NEW YORK — 1964 · Murder
The Kitty Genovese Case
Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old bar manager, was attacked and killed near her home in Kew Gardens, Queens, on the night of 13 March 1964. The perpetrator was caught days later, confessed and was convicted. Two weeks after the killing The New York Times reported that 38 witnesses had watched and failed to call police. That narrative popularised the "bystander effect" in social psychology and fed debates that shaped the development of the 911 emergency system. Later research, however, showed that the number of witnesses was exaggerated, that very few actually saw the attack and that some did call police. The newspaper acknowledged the flaws in 2016.
- Date
- 1964
- Place
- New York, USA, New York, US
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 40.7090, -73.8300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 13 March 1964Attacked and killed in Kew Gardens.
- 18 March 1964The perpetrator is caught during another crime and confesses.
- 27 March 1964The New York Times publishes the '38 witnesses' story.
- June 1964The perpetrator is convicted of murder.
- 2004-2016New research and a documentary show the witness account was exaggerated.
Sources
- History.com — Kitty Genovese history.com ↗
- Columbia Journalism Review — March 13, 1964 cjr.org ↗
- Wikipedia — Murder of Kitty Genovese en.wikipedia.org ↗
- History.com
- Columbia Journalism Review
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.