MovieChat Forums > Capturing the Friedmans (2003) Discussion > Ummm... am I the only one who thinks Dav...

Ummm... am I the only one who thinks David is guilty too?


I just watched this movie and came away incredibly incredulous at David's behavior as all of the sick revelations came forward. The way he so vigorously defends his dad and ridicules his mom, not to mention his general animosity and almost paranoia, tell me that he has something to hide as well.

I believe that whatever perverted things the dad was up to, he didn't just do them and then forget about them. I am convinced he had pictures and videos of his victims, and he is just ridiculously lucky that the police didn't find them during their initial raid. I mean look at the obsession both he and his family (especially David) had for recording everything.

If Jesse got involved, you'd have to be stupid not to think that the dad looped in (or tried to loop in) his other kids as well. Jesse was obviously interested in getting directly involved. David may not have done any of the abuse himself, thus the kids didn't implicate him, but I just got this really creepy feeling from him. His working as a clown and obviously being interested in children doesn't inherently make him a pedophile, but when you combine that with what was going on in the house where he lived, I bet he had free access to watch whatever videos they made of the abuse.

The way he treats his mom, and gets incredibly agitated at everyone and everything, is irrational. Unless you look at him and think that he was also terrified of being caught. Especially when he makes a video diary worried that the cops will get their hands on it (what other reason would the cops have for seizing his private video diary??)

Did his dad abuse him? Yeah, no doubt. Did it screw him up emotionally and developmentally? I'm sure. But I can't believe that no one else has suggested that he must have had some knowledge and/or involvement of his father's illegal activities...

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I am convinced he had pictures and videos of his victims, and he is just ridiculously lucky that the police didn't find them during their initial raid. I mean look at the obsession both he and his family (especially David) had for recording everything.


From http://archive.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/DA/NewsReleases/2013/062413friedman.html

"Prior to his guilty plea, Friedman went to visit his father in an out-of-state prison in an effort to locate photographs of the abuse that Friedman once agreed may exist. Case files also reference a hidden closet near the computer room that was not searched by federal agents during the surprise search warrant and was later discovered empty during the execution of a state search warrant in the weeks following the Friedmans’ arrests."

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I think all the boys took part. Seth refused to be interviewed in the doco I'm guessing that would be because he wouldn't lie for his family. David is *beep* in the head he rubs his nose a lot(could be a tell). There is one part where he is rubbing his finger in a circle over and over on the arm rest that made me feel really uneasy. Him blaming his mum not having sex with the dad seemed like his own justification for his dad. But then he claims his dad isn't guilty of anything. The whole interview seemed to grossly excite him in some way. He shouldn't be allowed to be alone with children!

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We never learn anything about David other than he is a children's entertainer. Interesting professional choice.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer

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I cannot say if he's guilty of anything, but he has a very disturbing vibe.
It would be helpful to know more about him (is he married? does he have kids?). We don't need to know his partner's name nor face, but it would help the case. Just knowing his occupation, watching and listening to him in archive footage and actual interviews, I think it's worst for Jessie's case (if the film maker wanted to proof Jessie's innocence).

Please excuse my terrible redaction, english is not my native language

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