Max Soffar, the inmate featured in the documentary “Crazy, Not Insane,” died of liver cancer in 2016 while on death row.
Max Soffar’s story is a tragic one, which was highlighted in the documentary “Crazy, Not Insane,” directed by Alex Gibney. Soffar was convicted for a 1980 Houston bowling alley murder, where three people were killed. He spent more than 35 years on death row, always maintaining his innocence. His case was fraught with controversy, including a confession that he later claimed was coerced after three days of intense police interrogation without legal counsel.
Soffar’s defense argued that he had a low IQ and suffered from brain damage, which made him susceptible to giving a false confession. Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis, a psychiatrist featured in the documentary, examined Soffar and testified about his mental health issues, suggesting that he was not capable of making a reliable confession.
Despite numerous appeals and pleas for clemency, Soffar was never granted a new trial. His health deteriorated while in prison, and he was diagnosed with liver cancer. After a long battle with the disease, he passed away on April 25, 2016, still on death row. His death reignited discussions about the death penalty, the reliability of confessions, and the treatment of mentally ill inmates within the criminal justice system.
