When a Witness Recants

When a Witness Recants

112 mins | Documentary, Animation | Jan. 27, 2026

In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered in his Baltimore middle school. Upon revisiting the case, he uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison — creating a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community.

When a Witness Recants

112 mins | Documentary, Animation | Jan. 27, 2026

When a Witness Recants
In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered in his Baltimore middle school. Upon revisiting the case, he uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison — creating a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community.
Producers HBO Documentary Films, Trilogy Films
Original title When a Witness Recants
Directors Dawn Porter
Writers

Cast