In 2018, University of Utah track and field athlete Lauren McCluskey repeatedly sought help as her ex-boyfriend stalked and extorted her, but the people and the institutions responsible for listening to her and protecting her failed at every turn.
LISTEN is an investigative documentary from ESPN exploring Lauren’s life, murder, and her parents’ quest for answers. Journalists examine the steps that could have prevented her death by using hours of material never seen or heard by the public – including surveillance video, 911 calls and police interview and dispatch recordings. Viewers get an intimate look into the last weeks of Lauren’s life as she pleaded for and sought help over and over. Viewers also learn what has transpired with her case since her death at age 21 on Oct. 22, 2018.
Allegations of police misconduct roiled the state and led to legislative change. The McCluskey family settled a lawsuit for $13.5 million, but revelations of individual and institutional failure continued.
Award-winning ESPN journalists T.J. Quinn and Nicole Noren, who reported the story for four years, give a window into their investigation and ongoing battles to obtain records from the University of Utah. The 90-minute documentary features numerous interviewees who had never spoken publicly about the case, including Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, former campus police officer Miguel Deras and parole agent Megan Thomson.
0:00 Introduction to Lauren McCluskey and this investigation
5:16 Chapter 1: Too good to be true
33:24 Chapter 2: Could this have been prevented?
39:52 Chapter 3: The consummate manipulator
50:09 Chapter 4: A lot of ‘what-ifs’
1:05:01 Chapter 5: Another drop the ball
1:21:44 Chapter 6: I will listen and believe you
***Content warning: This program contains graphic descriptions of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and gun violence. Viewer discretion is advised.
To learn more about this story, please go to ESPN.com: https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/34212123/investigative-mccluskey
Copyright @ 2023 ESPN, Inc. All rights reserved.
Credits:
Director: Nicole Noren
Editor: Cathy Honeywell
Producer/Reporters: Nicole Noren, T.J. Quinn, William Weinbaum
Producers: Mike Drago, Cathy Honeywell, José Morales, Laura Purtell
Executive Producer: Rayna Banks
Sr. Executive Producers: Chris Buckle, Craig T. Lazarus
Cinematography: Cody Shimek, Jeff Halperin, Jason Jobes, Mike Walker, Sarah Nathan, Bryan Brousseau, Bob O’Reilly, Ethan Sigman
Production Audio: Gerald Hartley, Joel Barham, Chuck Kraft, Adam Mills, Brian Reilly
Motion Design: Nick Waligorski
Research Manager: John Mastroberardino
Original Music: Inza Bamba
Sound Design/Mixers: David Jaunai, Ben Ayotte
Colorist: Adam Schaub
Hair & Makeup: Josie Torres
Legal: Peter Scher, Jeremy Brodis, Jeffrey Hunt
Music Department: Claude Mitchell, Ryan Brodhead, Lindsay Harper
Production Support: Roxanne Ryan, Leo Alvarez, Tim Anderson, Rick Elders, Georgi Rivera, Gabe Vega
Music credits:
Alex Clare, “Too Close”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuvdzBt64RQ
Nick Mulvey, “A Prayer Of My Own”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APrIXCPvDHk
Inza Bamba: https://vimeo.com/user15333696
#TrueCrime #Documentary #LaurenMcCluskey #DatingViolence #IntimatePartnerViolence #CampusSafety #UniversityOfUtah
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