sentenced to die in the electric chair at Sing Sing, escaped from Attica and was on his reign of rape and terror in Buffalo, attempting to make his way into Canada.

How a witnessed street stabbing occurred at 0320 AM, but it wasn't until 0425 that she was loaded into an ambulance ( while still alive ).

I came across this. Apparently from an NYPD officer,

Back in March 1964 there was no 911.  Half the people in Kew Gardens didn't have phone back then.  If they had phone's they didn't know how to  call THE POLICE.  If you took a 61* back then you told the complainant to go to the Station House the next day to get a #.  You never gave the Station Houses # to anyone.

Kew Gardens, Forest Hills at the time most residents were a protected class still reeling from the holocaust.  If it wasn't happing to them they didn't really care.

0315hrs most if not all the on duty cops were taking advantage of being in Cops Hours.  If you were still out on Patrol you were a fu-king Burglar.

Did the Times try to smear the good city of New York?  You bet your as$ they did.  Remember we had the World Fair going on.  How many people from PooDunk stayed away because of this incident?  We will never know. 

As for Debunking the myth, how can you believe a person  bring up a fifty year old case.  Most on this rant weren't even born when this happened.  I hope Kitty will forgive those who allowed this to happen.

*  A 61 was a complaint report.

There was an emergency call box at the corner. We used to have them in Toronto, and they still have them in NYC. She seemed to be trying reach it.
A lot people used to pull a fire alarm if they were being attacked. When you think of it, fire alarms are located all over, and for sure the firemen will come . Because it is a mechanical alarm, there are no questions asked.
That's what bothers a lot of people about calling the police or paramedics - so many questions.




 
Those of us who are a certain age may remember this case. I most certainly do. Her murderer-rapist died in prison this year. He was originally scheduled for the electric chair at Sing-Sing. He should have, in my opinion.

Her family was, of course, heart-broken by it. But, wanted to put it behind them. They never discussed it.

All except one of her brothers, that is. He just would not let it go. It consumed him. Because of that, we learn a lot more about Kitty than was originally known. She was a vibrant and much loved young woman.

And her brother, William ( Bill ), is an honest to God war hero who has quietly fought a battle of his own since 1967.

They didn't have 9-1-1 back then. The police and ambulance were much delayed. I think she would have had a chance with the system we have now.

Well worth watching! I saw it on Netflix.

"Some stories haunt us forever."
I had heard the name before. I didn’t know any of the details though... what a sad thing to read :(
 
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