Ep 130: The Ripper

A GRIM LOOK AT A TRUE CRIME

Kathy, Mark, and Burk take a look at another True Crime documentary miniseries about a serial killer. This one’s about the Yorkshire Ripper who attacked and killed women between 1975 and 1980 between West Yorkshire and Manchester. The series takes a carefully detailed look at not just the facts of the case, but the economic environment and the general sense of hopelessness in the are in those days. A dark time that may have been a factor in the murders and how those murders were handled by the local police. Was enough attention given to this case? Was it maybe mishandled or downplayed because of the perceived status of the women who were being attacked and murdered? Did the police let this brutal slasher get away with his reign of terror for too long? It’s a fascinating look at the politics and the biases that sometimes thwart law enforcement and result in more dead-end leads and ultimately more victims. We review the miniseries and discuss how well it depicts a very distinct time and place and how well it outlines a situation where the police may have failed the women of their community.

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