Colin Ferguson - The Long Island Railroad Massacre

"A shocking mass murderer whose unprovoked killings numbed America"

On 7th December 1993, Colin Ferguson, a 34-year-old Jamaican immigrant opened fire on the helpless passengers aboard a Long Island Railroad commuter train, killing six and wounding 19 before he was subdued. With so many witnesses to the crime, the only possible defence was to plead insanity, which Ferguson's two attorneys did. In an unusual angle, they claimed that exposure to racism had driven the gunman into an uncontrollable "Black Rage" that led him to kill. But Ferguson then shocked the legal world and everyone following the story by firing his lawyers, claiming he was not insane, and insisting on his constitutional right to defend himself. If anything, his performance in court reinforced the validity of the insanity plea he discarded. Extensive footage of the bizarre court proceedings, news coverage of the tragic event and interviews with witnesses, attorneys and jurors make this comprehensive account of one of the most shocking events of recent years.