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The case that inspired the documentary

…feel like they can trust someone.

One year after the murders, Sebastian and Atif, terrified that these men were going to hurt them, or worse, their loved ones, the boys confessed to a crime they did not commit.

Sebastian and Atif were arrested and thrown in jail, where they waited 9 years for their trial.

The murders of the Rafays captured international attention. Amnesty International and the country of Italy intervened when the prosecutor tried to extradite the boys from Canada to face the death penalty.

The lack of evidence beyond the false confessions made the court case so controversial that 48 Hours did two different shows on the case. Court TV did their own show. The case even inspired a website called Trial Diary, which gave daily updates on the six month trial.

As the trial went on, it became clear to intelligent observers that investigators blew off promising leads that could have led to the real killers, choosing instead to spend their time trapping Sebastian and Atif. The Bellevue police even admitted on national television they did not follow all the leads they had in the case.

In June, 2004, Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay were convicted for the murders of the Rafay Family, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Their appeal will take at least four years, according the public defender who represents Burns.
To learn more please vist the RAFAY BURNS APPEAL site.

Inspiration