The 1978 mass suicide of followers of Rev. Jim Jones, a cult leader who founded Jonestown in Guyana for the work of his People's Temple. Also: the murder of Rep. Leo J. Ryan, who was investigating allegations made by temple members.
In the Depression-torn dust bowl of the 1930s, a new kind of desperado is born. Pretty Boy Floyd, John Dillinger, and Bonnie & Clyde become as well-known and admired as movie stars. Bill Kurtis narrates their murderous rise and deadly fall
By the mid-1930s, law enforcement is outgunned and uncoordinated. The Barkers become the First Family of Kidnapping, going after rich industrialists and their families, until J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI start cracking down, in Episode "The Kidnappers". #AmericanJustice Subscribe for more from American Justice and other great A&E shows:
The 1978 mass suicide of followers of Rev. Jim Jones, a cult leader who founded Jonestown in Guyana for the work of his People's Temple. Also: the murder of Rep. Leo J. Ryan, who was investigating allegations made by temple members.
Examining the case in which a man's wife and children were brutally murdered, he claimed, by drug-crazed hippies.
Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi official captured by Israeli agents in 1960 and taken to Israel to be tried for war crimes.
Organized crime during the Prohibition era, including profiles of Al Capone, Bugs Moran and Lucky Luciano. Brooklyn DA Charles J. Hynes joins host Bill Kurtis.
The case of Jean Harris, the former headmistress convicted of murdering her lover, Dr. Herman Tarnower, in 1980.
Recalling a hoax in the 1970s involving an alleged authorized biography of Howard Hughes by Clifford Irving.
Charles Starkweather, executed in 1959 for committing 11 murders.
The case of Richard Speck, who was convicted of the 1966 murders of eight nurses and student nurses in Chicago.
Wayne Williams, convicted of two of the Atlanta child murders that terrorized the city between 1979 and 1981.
Examining the battles waged against gangland families by the Gambino organized-crime family, led by “Boss of Bosses” Paul Castellano, until his 1985 assassination that was masterminded by John Gotti.
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, whose string of robberies and killings made them two of the most notorious criminals of the 1930s.
"Target: Mafia" studies crime during Prohibition. Examined: Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt's efforts to curtail bootlegging; battles between ethnic gangs.
Examining "The Birth of the American Mafia," from its origins in Sicily to mob activity during Prohibition. Included: the roles of Al Capone and Charles "Lucky" Luciano; rivalry among Italian, Irish and Jewish gangs.
"The Kennedys and the Mob" examines efforts by President Kennedy and his brother Robert to curtail mob activity; the possible link between JFK's assassination and organized crime.
Profiling "gangbusters" such as Harry Anslinger, first commissioner of the Bureau of Narcotics; and Thomas E. Dewey, who successfully prosecuted Charles "Lucky" Luciano on charges of running a prostitution ring.
"Empire of Crime" examines mob activity during World War II; the murder of Benjamin Siegel; nightclubs, casinos and racetracks linked to organized crime.
A three-part history of mob activity in Philadelphia. Part 1 shows how Nicodemo Scarfo gained power by supplying concrete to the growing casino industry in Atlantic City.
Examining highly publicized rape cases, including the 1992 conviction of Mike Tyson for the rape of a beauty-pageant contestant; and the 1983 gang-rape case in New Bedford, Mass., that inspired the 1988 movie "The Accused."
A graphic account of the crimes of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer who became, his attorney Gerald Boyle says, "the embodiment of evil." Included: footage from Dahmer's trial; comments from experts on serial murder.
The trial and executions of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, convicted in 1951 of conspiracy to commit espionage. Included: footage from a mock trial held by the American Bar Association; comments from Rosenberg attorney Marshall Perlin.
Examining two arson cases: the 1990 blaze at the Happy Land club in the Bronx, which claimed 87 lives; and the 1944 Hartford Circus fire, in which 168 people were killed. Included: retired firefighter Rick Davey, who investigated the Hartford fire.
A history of Alcatraz recalls some of the prison's most spectacular breakout attempts, including one that inspired the film "Escape from Alcatraz." Also: the maximum-security prison at Marion, Ill.
Racially motivated crimes in the U.S., such as the murders of three civil-rights workers in Mississippi, and the 1988 beating death of an Ethiopian student in Oregon. Included: comments from attorney Morris Dees.
Cases of vigilantism in the U.S., including the 1984 Bernhard Goetz subway shooting in New York City; the 1984 murder of an alleged child molester; and the 1987 torching of a Detroit crack house.
Mobsters in the labor movement; Socks Lanza; Jimmy Hoffa; Willie Bioff and Hollywood; Murder Incorporated.
"Target: Mafia" studies crime during Prohibition. Examined: Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt's efforts to curtail bootlegging; battles between ethnic gangs.
