Download EPK Here (49 MB) Includes Trailer, High Resolution Images, Press Kit and Contact Info
Available on DVD
Synopsis
In 1998, Mario Rocha, a young Latino from East LA, was convicted of murder and attempted murder on the basis of one questionable identification and not a shred of physical evidence. Only 16-years-old at the time of his arrest, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
“Mario’s Story” unravels like a crime drama in reverse. Produced over a span of seven years, interweaving Mario’s life as an inmate in one of California’s toughest maximum-security prisons with the efforts of an unlikely group of advocates who have come together to win his freedom.
“Mario’s Story” raises serious questions about our criminal justice system as it follows the often discouraging, but determined efforts to win Mario’s freedom. The film is also a
hopeful and inspiring story of the unwavering efforts on the part of his family, his community, his attorneys, and the other allies who come together to overturn this injustice.
Thanks to the determination of Sister Janet Harris, the feisty and unstoppable former chaplain at Central Juvenile Hall, his case is taken on in 1999 by a team of pro-bono attorneys at Latham and Watkins. With all of his direct appeals exhausted, the only remaining legal recourse is a habeas corpus petition. It’s a long shot. Less than 1% of the approximately 30,000 habeas petitions filed each year are granted.
Given unprecedented access to film inside Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County, California, a short distance from the U.S.-Mexico border, “Mario’s Story” provides a rare “behind-the-scenes” look at the efforts of the legal team as they pursue a new trial for Mario.
“Mario’s Story” will have its World Premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The film is directed by Jeff Werner and Susan Koch. The producer is Susan Koch. The editor is Jeff Werner.
Recent Comments