A Date with Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster
Encyclopedia
A Date with Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster is an American made-for-TV movie
which first aired in 2003, based on a true story about criminal Andrew Luster
.
heir Andrew Luster
after ingesting a drug called Liquid X in a glass of water offered by him in a nightclub
. With the support of her father, she reluctantly decides to go to the police
and gives them snapshots of the occurrence. While Connie and the police collect evidence to send Andrew to the jury
and during the investigation
, two other victims of Andrew, Sarah and Teri, are found and join the accusation. He is placed on trial
, but escapes during the proceedings. Under Federal regulations, the trial proceeds in absentia
, and he is convicted.
The movie started shooting while Luster was still on the run, and was originally supposed to end with a plea for information regarding his whereabouts. However, while the film was in production, he was captured in Mexico
by Duane "Dog" Chapman
and returned to the country to serve an effective life sentence
of 104 to 124 years. As a result, Luster's capture was written into the film at the last minute.
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
which first aired in 2003, based on a true story about criminal Andrew Luster
Andrew Luster
Andrew Stuart Luster is the great-grandson of cosmetics giant Max Factor, Sr. and an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune. He grew up in Malibu, California and attended Windward School in Santa Monica. Luster had been supported by a $3.1 million trust fund as he traveled and surfed at various...
.
Plot
On 14 July 2000, in Ventura County, California, young Connie is raped by the Max FactorMax Factor
Max Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
heir Andrew Luster
Andrew Luster
Andrew Stuart Luster is the great-grandson of cosmetics giant Max Factor, Sr. and an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune. He grew up in Malibu, California and attended Windward School in Santa Monica. Luster had been supported by a $3.1 million trust fund as he traveled and surfed at various...
after ingesting a drug called Liquid X in a glass of water offered by him in a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. With the support of her father, she reluctantly decides to go to the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and gives them snapshots of the occurrence. While Connie and the police collect evidence to send Andrew to the jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
and during the investigation
Investigation
Investigation may refer to:In law enforcement:* The work of a Private investigator* The work of a Detective*Federal Bureau of Investigation, the primary investigative arm of the US Department of Justice...
, two other victims of Andrew, Sarah and Teri, are found and join the accusation. He is placed on trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
, but escapes during the proceedings. Under Federal regulations, the trial proceeds in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
, and he is convicted.
The movie started shooting while Luster was still on the run, and was originally supposed to end with a plea for information regarding his whereabouts. However, while the film was in production, he was captured in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by Duane "Dog" Chapman
Duane Chapman
Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman, Sr. is an American bounty hunter and a former bail bondsman. He stars in Dog the Bounty Hunter, a weekly reality television program which is broadcast on the A&E Network , FOX8 and GO! , OLN and A&E Network , MAX and RTL II .Chapman claims he has made more than 6,000...
and returned to the country to serve an effective life sentence
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
of 104 to 124 years. As a result, Luster's capture was written into the film at the last minute.
Cast
- Jason GedrickJason GedrickJason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
- Andrew Luster - Marla SokoloffMarla SokoloffMarla Lynne Sokoloff is an American actress and musician, known for playing the part of Lucy Hatcher on the TV show The Practice, and Gia Mahan on the ABC sitcom, Full House.- Personal life :...
- Connie - Lisa EdelsteinLisa EdelsteinLisa Edelstein is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her role as Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the television drama House.-Early life and education:...
- Maeve Fox - Sarah CarterSarah CarterSarah Carter is a Canadian actress, best known for her role in the TNT drama Falling Skies.-Biography:Carter was born in Toronto, Canada and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She attended Balmoral Hall School where she was a dedicated dancer and took part in various school plays including ‘’The Wizard...
- Sarah - Stefanie von PfettenStefanie von PfettenStefanie von Pfetten aka Stefanie Baroness Christina von Pfetten is a Canadian film and television actress of German descent. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Lilly in the sci fi-horror film Decoys, and Captain Marcia "Showboat" Case in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica...
- Teri - Winston RekertWinston RekertWinston Rekert is a Canadian actor from Vancouver, British Columbia. He won 2 Gemini Awards, one for Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series for the TV Series: Blue Murder in 2003 and one for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role for the TV Series...
- Fred - Tom Butler - Roger Diamond
- Shane MeierShane MeierShane Meier is a Canadian actor who is probably most notable for playing the title role in The Matthew Shepard Story, a TV movie about the life and murder of Matthew Shepard....
- Daniel - Robert WisdenRobert WisdenRobert Charles Wisden is a British actor who has an extensive career in Canadian and American television. In 2000 he won a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for The Sheldon Kennedy Story .-Career:Wisden moved with his...
- Sam - Samantha FerrisSamantha FerrisSamantha Ferris is a Canadian actress and in the mid-1990s was a television reporter for the Bellingham, Washington station KVOS TV-12 and Vancouver's BCTV, where she went by the name Janie Ferris...
- Det. Katherine Cooke - Kevin McNultyKevin McNultyKevin McNulty is a Canadian actor.McNulty was born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. He has acted on three aviation movies: Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 with William Devane, Final Descent with Robert Urich and Snakes on a Plane with Samuel L. Jackson...
- Judge Riley - Kavan SmithKavan SmithKavan Joel Smith is a Canadian actor best known for playing Major Evan Lorne in Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1 and for his recurring role as Agent Jed Garrity in The 4400.-Biography:...
- Anthony Wold - Jody ThompsonJody ThompsonJody Rae Thompson is a Canadian actress working in film and television.-Personal life:Thompson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to an English father, Ray Thompson, the lead singer of the garage rock band The Wiggy Symphony, and a German mother...
- Amy - Rebecca ToolanRebecca ToolanRebecca Toolan is an American television actress best known for playing Teena Mulder, Fox Mulder's mother, on The X-Files.Although she has lived and worked in Canada for years, Toolan was actually born in USA and raised in Iowa...
- Mrs. Luster - Kerry SandomirskyKerry Sandomirsky-Filmography:* Wiseguy .... Angela Terranova* Unsub .... Janice* Matinee .... Kelly* Mom P.I....
- Dr. Dyer - Karl Schreiner - Sean
- Summer Gibson-Lefaive - Megan
- José VargasJosé VargasJosé Vargas is a Dominican former basketball player. He played for Louisiana State University, and was drafted in the second round of the 1988 National Basketball Association Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. He never played in the NBA, though, instead leaving to play in the Italian league.-External...
- Taco Stand Vendor - Jennifer Renton - Woman in Bar
- Carson Roy - Boy Twin
- Kwesi Ameyaw - Newscaster
- Sophie Olsen - Nurse
- Alex LeeAlex LeeAlex Lee is an English musician. Lee is a multi-instrumentalist who has played guitar and keyboards for Goldfrapp, Strangelove, Suede, Placebo and The Blue Aeroplanes amongst others...
- Court Reporter