New details of the case have been revealed – that Kitty did not die alone, but in the arms of a friend. In the 50+ years since the New York Times published this article, much criticism has come out against it. Wait, you might be saying, didn’t you say people called the police? “For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law‐abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens.” Later, it mentions “Not one person telephoned ‐ the police during the assault one witness called after the woman was dead.” The search for answers has shaped the way many people look at decision-making and the way they go about their life.īut let’s go back for a minute to look at the New York Times article. Entire courses have been created based on this case. These questions still haunt many psychologists and academics today. That same year, editor Abe Rosenthal published a book called “38 Witnesses.” In the book, he called on us all to question how we act in the face of crime, and how the urban environment may impact our decisions. Media outlets called it a “failure,” casting the city of New York in a dark light. Two weeks after Kitty’s murder, the New York Times published an article titled “37 Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call the Police.” Five of them gave testimony at Moseley’s trial. Police had interviewed 38 people in their investigations. But the actual murder wasn’t what interested editor Abe Rosenthal – it was the witnesses to the murder. Word got around to the staff at the New York Times about Kitty’s murder. So why has this case lived on as one of the most famous murders in America, 60+ years after it happened? The New York Times Story It took a week for the police to find the murderer – they originally named Kitty’s girlfriend as a suspect. In the few days after the murder, Genovese’s death did not receive much attention. At 4:15 a.m, Kitty died as she was being taken to the hospital. The entire attack took place over 30 minutes, during which time multiple calls to the police. In total, she was stabbed over a dozen times. He stabbed her multiple times, stole some money, and ran away again. He found Kitty lying in front of a door to the back of her apartment building. Moseley quickly fled the scene, and Kitty ran toward her apartment building. She screamed for help, and a neighbor yelled toward Moseley to leave Kitty alone. Moseley ran after Kitty, eventually catching up to her and stabbing her. On the way, she was approached by William Moseley, who had been following Genovese home. in the morning on March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese walked home to her apartment in Queens. Her murder was unique in that, despite it occurring in a cramped neighborhood in Queens, no one felt compelled to call the police and report the attack. Kitty Genovese was a woman who death in New York City led to the development of the Bystander Effect in psychology. But before we dive into the Bystander Effect, it’s important to understand what happened in the Kitty Genovese case.
Sometimes known as the Genovese Syndrome, the Bystander Effect has forced psychologists and people to take a hard look at how and when people make decisions about getting involved in conflict. But it’s most known for its connection to The Bystander Effect. The story of this case is a rollercoaster – it involves power relations, media sensationalism, and the establishment of the 911 system. These are the questions that the Kitty Genovese case has brought to the minds of anyone that hears about it. If you saw someone being murdered, would you take action? Would you call the police or try to get involved?