Examining "The Birth of the American Mafia," from its origins in Sicily to mob activity during Prohibition. Included: the roles of Al Capone and Charles "Lucky" Luciano; rivalry among Italian, Irish and Jewish gangs.
Profiling "gangbusters" such as Harry Anslinger, first commissioner of the Bureau of Narcotics; and Thomas E. Dewey, who successfully prosecuted Charles "Lucky" Luciano on charges of running a prostitution ring.
"Empire of Crime" examines mob activity during World War II; the murder of Benjamin Siegel; nightclubs, casinos and racetracks linked to organized crime.
The trial and executions of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, convicted in 1951 of conspiracy to commit espionage. Included: footage from a mock trial held by the American Bar Association; comments from Rosenberg attorney Marshall Perlin.
Studying random acts of violence. Cases include Charles Whitman, who shot and killed 16 people at the University of Texas; Patrick Sherrill, an Oklahoma letter carrier who gunned down 14 co-workers.
Examining the psyche of "The Hostage Takers." Included: a segment on the hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro; comments from hostage negotiators. Also: the media's role in hostage situations.
Examining cases of unjust imprisonment, including that of boxer Rubin Carter, whose life sentence for murder was overturned in 1985; and a Missouri woman falsely convicted of killing her son, who actually died of a rare blood disease.
The 1950 "Great Brinks Heist" in Boston, a $2.7 million robbery that "caught the fancy of the American public" and the attention of Hollywood filmmakers. Also: how law officials are coping with bank thefts in Los Angeles.
Efforts by law officials to capture fugitives from justice. Cases include John List, who was on the run for 18 years after the murder of his family, and was caught in 1989.
A study of issues surrounding the death penalty recalls the case of Caryl Chessman, who spent 12 years on death row until his 1960 execution; and Gary Gilmore, shot by a Utah firing squad in 1977. Included: comments from Sister Helen Prejean, who ministers to death-row inmates.
Examining case studies of juveniles who have committed violent crimes. Included: a look at why increases in youth crime are “pushing the system to its limits.”
Examining “the unique contributions” of mob informants to prosecutors. Included: Salvatore (“Sammy the Bull”) Gravano, whose testimony was crucial to John Gotti's 1992 conviction.
Examining war-crime trials. Included: the Nuremberg trials; the trials resulting from the 1968 My Lai massacre in Vietnam; and the Demjanjuk case. Interviewed: lawyers involved in the My Lai cases, including F. Lee Bailey.
A report on ritual abuse of children focuses on a case involving an Austin, Texas, day-care facility, whose owners were convicted of sexual molestation. Included: how such cases are prosecuted; the role of the interviewer in drawing out a child's testimony.
“Was Lorena Bobbitt a violent criminal or was she a desperate woman driven to violence?” Host Bill Kurtis poses the question in a report on women's uses of self-defense pleas. Included: Lorena and John Bobbitt's trials; battered-woman syndrome.
An examination of the insanity plea looks at the cases of John Hinckley Jr.; and David Berkowitz, New York City's "Son of Sam." Included: interviews with attorneys who represented Hinckley and Berkowitz. Also: a history of the insanity defense, dating back to 19th-century England.
A report on police corruption focuses on how officers are treated after they are convicted. Cases studied include the New York City probe chronicled in the 1973 film "Serpico."
Considering the freedom of speech, as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Among the cases: an American Nazi parade in Illinois that was chronicled in the 1981 TV-movie "Skokie." Also: legal troubles faced by comics, including Lenny Bruce.
Examining how the justice system deals with cases involving religious groups. Included: Jim Bakker's conviction for fraud; a Christian Scientist couple whose son died of a curable illness because their beliefs forbade treatment.
An examination of pressures placed upon juries focuses on the trial of the men accused of beating Reginald Denny during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Also: jury responsibilities in death-penalty cases.
Recapitulating the 1993 standoff between the Branch Davidians and Federal agents in Waco, Texas, and the 1994 trial of Davidian survivors. Also: video footage of David Koresh, and comments by his mother, Bonnie Haldeman.
The legal aspects of sexual harassment in the workplace. Included: a review of the Hill-Thomas confrontation; interviews with essayist Camille Paglia and law professor Catharine MacKinnon, and author David Brock ("The Real Anita Hill").
Law-enforcement efforts to halt gang-related crimes. The hour focuses on Daryl Whiting, former leader of Boston's "New York Boys," who's now serving a life sentence for drug offenses; and the Iowa gang the Vice Lords, three of whose members were convicted in 1994 of killing a teenage girl.
A report on the 1971 riot at Attica Correctional Facility in New York focuses on the state's handling of the crisis, called "one of the most infamous massacres in American history." Included: comments from mediators and former inmates; footage of the rebellion and its aftermath.
