Like it or hate it, true crime is here to stay. But while some people tend to get caught up in more “scandalous” ideas in a true crime story, it’s worth remembering that the genre’s very name comes from the fact that real people are involved.
In one of Netflix’s newest true crime docs of 2022, the very true story of one woman has the internet in a rage.
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Earlier this month, Netflix released the documentary, ‘Killer Sally.’
The three-part series follows Sally McNeil, a former Marine and bodybuilder. On Valentine’s Day in 1995, McNeil was arrested for shooting and killing her husband, another bodybuilder and former Marine named Ray McNeil.
The documentary explores Sally’s perspective, with interviews from herself as well as family and friends.
It dives deep into Sally’s relationship with Ray, which began in the 1980s. In the Netflix doc, Sally claims their attraction was “lust at first sight.”
But theirs was a relationship filled with violence.
It wasn’t long before Sally began experiencing Ray’s abusive tendencies first-hand , People reports. Ray had beaten Sally just three days after they married, resulting in a split lip. And things continued after the births of their two children, Shanita and John.
All of this culminated in the shooting in 1995.
After being at the receiving end of domestic violence and fearing for her life, Sally shot Ray with a sawed-off shotgun. She immediately called 911, reporting her actions as self-defense.
But after her arrest, the prosecution managed to refute that claim.
The prosecution argued that Sally’s actions were premeditated. Further, because of Sally’s muscular physique, she was seen as “too physically strong” to have been a victim of domestic violence.
Sally was eventually convicted of second-degree murder, and was released on parole in 2020.
Since the series’ release, viewers have been expressing their anger over the situation.
“I personally, have never been involved in domestic violence or a domestic abuse situation,” a Twitter user posted. “But I know for a fact, that Sally McNeil’s children are not lying. Her dead husband even abused those poor kids.”
It has definitely opened a conversation about domestic violence survivors and how they tend to be perceived.
It’s especially glaring since Sally was a bodybuilder, and not someone who would “typically” be seen as a victim.
“One thing is clear– America heavily punishes women who use force to defend themselves against their abusers.”
The director of the docuseries took on the job because of that very reason.
Nanette Burstein, who also directed an film in the ESPN 30 for 30 series about Tanya Harding, explained that she wanted to tell Sally’s story because of its strong ties to domestic violence.
“That is what really attracted me to the story – it was really about domestic violence, and it’s about gender roles,” she told The Guardian.
” It’s really about other women, because this is still happening today ,” she continued, referring in part to the number of women who get put behind bars for defending themselves against their violent partners.
Viewer outrage definitely echoes the points Burstein brought up.
For Burstein, telling a story like Sally’s was important because it shows us all how the atrocities of intimate partner violence can be felt by anyone.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence, there are resources that can help .
