Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop

Dubbed “The Cannibal Cop,” Gilberto Valle was convicted in March 2013 of conspiring to kidnap and eat young women. Valle argued it was all a fantasy; the prosecution’s narrative convinced jurors otherwise. Valle was facing a possible life sentence when filmmaker Erin Lee Carr began visiting him in prison. After 22 months behind bars, his conviction was overturned in a stunning reversal. The film was there for his release and subsequent house arrest to examine a life arrested. But the question remains: given the chance, would he, could he, have done it? “Thought Crimes” unravels the conflicting stories of a potentially dangerous young man and the unexpected consequences of our online activity. —Erin Lee Carr