“The Private Eyes” examines the growing number of private security companies, and what can happen when “rogue” guards are on patrol. Interviewed: a New York security-company executive; and Hubert Williams of the Police Foundation, who says of the often-underpaid guards: “You get what you pay for.”
Examining attitudes toward prostitution, and its effect on practitioners and society. Interviewed: one-time "Mayflower Madam" Sydney Biddle Barrows; Norma Jean Almodovar, the author of Cop to Call Girl; and Stanford University legal historian Lawrence Friedman.
The use of sting operations, "one of the most effective and disputed methods of law enforcement." Cases include the 1990 arrest of Washington, D.C., mayor Marion Barry; a 1993 animal-smuggling operation that involved an agent posing as a gorilla.
The riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, and the "chaotic" conspiracy trial that followed. "It was an episode of American justice gone mad," says series host Bill Kurtis. Interviewed: defendant Tom Hayden, prosecutor Tom Foran, defense lawyer William Kunstler and author John Schultz ("The Chicago Conspiracy Trial"), who notes: "The police bestialized the protesters and the protesters bestialized the police."
Examining divorces among celebrities, including Donald and Ivana Trump; and Peter and Roxanne Pulitzer, whose case resulted in Roxanne losing custody of her children in 1982; and the landmark palimony suit between Lee Marvin and Michelle Triola Marvin.
An examination of four modern hoaxes, including the quiz-show scandals of the late 1950s, Clifford Irving's fraudulent biography of Howard Hughes, the so-called "Mormon murders" of 1985 that centered on forgeries of rare documents. Also: the Tawana Brawley case, in which an African American teen alleged that she was raped by whites.
Examining law-enforcement efforts to eliminate organized crime. This expanded edition traces the rise of New York's Gambino family, whose members included Carlo Gambino and John Gotti; Thomas Dewey's successful prosecution of Charles “Lucky” Luciano; and Attorney General Robert Kennedy's investigations into the activities of Carlos Marcello.
"Do celebrities get equal justice?" asks Bill Kurtis in a report that looks at criminal cases involving well-known personalities. Included: the 1983 trial of director John Landis for the deaths of three actors (including Vic Morrow) on the set of "Twilight Zone: The Movie."
Reviewing the cases of spies. Included: CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames; Jonathan Pollard, who spied for Israel; and John Walker, who sold secrets to the Soviets for 17 years before his arrest in 1985.
Profiling lawyers who have defended those allegedly involved in organized crime. Included: Jimmy Hoffa's former lawyer, Frank Ragano. Also: a segment on mob-style justice, and an interview with John Gotti's defense attorney, Bruce Cutler.
Profiles of participants in the Federal Witness Protection Program include a one-time "gangster in training" in New York's Gambino mob family who testified against his uncle. Also: the case of mobster Salvatore ("Sammy the Bull") Gravano, who "flipped" on John Gotti and whose testimony was insturmental in Gotti's conviction.
Examining kidnapping cases, including the 1984 abduction of Olympic hopeful Kari Swenson by two mountain men; the 1992 kidnapping and murder of Exxon executive Sidney Reso; and the disappearance of a New Yorker's two children at the hands of his ex-wife.
Revealing the pros and cons of being “married” to the mob. Included: interviews with Arlyne Weiss Brickman, and Beatrice Sedway, who says, according to host Bill Kurtis, “women don't use the mob, it uses them.”
A review of cameras in courtrooms, from the 1925 Scopes "monkey" trial through the O.J. Simpson case. Also included: 1935's Lindbergh kidnapping trial; the William Kennedy Smith date-rape trial; and Theodore Bundy's 1979 Florida murder trial. Interviewed: Court TV founder Steven Brill; Constitutional expert Floyd Abrams.
Examining cases in which pathologists have unraveled murder mysteries. A pathologist “is the dead's advocate,” says King County (Wash.) medical examiner Donald Reay, who was instrumental in winning a conviction in a serial-killer case.
Case studies of people who were murdered by contract killers include a New York journalist whose death was ordered by Colombian drug barons in 1992. Also: a history of organized crime's “Murder, Inc.” in the 1930s.
An examination of allegations of cruel and unusual punishment in the U.S., including a case in which an Alcatraz inmate charged that, in 1941, his harsh treatment at the prison drove him mad; and another involving an Illinois prisoner who claimed that guards broke his back during a 1988 beating.
Military cases are examined. Included: the trials of Eddie Slovik, the only U.S. soldier executed for desertion during WWII; Vietnam POW Robert Garwood, convicted of collaborating with the enemy; and Clayton Lonetree, a Marine guard found guilty of espionage in 1987.
Prominent stalking cases are explored, including John Lennon's murder by Mark David Chapman; actress Theresa Saldana's near-fatal encounter with a stalker; and Illinois housewife Dawn Wilson's assault by her ex-husband.
