Years of mounting tensions between multicultural, anti-racist skinheads and white neo-Nazi groups lead to the brutal murders of two young men in the desert outside Las Vegas on July 4, 1998: Lin "Spit" Newborn, a Black poet, punk rocker, and new father, and Daniel Shersty, a white U.S. Air Force serviceman.

 

Murdered on the Fourth of July will explore the environment that fomented the growing presence of neo-Nazi skinheads in the Las Vegas area, especially in the 1980s and 1990s punk rock scene, how that spurred the emergence of reactionary groups such as the Anti-Racist Action and Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, and how the deaths of Newborn and Shersty made a lasting impact on both the national anti-racism movement and the burgeoning Las Vegas cultural scene of the 1990s.

 

With both the dramatic rise in reported hate crimes and the increased media awareness of neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups in the post-Trump era, the story of this horrific crime is, sadly, more relevant than ever.

 

Production on Murdered on the Fourth of July is underway. Over the last several years, we have conducted extensive research, recorded a number of pre-interviews with friends, family and experts, gathered a growing collection of photos, videos and artifacts, and thanks to a small crowdfunding campaign, filmed about a dozen interviews and captured new footage for the film. But to complete production and fund post-production, it will take a community of supporters coming together to help.

 

Murdered on the Fourth of July is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. Contributions in support of Murdered on the Fourth of July are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Your donations will directly support the production of the film, helping offset expenses for filming, travel, legal fees, materials licensing, and other costs associated with completing this project.