Kitty Genovese
Kitty Genovese, picture from The New York Times article: "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"
Born	Catherine Susan Genovese July 7, 1935(1935-07-07) Brooklyn,[1] New York, USA
Died	March 13, 1964 (aged 28) Kew Gardens, NY,[2] USA
Cause of death	Murder by stabbing
Burial place	Lakeview Cemetery New Canaan, Connecticut 41°08′34″N 73°29′01″W / 41.14278, -73.48361
Nationality	United States
Employers	Ev's Eleventh Hour Club Hollis, New York, USA
Title	Manager
Known for	Sensational New York Times article about the murder

Catherine Susan Genovese (July 7, 1935^[1] — March 13, 1964), commonly known as Kitty Genovese, was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death near her home in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York.^[3] The circumstances of her murder and the apparent reaction of her neighbors were reported by a newspaper article published two weeks later and prompted investigation into the psychological phenomenon that became known as the bystander effect or "Genovese syndrome".^[4] Kitty was buried in a family grave at Lakeview Cemetery in New Canaan, Connecticut. This work is copyrighted. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... This article is about the New York City borough, or Kings County, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north and east by the Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly Interborough Parkway), the Van Wyck Expressway, and Queens Boulevard, also to the east by 127th Street, to the south by 85th Avenue, and to the west by Babbage Street and... This article is about the state. ... A detail from The Haywain Triptych by Hieronymus Bosch A stabbing is the penetration of a sharp or pointed object at close range. ... New Canaan is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Hollis is a neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north and east by the Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly Interborough Parkway), the Van Wyck Expressway, and Queens Boulevard, also to the east by 127th Street, to the south by 85th Avenue, and to the west by Babbage Street and... Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ... This article is about the state. ... {redirect|Psychological science|the journal|Psychological Science (journal)}} Not to be confused with Phycology. ... The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is alone. ... New Canaan is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ...

Life

Born in New York City, Genovese was the oldest of five children in a middle class Italian American family and was raised in Brooklyn. After her mother witnessed a murder in the city, the family chose to move to Connecticut in 1954. Genovese, however, nineteen at the time, chose to remain in the city, where she lived for nine years. At the time of her death, she was working as a bar manager at Ev's 11th Hour Sports Bar on Jamaica Avenue in Hollis, Queens. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... An Italian-American is an American of Italian descent either born in America or someone who has immigrated. ... This article is about the New York City borough, or Kings County, New York. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Hollis is a neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. ... This article is about the borough of New York City. ...

Attack

Genovese had driven home in the early morning of March 13, 1964. Arriving home at about 3:15 a.m. and parking about 100 feet (30 m) from her apartment's door, she was approached by Winston Moseley, a Business Machine Operator.^[2] Moseley ran after her and quickly overtook her, stabbing her twice in the back. When Genovese screamed out, she screamed, "Oh my god he stabbed me! Help me!" it was heard by several neighbors; but on a cold night with the windows closed, only a few of them recognized the sound as a cry for help. When one of the neighbors shouted at the attacker, "Let that girl alone!", Moseley ran away and Genovese slowly made her way towards her own apartment around the end of the building. She was seriously injured, but now out of view of those few who may have had reason to believe she was in need of help. is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ...

Records of the earliest calls to police are unclear and were certainly not given a high priority by the police. One witness said his father called police after the initial attack and reported that a woman was "beat up, but got up and was staggering around."^[5]

Other witnesses observed Moseley enter his car and drive away, only to return ten minutes later. In his car, he changed his hat to a wide-rimmed one to shadow his face. He systematically searched the parking lot, train station, and small apartment complex, ultimately finding Genovese, who was lying, barely conscious, in a hallway at the back of the building. Out of view of the street and of those who may have heard or seen any sign of the original attack, he proceeded to further attack her, stabbing her several more times. Knife wounds in her hands suggested that she attempted to defend herself from him. While she lay dying, he sexually assaulted her. He stole about $49 from her and left her dying in the hallway. The attacks spanned approximately half an hour. During his last attack in the hallway, a neighbor just up the stairs opened the door and watched the attack without doing anything to stop the attacker.

A few minutes after the final attack, a witness, Karl Ross, called the police. Police and medical personnel arrived within minutes of Ross' call; Genovese was taken away by ambulance and died en route to the hospital. Later investigation by police and prosecutors revealed that approximately a dozen (but almost certainly not the 38 cited in the Times article) individuals nearby had heard or observed portions of the attack, though none could have seen or been aware of the entire incident.^[6] Only one witness (Joseph Fink) was aware she was stabbed in the first attack, and only Karl Ross was aware of it in the second attack. Many were entirely unaware that an assault or homicide was in progress; some thought that what they saw or heard was a lovers' quarrel or a drunken brawl or a group of friends leaving the bar outside when Moseley first approached Genovese.

Perpetrator

Winston Moseley, a business machine operator, was later apprehended in connection with burglary charges; he confessed not only to the murder of Kitty Genovese, but to two other murders, both involving sexual assaults. Subsequent psychiatric examinations suggested that Moseley was a necrophiliac. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Look up Necrophilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Capital punishment is the legal process which ends the life of a felon. ...

