[2] The film is in the "Direct Cinema" style of the Maysles brothers, who had formerly employed Berlinger and Sinofsky.

After its theatrical run, Brother's Keeper aired on PBS as part of the series American Playhouse.

[3] In a rural farming community near Utica, New York, four brothers lived in a dilapidated house: Roscoe, Lyman George, William Jay, and Adelbert Daniel (known as Delbert).

The prosecution's theory at trial was that Delbert had performed a mercy killing in order to put William out of his misery after a period of severe headaches and declining health.

Delbert Ward was acquitted at trial, largely because of the lack of any physical evidence and because the New York State Police violated Delbert's rights by coercing a confession (which he later retracted) and having him sign a written statement which he could not understand due to his illiteracy.