PBS Documentary Pre-Screening Planned for South Charleston

WHAT: Film pre-screening and panel discussion
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 8
WHERE: Labelle Theater, South Charleston, WV
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2026
CONTACT: [email protected]

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As part of a nationwide campaign to reshape the criminal legal system to center true justice and accountability, the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia (ACLU-WV) and American Friends Service Committee of West Virginia (AFSC-WV) will host a free pre-screening of the upcoming Lynn Novick and Ken Burns PBS documentary series “Crime and Punishment in America.” The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with policy experts and those impacted by the criminal legal system.

“As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday and our country’s promise of justice for all, we have an opportunity to acknowledge that our current justice system is deeply unjust and doesn’t meet the needs of the American people,” said Lida Shepherd, director of AFSC's West Virginia Economic Justice Project. “The film screenings and panel discussions of ‘Crime and Punishment in America’ seek to help us understand how we got here and chart the path towards a just future.” "In celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it’s important to reflect on the past, present, and future of America's biggest threat to personal freedom - our criminal legal system,” ACLU-WV Executive Director Eli Baumwell said.

“Crime and Punishment in America” is a landmark four-part, eight-hour documentary series directed by Novick with Burns as executive producer. It explores the history of criminal justice from the colonial era to 21st-century mass incarceration. The project traces how law, racism, class, and power have shaped the system, and features the first-person stories of formerly incarcerated individuals alongside perspectives from law enforcement, legal experts, and victims of crime. The editor’s cut that will be screened in Martinsburg is about 45 minutes long.

Following the film, Charleston civil rights attorney Bunmi Kusimo, former Kanawha County Prosecutor Mark Plants, and Monongalia County Public Defender Jodi Link will discuss the film and take questions. ACLU-WV Advocacy Director Rusty Williams will moderate the discussion.

The film and discussion are presented by Justice & the Next 250, a new campaign of The Just Trust that invites Americans to look ahead to the future of justice and safety in the country. This campaign is bringing together advocates, culture-makers, policymakers, and community leaders to shift the conversation from what’s broken to what’s possible — centering solutions that can shape safety and accountability for generations to come.

Media are invited to attend and cover the event.