Moseley gave a confession to the police where he detailed the attack, corroborating the physical evidence at the scene. His motive for the attack was simply "to kill a woman." Moseley stated that he got up that night around 2:00 a.m., leaving his wife asleep at home, and drove around to find a victim. He spied Genovese and followed her to the parking lot.

Moseley also testified at his own trial where he further described the attack, leaving no question that he was the killer.

The initial death sentence was reduced to an indeterminate sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment on June 1, 1967. The New York Court of Appeals found that Moseley should have been able to argue that he was "medically insane" at the sentencing hearing when the trial court found that he had been legally sane. Life imprisonment or life incarceration is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, often for most or even all of the criminals remaining life, but in fact for a period which varies between jurisdictions: many countries have a maximum possible period of time (usually 7 to 50 years... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... The Court of Appeals is New Yorks highest appellate court, created in 1847, replacing the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and the Correction of Errors. ...

In 1968, during a trip to a Buffalo, New York hospital for surgery (precipitated by a soup can he placed in his own rectum as a pretext to leave prison), Moseley overpowered a guard and beat him up to the point that his eyes were bloody. He then took a bat and swung it at the closest person to him and took five hostages, raping one of them before he was recaptured after a two-day manhunt. He also participated in the later Attica Prison riots.^[7] Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... This article is about the state. ... The Attica Prison riots were a rebellion by prisoners at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, United States. ...

Moseley remains in prison after being denied parole a thirteenth time on March 11, 2008. A previous parole hearing included his defense that "For a victim outside, it's a one-time or one-hour or one-minute affair, but for the person who's caught, it's forever."^[8] is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Public reaction

Many saw the story of Genovese's murder as an example of the callousness or apathy supposedly prevalent in New York City, urban America, or humanity in general. Much of this framing of the event came in reaction to an investigative article^[9] in The New York Times written by Martin Gansberg and published on March 27, two weeks after the murder. The article bore the headline "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"; the public view of the story crystallized around a quote from the article, from an unidentified neighbor who saw part of the attack but deliberated, before finally getting another neighbor to call the police: "I didn't want to get involved." This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cities with at least a million inhabitants in 2006 An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other reports, cited by Harlan Ellison in his book Harlan Ellison's Watching, stated that one man turned up his radio so that he would not hear Genovese's screams. Ellison says that the report he read attributed the "get involved" quote to nearly all of the thirty-eight who supposedly witnessed the attack. He later repeated the figure of thirty-eight (this time using an expletive to collectively describe them) when mentioning the case in his book The Other Glass Teat. Harlan Jay Ellison (born May 27, 1934) is a prolific American writer of short stories, novellas, teleplays, essays, and criticism. ... Motherfucker (also existing in countless contracted forms e. ...

While Genovese's neighbors were vilified by the article, "Thirty-Eight onlookers who did nothing" is a misleading conception. The article begins:

"For more than half an hour thirty-eight respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens."

The lead is dramatic but factually inaccurate. None of the witnesses observed the attacks in their entirety. Because of the layout of the complex and the fact that the attacks took place in different locations, no witness saw the entire sequence. Most only heard portions of the incident without realizing its seriousness, a few saw only small portions of the initial assault, and no witnesses directly saw the final attack and attempted rape in an exterior hallway which resulted in Genovese's death.^[1]

Nevertheless, media attention to the Genovese murder led to reform of the NYPD's telephone reporting system; the system in place at the time of the assault was often inefficient and directed individuals to the incorrect department. The melodramatic press coverage also led to serious investigation of the bystander effect by academic psychologists. In addition, some communities organized Neighborhood Watch programs and the equivalent for apartment buildings to aid people in distress. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) , the largest police department in the United States, has primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City. ... The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is alone. ... This article is about the local crime prevention organization. ...

Aftermath: 2007 and 2008

In September 2007, the American Psychologist published an examination of the factual basis of coverage of the Kitty Genovese murder in psychology textbooks. The three authors concluded the story is parable more than fact, largely owing to inaccurate newspaper coverage at the time of the incident.^[10] "The since-challenged story of the circumstances surrounding Genovese's death 'continues to inhabit introductory social psychology textbooks (and thus the minds of future social psychologists),' the trio of British university professors write in the September issue of American Psychologist. The result is a lack of research into similar cases, their article maintains".^[11] The American Psychologist is the official journal of the American Psychological Association. ...

According to The New York Times, in an article dated December 28, 1974, ten years after the murder, 25-year-old Sandra Zahler was beaten to death early Christmas morning in an apartment of the building which overlooked the site of the Genovese attack. Neighbors again said they heard screams and "fierce struggles" but did nothing.^[12] is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ...

