BBC News Features Madison Smith, Subject of New Documentary by Client Engel Entertainment and RPJ’s Heidi Reavis

Today BBC News reported as its primary Feature the first meeting of a “citizen’s grand jury” convened by 23-year-old Madison Smith, citing a rarely used nineteenth-century law to bring charges against her rapist, after the County DA refused to prosecute stating violence related to “immature sex” was not worthy of legal action.

In 2018, Smith reported her violent rape by a classmate at Bethany College in Kansas.  She complied with all medical and legal procedures.  The attacker was convicted of assault, but the County prosecutor excluded and refused to press the rape charges based on his subjective opinions despite all evidence to the contrary.

At a dead-end with the prosecutor, Smith turned to a Kansas statute dating back to 1887 allowing citizens to convene a civilian grand jury.  RPJ and RPJ client Engel Entertainment followed the story, secured the documentary and feature rights, and the documentary on this important subject and process is in production, in the hope that its vast legal implications for the victims of sexual assault and how sex crimes are prosecuted in the United States lead to social and legislative change.

Read more about Madison Smith’s story on BBC News here.