Probing the world of covert investigation in "Undercover: The Infiltrators." Included: a case of suspected fraud; a DEA sting operation; and allegations of court corruption.
Four women convicted of abducting infants are profiled, along with a couple involved in a baby-selling scheme. Those interviewed include one of the women, police officials and prosecutors.
The contributions and excesses of jailhouse inmates who become legal experts are examined. Interviewed: Jerry Rosenberg, the “dean of jailhouse lawyers”; and Colorado prisoner Richard Demarest, who took a case to the Supreme Court from his cell---and won.
A study of assassins probes the cases of Sirhan Sirhan, who killed Sen. Robert Kennedy in 1968; Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who attempted to shoot President Ford in 1975; and James Earl Ray, who claims he's innocent of the 1968 murder of Martin Luther King Jr. Included: comments from prosecutors, defense attorneys and political scientists.
The legacy of the Los Angeles Police Department is examined in a review of some of its biggest cases since the 1950s---including the O.J. Simpson case. Interviewed: police chief Willie Williams and former chief Daryl Gates.
An examination of notorious U.S. bombing incidents, including the case of Michael Stevens, who sent six bombs to members of the same family in 1993. Also: George Metesky, New York City's "Mad Bomber" of the 1940s and 50s and Robert Chambliss, convicted of an Alabama church bombing in 1963.
An examination of incidents in which suspects or citizens have allegedly been killed by police, FBI or other government enforcers in the line of duty. Included: cases in Philadelphia, New York and Idaho.
The O.J. Simpson murder trial is examined, including its impact on the legal system, the motivation for the jury's verdict; the effect the case had on society; and the lingering question of who killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Chronicling examples of cop murders, what host Bill Kurtis calls “the ultimate criminal act.” In one case, a dashboard-mounted videocam recorded the shooting of a Texas trooper. Included: police re-creations; interviews with prosecutors and defense lawyers.
"The Chicago Mob" profiles Windy City crime bosses, including Al Capone, who became Chicago's gangland kingpin in his 20s; 1960s gangster Sam Giancana; and Anthony Accardo, reportedly the trigger man at the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
A detailed examination of the case of Dr. Sam Sheppard, the Cleveland surgeon convicted of murdering his wife in 1954. Included: crime scene photos; the investigation and trial; legal appeals resulting in Sheppard's release; his son's effort to exonerate him.
Investigating homicides committed against parents by their children. Included: the case of David and Brian Freeman, who killed their Allentown, Pa., parents in 1995; Jeffrey Howorth, who shot his parents in 1995.
How organized-crime figures built a "Niagara Falls of money" in Las Vegas in the 1930s and '40s, which they enjoyed until "paradise came crashing down." Included: an interview with casino manager Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, who inspired the Robert De Niro character in "Casino."
An examination of the 1993 "Long Island Rail Road Massacre," in which six commuters were killed and 19 wounded by gunman Colin Ferguson, who was convicted of six counts of murder. Included: talks with eyewitnesses, jurors and police officers.
A look at the work of bounty hunters, or "fugitive recovery agents," who track down individuals who jump bail. Included: interviews with bounty hunters and footage from actual arrests. Also: training and licensing.
An examination of the Derry, N.H., murder case, in which a former high-school media director, Pamela Smart, convinced her teenage lover to kill her husband. Included: an interview with Pamela Smart and footage of her trial.
Profiling serial killer John Wayne Gacy, a building contractor who, in 1980, was convicted of murdering 33 people, more than anyone in American history. Included: an interview with Gacy in prison; comments from prosecutors.
Examining cases in which police actions resulted in the death of a citizen. Included: trial footage; police photos; interviews with police officers. Also: weapons designed to stun, not kill.
An examination of high-speed chases conducted by law-enforcement agencies via land, air and sea, with an analysis of five pursuits. Also: the policies governing chases and the techniques utilized to ensure safety.
The case of Dennis Nilsen, a one-time British police officer who became known as “the kindly killer” after killing as many as 16 young black men in the 1970s. Nilsen was convicted of six murders in 1983 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Recalling Philadelphia's bloody mob wars of the 1980s and early '90s. Interviewed are Mafia hit men who later became witnesses against their former bosses. Included: comments from prosecutors and FBI agents.
An investigation into the 1985 Bamber family murders in England, in which Jeremy Bamber killed his adoptive parents, his sister and her twin sons in hopes of inheriting his family's fortune.
An examination of the "Night Stalker" murders that haunted Southern California during the summer of 1985, in which Richard Ramirez killed 13 persons. He was subsequently sentenced to death for the crimes.
