Jay-Z will produce a docu-series about the life of Kalief Browder
In 2014, The New Yorker published a profile by Jennifer Gonnerman about Kalief Browder: a young man sent to Rikers Island Prison Complex at the age of 16 for three years, without a trial, for allegedly stealing a backpack. He later committed suicide.
The piece, which chronicled Browder experience with abuse within the prison and solitary confinement, caught the attention of Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, who invited Browder to his office shortly before the young man's death.
On Thursday, Carter and The Weinstein Company announced they were partnering to produce a six-episode documentary series about Browder for Spike TV.
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Time: The Kalief Browder Story will be directed by Jenner Furst and will begin airing in January 2017. "Dramatic reenactments," archival footage and interviews with loved ones will help tell Browder's story, according to Variety.
"Kalief Browder is a modern-day prophet; his story a failure of the judicial process," Carter said at Thursday's press conference. "A young man, and I emphasize young man, who lost his life because of a broken system. His tragedy has brought atrocities to light and now we must confront the issues and events that occurred so other young men can have a chance at justice."
"Jay-Z, Kevin Kay, Sharon Levy and the entire team at Spike have been incredible partners on this project. What happened to Kalief is heartbreaking but sadly, in reality, not the first of its kind," Harvey Weinstein told The Hollywood Reporter. "This series will take an important look at why Kalief's life was cut so short, the flaws in our justice system and hopefully will continue some powerful conversations and movements for some much needed reform."
Watch below as Carter thanks those involved with telling Browder's story, including his mother:
