The Phantom: The Case of Carlos DeLuna 40 Years Later

After covering The State of Texas vs. Melissa (2021), once again we are talking on Factual America about the death penalty in the state of Texas.

The recently released documentary The Phantom (2021) shines a light on a capital murder case, but probably in ways that most of us have never experienced before. The film follows Carlos DeLuna, who was arrested in 1983 for the murder of a woman service station attendant, but protested his innocence until he was executed, stating another Carlos had committed the crime.

Through interviews with eyewitnesses, Carlos DeLuna's family members, and legal experts, the film examines if the judicial system executed an innocent man, and whether or not there could be another Carlos that the prosecution called 'the phantom'. 

We’re joined by award-winning director, Patrick Forbes, to discuss how he found out about the case of Carlos DeLuna and how he got involved with making the film. We also talk about the death penalty in Texas and the art of storytelling that Patrick deploys in this documentary. 

“Humans are endlessly interesting and curious. You don’t do this job to get rich, you do this job because you like stories and you like people.” - Patrick Forbes