A report on the 1989 killings of Kitty and Jose Menendez, and the murder trial against their sons, Lyle and Erik. Included: the "abuse excuse" used by the defense; and comments from jurors, who discuss reasons why the brothers' first trial ended in a hung jury.
Recalling the case of the unidentified serial killer British police called "Jack the Stripper," who's believed to be responsible for the murders of six prostitutes in London in 1964.
A look at the use---and abuse---of confessions in murder cases. The hour examines unique cases in which confessions played a key role, such as the "Central Park jogger" case. Included: examples of videotaped confessions.
Recounting the case of James Hanratty, who was hanged, many believe wrongly, for the shooting deaths of two lovers in London.
Graphic footage accompanies this look at homicide detectives on the job. Among the cases investigated is a 1994 quadruple murder in Virginia Beach, Va.
The unexplained disappearance of labor leader Jimmy Hoffa (1913-75?). Included: his controversy-filled life and evidence regarding his fate.
Recalling the 1969 kidnapping of Muriel McKay, the wife of a newspaperman. McKay's body was never found, and immigrants Arthur Hosein and his brother, Nizamodeen, were convicted of the crime.
Using the slaying of Polly Klaas, the Petaluma, Cal., 12-year-old, to examine law-enforcement methods designed to deal with repeat offenders. Included: aggressive policing techniques and laws around the country.
The execution of Nicholas II and his family by the Bolsheviks in 1918.
A look at the daily routines of women sentenced to death includes interviews with condemned inmates, and families and friends of victims. Also: a visit to death row in an Alabama prison
The case of Neville Heath, a British Air Force officer executed in 1946 for the murders of two young women.
Judging the effectiveness of publicly funded defense lawyers for poor and indigent defendants.
Chronicling the power struggles between New York's Gambino family and rival clans. Included: the conflicts among top Gambino bosses that culminated in the 1985 murder of Paul Castellano on the order of John Gotti.
Chronicling the case of the Yorkshire Ripper, a serial killer who preyed upon young women (some of them prostitutes) in the 1970s. A manhunt led to the arrest of Peter Sutcliffe, who was convicted of 13 murders in 1981.
Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration battle those who grow, process and distribute illegal drugs both inside and outside the U.S.
Cases in which misidentification by eyewitnesses resulted in wrongful convictions.
"The Amy Fisher Story" recounts the 1992 case of the Long Island teenager who allegedly had an affair with a married man and then was convicted of trying to kill his wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco (Mrs Buttafuoco is interviewee).
The 1966 murders of three British police officers---Harry Roberts, John Duddy, John Witney---at the hands of three thugs are recalled.
A report on the 1983 abduction, rape and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico, a case in which two men were convicted and sentenced to death but were later cleared 12 years after they were placed on death row.
A look at profiling as a criminal-investigation tool and how it is increasingly used by law-enforcement agencies.
Recalling such Jewish crime figures as Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky and Arthur Flegenheimer (a k a Dutch Schultz). Interviewees include lawyers who defended and prosecuted Lansky, and authors Albert Fried, Sidney Zion and Robert Rockaway.
The infamous 1963 “Great Train Robbery” of a mail train in England is recalled.
A look at the Genovese clan of New York City, reputed to be one of the most powerful crime families in America. Included: interviews with a godson of patriarch Vito Genovese, reporters, defense attorneys, prosecutors and other law-enforcement officials.
"The Scarsdale Diet Doctor Murder" examines the 1980 trial of Jean Harris for the shooting death of her lover, Dr. Herman Tarnower. Included: interviews with Harris, her defense attorney and other trial participants.
Examining the two trials plus one successful appeal of Claus von Bulow, accused of attempting to murder his wife, Sunny, with insulin injections. Interviewed: von Bulow, his children, Alan Dershowitz, and other attorneys.
"The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot" examines the conspiracy by Wanda Holloway, the mother of a high-school cheerleader, to have another cheerleader's mother murdered. Interviewed: the intended victim; trial attorneys; and a forensic psychologist.
"The Preppie Murder" examines the trial of Robert Chambers for the Central Park slaying of a young woman, Jennifer Levin, in 1986. Included: Chambers' videotape statement, plus interviews with the victim's mother and friends, jurors, attorneys and reporters.
An account of how FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone, a.k.a. Donnie Brasco, infiltrated the New York mob in the late 1970s. The undercover operation became the subject of a 1997 feature film starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. Pistone discusses the operation, various mobsters and the strain on his family.
"Murder In Cold Blood" examines the 1959 slaughter of the Clutters, a Kansas farming family memorialized in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood." Included: comments from family friends; graphic crime-scene photos.
The history of the FBI's "10 Most Wanted" list and criminals who have been apprehended after making the list. Also: how criminal profiles have changed over the years. Interviewed: author Michael Newton, FBI agents and other law-enforcement officials.
A report on the U.S. Government's battle to break up a mob drug operation through a mammoth FBI investigation leading to Sicily, Zurich, the Midwest and New York City pizzerias. Included: interviews with FBI agents, attorneys, drug-enforcement agents and Italian government officials.
Retracing the steps of John Lennon's confessed killer Mark David Chapman, who shot the ex-Beatle on Dec. 8, 1980. Included: interviews with police, doctors who tried to save Lennon, and Chapman's attorneys.
The history of organized crime in Los Angeles, including its connections to Hollywood. Key figures such as Jack Dragna and Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno are profiled. Also: attempts by law-enforcement officials to curtail mob activity. Interviewed: former police chief Daryl Gates; a former FBI agent; mob insiders; journalists.
The case of a convicted rapist who was pardoned when his alleged victim recanted her testimony. Included: interviews with Illinois governor James Thompson, attorneys, detectives, a polygraph examiner.
Examining the case of Nebraska teenagers Charles Starkweather and Carol Ann Fugate, who killed 10 people in the 1950s and inspired the 1974 film “Badlands.” Included: the capture, trial and execution of Starkweather.
The case of Clarence Brandley, a west Texas man wrongfully convicted of a 1980 murder and sentenced to death. Included: alleged collusion between police, prosecutors and judges; legal appeals and two stays of execution; Brandley's second trial and release from Death Row. Interviewed: Brandley, his attorneys, the judge from the first trial, a private investigator, Brandley's brother.
The story of Karla Faye Tucker, the Texas woman who converted to Christianity while on death row. Included: her conviction and execution for two 1983 murders. Interviewed: Tucker's sister, her spiritual advisor, a victim's husband, attorneys.
The case of Lawrencia “Bambi” Bembenek, the former Milwaukee police officer whose conviction for the 1981 murder of her then-husband's first wife was overturned in 1992. Bembenek escaped from prison in 1990, but was recaptured in Canada.
Profiling Charles Whitman, who killed more than a dozen people during a shooting spree from the University of Texas tower on Aug. 1, 1966.
The stories of three people accused of murdering their spouses are chronicled. Included: the trials of Debra Hartmann, Steven Steinberg and Charline Brundidge. Interviewed: attorneys, investigators and a psychiatrist.
The story of how the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, was captured following 17 years of sending mail bombs. Included: how Kaczynski's brother turned him in after reading his "manifesto" in the newspaper. Interviewed: FBI officials, friends of Kaczynski, attorneys.
The case of Jeffrey MacDonald, a doctor and former Green Beret captain convicted of the murder of his family, is chronicled. Interviewed: MacDonald, investigators, attorneys, relatives of the deceased.
The story of Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss is chronicled. Fleiss is interviewed about her call-girl business and the sting operation that led to her prosecution. Included: her 1994 trial for pandering and cocaine possession; her Federal trial for tax evasion and money laundering.
Examining the impeachment process, placing it in historical context and looking at the case against President Clinton. Interviewed: Watergate prosecutor Richard Ben-Veniste; political scientist Alan Lichtman; former Federal Judge Alcee Hastings.
Featured: the case of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute sentenced to death for a series of Florida highway murders. Included: the police investigation; Wuornos's first trial; videotape of her confession and trial testimony.
The 1995 murder of Tejano singer Selena, and the subsequent trial of her associate Yolanda Saldivar, is chronicled. Interviewed: Selena's father, attorneys, an eyewitness.
Chronicling the celebrity trials of sportscaster Marv Albert, former congressman Mel Reynolds and one-time Miss America Bess Myerson. Interviewed: attorneys Roy Black and Raoul Felder.
A 1982 civil lawsuit brought by residents of Woburn, Mass., following the leukemia-related deaths of 5 children is examined. Interviewed: the plaintiffs, attorneys, and judge in the case.
Recalling the 1963 kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr., who was taken from his hotel room in Lake Tahoe, Nev. He was released by his captors three days later after his father paid the $240,000 ransom, and his three captors were caught and convicted.
A chronicle of the legal battles of publisher Larry Flynt. Included: Flynt v. Falwell, a libel suit heard by the U.S. Supreme Court; Flynt's conversion to Christianity; and the shooting that left him wheelchair-bound. Interviewed: Flynt, his brother Jimmy, his attorneys, Rev. Jerry Falwell.
The lives of the Beatles' John Lennon and his killer, Mark Chapman, are paralleled. Lennon's success is contrasted with Chapman's emotional instability. Also: the murder and trial are documented using film footage and photographs.
The circumstances surrounding the 1991 murder of a Pennsylvania teenage girl and the convoluted legal proceedings that followed. Among those interviewed are the victim's mother.
The 1920s investigation and trial of Leopold and Loeb for kidnapping and murder in Chicago is chronicled.
