Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse

Plot Summary

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse examines his childhood, his intense involvement in the early Portland punk music scene (The Wipers wrote the song "Alien Boy" about him), the heart-breaking teenage onset of his schizophrenia, and his brave efforts to avoid institutionalization and maintain his independence. Using interviews, personal writings, archival footage, official documents and videotaped depositions of the involved police officers, the film explores James Chasse's life and the police actions and decisions that led to his death. What emerges is an intimate and complex story of one man's life, the Chasse family's struggle for justice, and a city and a system grappling with accountability.