"But the account of 38 witnesses heartlessly ignoring a murderous attack was widely disseminated and took on a life of its own, shocking the national conscience and starting an avalanche of academic studies, investigations, films, books, even a theatrical production and a musical. The soul-searching went on for decades, long after the original errors were debunked, evolving into more parable than fact but continuing to reinforce images of urban Americans as too callous or fearful to call for help, even with a life at stake.
"Psychologists and criminologists called the reluctance of witnesses to involve themselves the 'bystander effect,' or the 'Kitty Genovese syndrome.'"
Robert D. McFadden in the New York Times reports the death of Winston Moseley, who raped and murdered Kitty Genovese in 1964.
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