A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does 香蕉视频直播渁 great disservice香蕉视频直播� to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.
The Disney Plus miniseries 香蕉视频直播淯nder the Bridge,香蕉视频直播� which premieres Wednesday, centres on the real-life story of Virk, who was 14 when she was swarmed and beaten by a group of teens in Saanich, B.C., and subsequently drowned in a waterway.
Retired staff sergeant Chris Horsley, who served as a media liaison for the Saanich Police Department during the Virk case, says he hasn香蕉视频直播檛 seen any episodes but worries about whether the show compromises accuracy for 香蕉视频直播渄ramatic effect.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 sad in a way because there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of significant trauma in the real investigation,香蕉视频直播� he says over the phone from Victoria.
香蕉视频直播淏ut it香蕉视频直播檚 a Hollywood production, right? Unfortunately, it香蕉视频直播檚 made on the memory of someone who was in fact murdered here. So I probably won香蕉视频直播檛 watch the TV series.香蕉视频直播�
Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough star as a Saanich police officer and writer investigating Virk香蕉视频直播檚 death. Keough plays a version of late author Rebecca Godfrey, whose 2005 book 香蕉视频直播淯nder the Bridge,香蕉视频直播� about Virk香蕉视频直播檚 murder, serves as the basis for the show.
Horsley says none of the investigators involved in the Virk case heard from the 香蕉视频直播淯nder the Bridge香蕉视频直播� production team during the series香蕉视频直播� development and a spokesperson for the Saanich Police Department also says they were not consulted.
香蕉视频直播淭he minute that the production strays from the truth and starts to become fiction, I think that is a great disservice to not only Reena and her memory but also to the people who worked on the case and those who participated here in the community,香蕉视频直播� says Horsley, adding that several anti-violence programs were launched in the Greater Victoria area following Virk香蕉视频直播檚 murder.
Publicists for the production with Disney Plus Canada did not respond to a request for comment.
Horsley says Virk香蕉视频直播檚 death is, to this day, the 香蕉视频直播渂iggest media story香蕉视频直播� Saanich has ever had.
香蕉视频直播淚t was very unique having not just young offenders but young female offenders committing such a degree of violence. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think it was something we got our heads around at that point.香蕉视频直播�
Episodes made available in advance portray Godfrey, who co-produced the series with creator Quinn Shephard before her death in 2022, as participating with police in the investigation. Horsley says this was not the case.
香蕉视频直播淭hat didn香蕉视频直播檛 happen at all. She didn香蕉视频直播檛 write the book for long after the incident took place.香蕉视频直播�
In the pilot, Virk香蕉视频直播檚 uncle and father, played by Anoop Desai and Ezra Faroque Khan, visit the police station to report the girl missing but officers don香蕉视频直播檛 take them seriously.
Horsley also counters this, saying school officials reported her missing and that Virk was living in a group home at the time because of a troubled relationship with her parents.
He adds that Virk香蕉视频直播檚 family had an 香蕉视频直播渆xcellent working relationship香蕉视频直播� with the police.
According to documents released by the Parole Board of Canada last month, Virk香蕉视频直播檚 killer Kelly Ellard 香蕉视频直播� who changed her name to Kerry Sim 香蕉视频直播� told her case managers it was 香蕉视频直播渟o horrendous香蕉视频直播� that the series will 香蕉视频直播渞e-victimize the victim香蕉视频直播檚 family.香蕉视频直播�
Horsley says he expects that far more than just those connected directly to the case will be impacted by the series.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not just the family that would be retraumatized. I think it香蕉视频直播檚 also friends of Reena and other people that lived in the community that were affected by the murder,香蕉视频直播� says Horsley.
香蕉视频直播淭he vast majority of the viewing audience, they don香蕉视频直播檛 have that personal connection, but here in Victoria there香蕉视频直播檚 many people that do. It香蕉视频直播檚 been 27 years but there香蕉视频直播檚 still a lot of people in Victoria that were affected by this murder.香蕉视频直播�
Horsley says he香蕉视频直播檚 perturbed by the proliferation of true crime shows 香蕉视频直播渢hat are loosely based on real events.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭he tragedy for me is they香蕉视频直播檙e not loosely based on real victims,香蕉视频直播� he says.
香蕉视频直播淭hese are real people with families that were murdered. And a lot of people are watching for entertainment value.香蕉视频直播�
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