The story of how a serial killer and his wealthy accomplice were apprehended is chronicled using video footage, photographs and interviews.
Three murders---each involving women's remains found in railway baggage---that took place in England during the 1920s and '30s are detailed.
Serial killers Gary Heidnik and Jeffrey Dahmer are profiled. Included: comparisons of common elements of their crime sprees, such as cooking their victims.
The case of homicidal divorcée Betty Broderick is chronicled. Included: her marriage to Dan Broderick, their divorce, the murder of Dan and his second wife, and the two ensuing trials.
A look at the case of a family murdered while on vacation in France and the local farmer suspected in the mysterious crime.
A report on the 1955 disappearance of a Florida judge and his wife.
Recalling the 1975 murder of Connecticut teen Martha Moxley. Included are comments from former L.A. police detective Mark Fuhrman, who wrote a book about the crime.
Profiling John Duffy, the convicted British murderer and rapist, who earned the nickname of “Railway Killer” because he used the train to escape from the scene of the crimes. Included: how “profiling” was used to help capture him; footage of the crime scenes.
A look at the criminal activities of Ma Barker and her gangster sons. Included: reenactments of their crimes; archival footage.
Profiles the case of Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to murdering women and whose victims may have numbered in the hundreds, giving him the notorious distinction of being America's most prolific serial killer.
The case of Ronald ("Butch") DeFeo Jr., an Amityville, New York, man convicted in 1975 of the murders of his parents and four siblings. The house in which the murders were committed later became the subject of speculation that it was "haunted."
Profiling Graham Young, the infamous British killer, who was obsessed with poison from his youth. Young was finally caught after the deaths of several colleagues at the factory where he worked, and his life was the subject of the 1995 film “The Young Poisoner's Handbook.”
Examining the case of boxer Hurricane Carter and his friend John Artis, who in 1967 were wrongly convicted of a 1966 triple homicide. Artis was eventually paroled in 1981, while Carter's conviction was finally overturned in 1985. Included: comments from Artis, Carter and their attorneys.
Examining two cases in which wrongly accused people were imprisoned because their trials were mishandled. Included: Florida farmer James Richardson, who spent 21 years in prison until his conviction was overturned in 1989; Chicago residents Perry Cobb and Darby Tillis, who were tried for the same crime for a record five times.
The 1980 murder of a Michigan woman, whose killer was caught because of her family's efforts.
Examining the 1996 murder of Delaware secretary Anne Marie Fahey. Prosecutors built up a case against prime suspect Thomas Capano, Fahey's former lover, despite the lack of a body, through physical evidence and testimony provided by two of Capano's brothers and another of Capano's mistresses.
The case of Leah Bundy, a New York woman convicted and sent to prison on drug charges, but who claimed, along with boyfriend Christopher Clemente, that the drugs belonged to Clemente's brother. Included: William Kunstler's defense of Clemente.
An investigation into the mysteries surrounding the death of Helen Brach, who disappeared in 1977 and was declared legally dead, although her body was never found.
Examining the case of Robert Diaz, a California nurse who was convicted in 1984 of killing 12 elderly patients through a lethal injection of the heart medication lidocaine.
The case of Barbara Stager, a North Carolina woman who was convicted in 1989 of the 1988 shooting death of her second husband, Russ. Stager claimed the killing was accidental, but hindering her defense were similarities in the deaths of her first and second husbands; and an incriminating tape recorded by Russ shortly before his demise.
Recalling the 1998 school shootings in Jonesboro, Ark., in which two boys opened fire, killing four students and one teacher. The boys were tried as juveniles, which inspired Arkansas to pass tougher laws regarding crimes committed by children.
The case of Edward Post, a New Orleans businessman who pled guilty in 1995 to the 1986 murder of his wife, Julie. Post had been convicted of first-degree murder twice before, but both verdicts had been reversed on appeal.
The case of Alex Kelly, a high-school athlete who fled the country for Europe just before his 1987 rape trial. Kelly surrendered to authorities in 1995, and was convicted in 1997.
The 1995 murder of Adrienne Jones, a high-school student shot to death by David Graham, with whom she'd allegedly had a fling. Graham and his girlfriend, Diane Zamora, were convicted of the murder in 1998. The pair were found out after Zamora confided the crime to classmates at the Naval Academy.
Examining criminal cases in which unusual defenses were employed. Lawyer Alan Dershowitz analyzes why the defenses succeeded and discusses the potentially dangerous precedents that were set.
The case of Ken Arrasmith, an Idaho man who, in 1995, gunned down a couple who had allegedly sexually abused Arrasmith's daughter. Arrasmith was convicted of their murders in 1996.
“The Murderous Buccaneer” chronicles the life and career of John Donald Merrett. Included: the “not proven” verdict at his matricide trial, his drug smuggling and his suicide after he was considered to be a suspect in the murders of his wife and mother-in-law.
