American Experience: Season 17, Episode 13

17 - 13: The Massie Affair (aka The Island Murder)

Was it an act of honor or revenge for a crime never committed? In the waning days of summer 1931, Honolulu's tropical tranquility was shattered when a young Navy wife made a drastic allegation of rape against five nonwhite islanders. What unfolded in the following days and weeks was a racially-charged murder case that would make headlines across the nation, enrage Hawai'i's native population, and galvanize the island's law enforcers and the nation's social elite. Retitled as "The Island Murder," it aired again on April 17, 2018.