'Victim/Suspect' studies a journalist seeking truth

The astounding -- and unsettling -- documentary, "Victim/Suspect," is too important to be buried among glitzier streaming offerings. It has all the accelerants captured in detective series like "Law and Order." Only it's true. Director Nancy Schwartzman (the Peabody-nominated "Roll Red Roll") plaits three threads: sexual assaults, police misconduct, and journalistic integrity.

"Victim/Suspect" focuses on Rachel de Leon, a newby journalist with the Center for Investigative Reporting. De Leon follows the case of a young woman accused of falsely reporting sexual assault. What de Leon uncovers is a scummy pattern of police officers' not investigating a report, not believing the victim, not helping -- and then charging the victim with the crime of false reporting to shortcut a case closed. From that one case and through unstinting research, including requests under the Freedom of Information Act, and perseverance, de Leon uncovers 52 cases of officers' dereliction of duty. As a journalist, she learned the importance of not only setting boundaries around advocacy of victims but also of not taking "what police write in their reports as truth."

Schwartzman and de Leon follow three victims in particular: Emma, Megan, who committed suicide after being incarcerated, and Dyanie, a criminal justice major at King College. Significant participants include advocate Lisa Avalos, who cites that false reports occur in only 2% to 10% of sexual assault cases, and San Diego sex crimes unit officer Carlton Hershman, who rats on his brothers because he knows what they're doing. 

One of the most profound moments in the documentary shows de Leon questioning the one police officer who agreed to be interviewed. Det. Walberto Cotto of Bridgeport, Conn., begins cocksure. "I have to be unbiased," he mansplains. He deflates when de Leon presents evidence of his using "ruses," like saying to victims that he possesses video, to "aid law enforcement to get to truth." 

Video footage signifies in "Victim/Suspect" as pieced together by the documentary's editors, Inbal B. Lessner and Kim Roberts. "Victim/Suspect" is not perfect (time is twisted), but it adds one more significant layer in the "me, too" movement. Thus, it pairs with "She Said," a fine feature film, now streaming on Prime Video, about the New York Times journalists who exposed Harvey Weinstein.

"Victim/Suspect" can not be shaken off.