The Thin Blue Line was a documentary movie released 8/25/88, with original music composed by Philip Glass, and directed by Errol Morris. Randall Dale Adams

This is a frightening look at how badly justice can miscarry. It's the true story of Randall Dale Adams (pictured above) who was wrongly convicted of murdering Dallas, Texas police officer Robert Wood. This gripping documentary lets the story tell itself, with the group of people that were directly involved in the case, witnesses, law enforcement officers, the judge and the lawyers. The film, with an incredible music score that sounds like musical teardrops, pulled me deeply into this real life drama to the point one wonders how in the world could something like this happen to an innocent man.
    The people interviewed for the movie "The Thin Blue Line" are listed below.
  • Randall Adams
  • David Harris
  • Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson, Marshall Touchton (Homicide Detectives in Dallas)
  • Dale Holt (Internal Affairs Investigator in Dallas)
  • Sam Kittrell (Police Detective in Vidor)
  • Hootie Nelson, Dennis Johnson, Floyd Jackson (Friends of David Harris in Vidor)
  • Edith James, Dennis White (Defense Attorneys)
  • Don Metcalfe (The Judge)
  • Emily Miller, R.L. Miller (Surprise Eyewitnesses)
  • Elba Carr (Employee at Fas-Gas)
  • Michael Randell (Third Surprise Eyewitness)
  • Melvyn Carson Bruder (Appellate Attorney)


David Harris was executed June 30, 2004 for the 1985 shooting death of Mark Mays. Harris' offender information and last statement can be found from the links on this page.

Harris testified in court that Randall Dale Adams shot Dallas police officer Robert Wood.

First Assistant District Attorney Douglas Mulder, the prosecutor in this case, should have been interviewed for "The Thin Blue Line" DVD that was released.

There was an article in D Magazine, the April 1989 issue, called Mad Dog Mulder.

LINKS

This is a transcript of The Thin Blue Line from director Errol Morris' website.

The 1988 documentary The Thin Blue Line is available at www.amazon.com (verified 3/30/05)

The Thin Blue Line: An Errol Morris Film [SOUNDTRACK] is available at www.amazon.com

The book about this case, Adams V. Texas, by Randall Dale Adams, William Hoffer, Marilyn Mona Hoffer is available at www.amazon.com (verified 1/26/05)

Radio interview with Randall Dale Adams (Hugh LaFollette, WETS-FM)

Northwestern University School of Law has a website explaining the case of Randall Dale Adams

Texas Monthly magazine (the September 2001 issue) has an article about Randall Dale Adams

Radio interview part 1 and part 2 with Randall Dale Adams (Danny Yeager, Touchstone Radio)

Radio interview with Errol Morris, the director and writer of The Thin Blue Line (Brian Bull, Wisconsin Public Radio)

A message from Randall Dale Adams in The Death Row Journal

Truth In Justice
Other Cases

The Innocence Project is dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people. The website has profiles on the exonerees.

Arthur Mumphrey was cleared of rape and pardoned after serving 18 years

Texas DNA exonerees shift from lawsuits to Legislature, pitching bill to increase compensation - Dallas County has had more DNA-based exonerations than any jurisdiction in the nation

Dallas man, Charles Allen Chatman, after 27 years in prison, exonerated, freed after DNA test

Timothy Cole posthumously exonerated of rape conviction

Dallas police chief apologizes for conduct of officer who drew gun on NFL player outside hospital - police officer tells NFL player, I can screw you over
The Thin Blue Line last updated 3/27/09