50 years later, 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in New York stands as symbol of urban breakdown

NEW YORK – Fifty years after Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in New York City while her screams for help were seemingly ignored, the crime continues to fascinate.

At least five new books on the 1964 case have come out recently or will be published this year.

The killing became a symbol of urban breakdown and city dwellers' seeming callousness toward others after The New York Times reported that 38 people witnessed the attack and didn't call police until it was too late.

While just how many people saw or heard something is a matter of the dispute, the Genovese case helped lead to the 911 system and "Good Samaritan" laws. And it's in psychology textbooks as a case study on how bystanders behave when someone is in distress.