Watch Who Killed Garrett Phillips?

In the small town of Potsdam, New York, a tragic crime occurred in October 2011 that stunned the community. 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was found strangled in his own home, and the police quickly zeroed in on his neighbor, Oral “Nick” Hillary, as the prime suspect. Hillary, a black man who was the head soccer coach at Clarkson University, was swiftly accused of committing the murder and arrested, but he maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal.

The HBO documentary series, Who Killed Garrett Phillips?, examines the aftermath of this devastating crime and the subsequent investigation and trial. Spanning over four episodes, the series delves deep into the case and the complicated racial dynamics at play within the community.

The first episode introduces viewers to both Garrett Phillips and Nick Hillary, as well as the town of Potsdam itself. We see footage of Garrett’s childhood and get a sense of who he was as a person, making the tragedy that much more gut-wrenching. Nick Hillary, meanwhile, is established as a respected member of the community who is well-liked by his colleagues and players alike.

As the series progresses, we learn about the racial tension in Potsdam and how it affected the investigation. Nick Hillary was not only a black man in a predominantly white town, but he was also in the midst of a contentious custody battle with his white ex-girlfriend, Tandy Cyrus. Many members of the community believed that Hillary was being unfairly targeted because of his race, and tensions only escalated when the media became involved.

The second episode focuses on the investigation and subsequent arrest of Nick Hillary. We see footage of the police interviewing Hillary, as well as interviews with the officers involved in the case. The evidence against Hillary is largely circumstantial, including DNA found on a doorknob that he had allegedly touched and a witness who claimed to have seen him near the scene of the crime.

The third episode dives into the trial itself, which lasted for six weeks and was packed with emotional testimony from both sides. The prosecution argued that Hillary had motive and opportunity, while the defense maintained that the police had rushed to judgment and were ignoring other potential suspects. The trial was closely watched by the community, and tensions were high throughout.

In the final episode, the aftermath of the trial is explored. Nick Hillary was acquitted of all charges, but the damage had already been done. He had lost his job, his reputation had been tarnished, and he had become a target of harassment and racism. The documentary explores the toll that the trial had on both Hillary and Garrett’s family, as well as the broader implications of the case for the community as a whole.

Overall, Who Killed Garrett Phillips? is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that explores themes of racial bias, injustice, and the impact of tragedy on a small town. While the series never definitively answers the question of who killed Garrett, it raises important questions about the way that we as a society approach crime and punishment. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in true crime, social justice, or the human impact of criminal investigations.