Moseley returned for another parole hearing Thursday, March 13, 2008, the 44th anniversary of Ms. Genovese's murder. It was denied. He will be eligible to go up for parole again in 2010. ^[13] The previous week, Moseley had turned 72 years old, and has still shown little remorse for murdering Genovese.^[13] Genovese's brother, Vincent, was unaware of the March 13 hearing until he was contacted by Daily News reporters.^[13] Vincent Genovese has reportedly never "recovered from the horror" of his sister's murder.^[13] "This brings back what happened to her", Vincent had said; "the whole family remembers".

In popular culture

• Kitty Genovese's tragic story is featured in the 1985 graphic novel Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. In it, a vigilante by the name of Rorschach reacts in outrage to the Kew Garden incident by donning a costume and fighting crime.
• Early in the film The Boondock Saints, the story of the murder of Kitty Genovese is used in a Catholic priest's sermon, in which he states, "..there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men". The sermon is heard by the McManus brothers and, in a later scene, is echoed in their minds during a storm, inspiring them to become vigilantes in the name of God.
• In addition to his non-fiction discussion of the case, as described above, Ellison has stated that his short story The Whimper of Whipped Dogs was inspired by the Genovese murder.
• The murder is referenced with irony in a Phil Ochs' song about apathy, "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends".
• Genovese's story is mentioned in the popular Latter-day Saint book The Miracle of Forgiveness in the chapter called "Sins of Omission." Spencer W. Kimball, the author of the book, cites the story as an example of committing a sin by failing to do something right, rather than actively doing something wrong. The bystanders who saw Kitty's stabbing but did nothing are compared to the Levite and priest who passed the injured Jew in Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan.^[14]
• The 1996 episode of Law & Order entitled "Remand" is based on the Winston Moseley case.
• In the Spike Lee movie "Summer of Sam", the main characters briefly mention the Kitty Genovese murder in passing after talking about the S.O.S. murders sweeping the city.
• In the first part of the BBC radio series, "Case Studies", broadcast 7th May, 2008, psychologist Claudia Hammond re-investigated the Kitty Genovese case with regard to studies into the bystander effect.

For other uses, see Watchman. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... Dave Gibbons (born April 14, 1949) is a British writer and artist of comics. ... Rorschach is a fictional character, a superhero featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics series Watchmen. ... The Boondock Saints is a 1999 action crime drama film written and directed by Troy Duffy. ... For the aircraft, see A-5 Vigilante. ... Philip David Ochs (December 19, 1940–April 9, 1976) was a U.S. protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer), songwriter, musician and recording artist who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice. ... A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... Spencer Woolley Kimball (March 28, 1895 – November 5, 1985) was the twelfth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1973-1985). ... Spencer Woolley Kimball (March 28, 1895 – November 5, 1985) was the twelfth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1973-1985). ... Parable of the Good Samaritan, Rembrandt, 1632–1633 The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a famous New Testament parable appearing only in the Gospel of Luke. ... This article is about the original television series. ... Summer of Sam is a 1999 film about the Son of Sam serial murders. ... The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is alone. ...

References

The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Maureen Dowd (born January 14, 1952) is a Washington D.C.-based columnist for The New York Times. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 87th day of the year (88th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... The American Psychologist is the official journal of the American Psychological Association. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Civil courage
• Diffusion of responsibility
• Good Samaritan
• Volunteer's dilemma
• Murder of James Bulger

Civil courage (sometimes also referred to as Social courage) is defined by many different standards, but the term is usually referred to when civilians stand up against something that is deemed unjust and evil, knowing that the consequences of their action might lead to their death, injury, or any other... Diffusion of responsibility is a social phenomenon which tends to occur in groups of people above a certain critical size when responsibility is not explicitly assigned. ... The Good Samaritan The Good Samaritan is a famous New Testament parable, that appears only in the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37). ... The Volunteers dilemma game models a situation in which each of N players faces the decision of either making a small sacrifice from which all will benefit or freeriding. ... James Patrick Bulger (died February 12, 1993) was the victim of a high-profile abduction and murder. ...

Book

• Rosenthal, A.M. (1964). Thirty-Eight Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21527-3. 

External links

• Court TV's Crime Library story on Kitty Genovese
• Joseph De May Jr., "Kitty Genovese: What you think you know about the case might not be true." A reinvestigation by a member of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, this comes in two versions:
  • Single page that analyzes and argues with Gansberg's article, with links to other material.
  • This and thirteen subsequent pages constitute a version that is more visually attractive. (Although billed as shorter, it too is comprehensive.)
• "Sound Portrait" interview with Mary Ann Zielonko, Kitty Genovese's girlfriend audio and transcript
• Crime Library
• Phil Ochs' "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" lyrics
• Kitty Genovese: Reclaiming Herstory (about the disclosure that she was a lesbian)
• A. M. Rosenthal, "Thirty-Eight Witnesses" (Online version)
• Jim Rasenberger, "Kitty 40 Years Later," The New York Times (8 February 2004) (On the Middlesex County College Web Site)
• "Kitty Genovese, Revised" The Wilson Quarterly (Winter 2007)
• We Are All Bystanders Greater Good Magazine article examines the bystander effect and Genovese's death.
• Find a Grave Kitty Genovese on Find a Grave