Free Chol Soo Lee
On June 3, 1973, a man was murdered in a busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown as part of an ongoing gang war. Chol Soo Lee, a 20-year-old Korean immigrant who had previous run-ins with the law, was arrested and convicted based on flimsy evidence and the eyewitness accounts of white tourists who couldn’t distinguish between Asian features. Sentenced to life in prison, Chol Soo Lee would spend years fighting to survive behind bars before journalist K.W. Lee took an interest in his case. The intrepid reporter’s investigation would galvanize a first-of-its-kind pan-Asian American grassroots movement to fight for Chol Soo Lee’s freedom, ultimately inspiring a new generation of social justice activists.
Directed by Julie Ha
Where to Watch
Streaming
Rent or Buy
Cast
- Chol Soo Lee Self (archive footage)
- Sebastian Yoon Narrator (voice)
- Ranko Yamada Self - Friend; Defense Committee
- K.W. Lee Self - Investigative Reporter
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Jeff Adachi Self - Activist - David Kakishiba Self - Activist
- Jay Kun Yoo Self - Chair, Defense Committee
- Grace Kim Self - Vice-chair, Defense Committee
- Warren Furutani Self - L.A. Defense Committee
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Leonard Weinglass Self - Defense Attorney (archive footage) - Josiah “Tink” Thompson Self - Private Investigator
- Gail Whang Self - Bay Area Defense Committee
Make it a double feature
2h 56m together
Free Chol Soo Lee
The Bridge
A close match in mood and era.
