Murder-Case Accuracy

Howard Rosenberg’s criticism of the authenticity of the slaying sequence in “Murder in Mississippi” was simply unfounded (“Pivotal Moments in Civil Rights,” Feb. 5). The details of that night are public record now, as testified to by the men who participated in the killings, and they were painstakingly re-created by the cast and crew of the film.

For Rosenberg to tell potential viewers to watch the scene “skeptically,” without knowing the facts himself, is unjustified and counterproductive to the large goal of reminding those who were alive during this phase of the civil rights movement and of enlightening those who were not.

Andrew Goodman’s mother and James Chaney’s brothers have both watched the film and publicly approved of its authenticity.

Coretta Scott King, after watching the film, wrote: “This film captured, better than any drama I have seen, the vital spirit and courage of the remarkable generation of young people who put their lives on the line in the black freedom struggle.” The spirit that she speaks was honored by the makers of “Murder in Mississippi.”

ROGER YOUNG, Director of “Murder in Mississippi”, Pacific Palisades