On November 19th, 1986, a raiding party consisting of 27 New York City
police officers and detectives converged on an apartment building in the
Morrisania section of the Bronx. Their target was Larry Davis, a
supposedly violent criminal laying low in his sister’s apartment. Davis was wanted for questioning in regards
to the murders of four suspected drug dealers.
Shortly after the nine-man raiding party entered the domicile, a violent
gun battle ensued. Davis, armed with a
16-gauge sawed-off shotgun and a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, wounded six
officers before making his escape. He
then evaded capture for 17 days, ultimately surrendering to authorities after
holding a family hostage. Davis maintained that the NYPD was out to get him because of his intimate knowledge of their corrupt practices, and that the raid was actually an assassination attempt. Miraculously,
he was acquitted of all charges except for weapons possession. However, he was ultimately charged and convicted
of yet another murder. On February 20th,
2008, while serving out a sentence of 25 years to life at Shawangunk prison, Davis
was stabbed to death by another inmate.
Though the story described above may sound like something out of a spaghetti
western or a 1940's gangster film, it did indeed happen. Since entering the
public consciousness nearly 27 years ago, Larry Davis has remained a polarizing
figure. Some see him as a hero. Others see him as merely a violent
crook that finally got his long overdue comeuppance in a prison yard. In
spite of such controversy, one thing remains clear: The story of Larry Davis is
surely a compelling one. Now, Epoch Motion Pictures attempts to shed some
light on the man and his legacy, with The Larry Davis Project (The Life
& Death Of A Bronx Rebel).
The Larry Davis Project isn't the first of its kind. Troy Reed attempted
something similar about a decade ago, as part of his Street Stars DVD series. That notable effort notwithstanding,
Epoch Motion Pictures seems to be offering much more in the way of context. This is evidenced by the film’s trailer.
Pictures, news footage, and the like are interspersed with clips from classic
Hip-Hop films and documentaries from the exact same era. Attentive and knowledgeable
viewers will note brief glimpses of 80 Blocks From Tiffany's, The
Deadly Art of Survival, Wild Style, and Beat Street.
The filmmaker’s sympathies clearly lie with Davis, as is shown by the film’s
title as well as the use of the song “Police State” by Dead Prez.
27 years later, the story of Larry Davis and his stand-off with the NYPD is
still as relevant as ever. As relations between police and people of
color continue to worsen, it’s important to examine just what lies at the heart
of such issues. The line between violent criminal and violent revolutionary is
often very blurry. Was Larry a predatory force in his community, or was
he simply a misunderstood rebel who chose to fight back? Hopefully, The Larry Davis Project will offer some
much needed clarity.
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