Recalling the attempted 1996 murder of California resident Sunny Han by men hired by Sunny's identical twin sister, Gina. Gina received a 26-year sentence for the crime.
Examining the 1993 murder of Florida man Bobby Kent. The crime was planned and carried out by seven of Kent's friends, who claimed Kent was a bully. Included are comments from author Jim Schutze and Kent's former girlfriend.
Examining how the 1993 murders of a Maryland boy, his mother and nurse sparked a lawsuit against the publishers of “Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors,” an instruction book used by the killer. The lawsuit has also inspired intense debates about the First Amendment rights of the publisher.
Examining the crimes of convicted murderer Roy Fontaine, and the trail of death he left behind in the late '70s as he posed as a sophisticated butler in households throughout Britain.
Examining the 1988 disappearance and murder of 7-year-old Jaclyn Dowaliby. The case became a cause celebre when her parents, David and Cynthia, became suspects. David was convicted, but the verdict was overturned in 1991 and the case remains unsolved.
The case of John Bodkin Adams (1899-1983), a British physician suspected of killing patients after they wrote wills naming him as their beneficiary. Adams was tried for murder in 1957, but was acquitted for lack of evidence.
The case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a radio journalist and former member of the Black Panthers who was convicted in 1982 of the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner.
Chronicling the hunt for the killer of five college students at the University of Florida in Gainesville. After one suspect was cleared, the police captured Danny Rolling, who was convicted of the August 1990 murders in 1994.
Examining the 1988 murder of a Kentucky woman named Brenda Schaefer. The prime suspect, her fiancé, was tried but acquitted of the crime in 1991, despite the testimony of a former girlfriend who led police to the body.
Recalling the 1990 killings of five students at the University of Florida in Gainesville. All five were murdered within a 48-hour period, and their killer, Danny Rolling, was convicted in 1994.
Recalling the 1993 rape and murder of Teena Brandon, a Nebraska teen who, it was revealed, had been posing as a male named Brandon Teena. Teena's story was told in the 1999 film “Boys Don't Cry.”
The case of Michael Alig, the infamous Manhattan party promoter who in 1997 was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Angel Melendez, one of Alig's “club kids.” The documentary recalls how Alig kept the body in his apartment for a week, then dismembered it and threw it into the Hudson River.
A recap of the 1997 trial of Louise Woodward, the British au pair accused of causing the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Woodward was initially convicted of second-degree murder, but the verdict was later changed to involuntary manslaughter.
A look at the crimes of Patricia Allanson, whose desire to lead an upscale life led to the murders of her husband Tom's parents (a crime for which he was wrongly convicted) and the attempted poisonings of his grandparents.
The case of Cullen Davis, a wealthy Texan acquitted of two murders after an alleged 1976 shooting spree. He was later found innocent on a separate murder-for-hire charge. Included are comments from Davis, his former wife, Priscilla, and his defense attorney, Richard Haynes.
The case of Kathy Bonney, a Virginia woman murdered at the hands of her father, Tom Bonney. Bonney was found guilty in 1988, but his conviction was overturned in 1992 on appeal, pending a competency hearing.
The case of Donald Hume, notorious British double murderer. After serving a sentence for being an accessory in a 1949 killing, Hume committed a murder in Switzerland that earned him a life sentence.
Recalling the case of a Florida man convicted in 1991 of the poisoning death of a neighbor, with whom he'd been feuding. George Trepal, an amateur chemist, had injected the family's soft drinks with a lethal substance.
Recalling the 1992 murder of Sara Tokars, a young mother whose husband, Fred, hired a hit man to kill her, allegedly to prevent her from testifying against him regarding a money-laundering scheme.
“When a Child Kills.” A report on Nathaniel Abraham, who at age 13 became the youngest American to be tried as an adult for first-degree murder, a crime he committed at age 11. Included: an interview with Abraham's mother.
A look at convicted Texas killer Kenneth Allen McDuff, who was sentenced to death for murdering three people, later paroled, then sent back to death row and executed for killing again.
The prosecution of California serial killer Charles Ng is recalled. Ng avoided prosecution through legal loopholes for over a dozen years, but was later convicted of murdering 11 people.
Two cases in which money was the motive for the murders of family members: the DeFeo case in Amityville, N.Y., and the Benson case in Florida.
The case of Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who is serving two consecutive life sentences for the 1975 murder of two FBI agents on the Oglala Lakota Indian reservation in Pine Ridge, S.D.
The case of Dr. Bruce Rowan, who killed his wife in 1998 but was found innocent by reason of insanity.
An examination of a 1935 murder case in Scotland involving Dr. Buck Ruxton, who killed and dismembered his wife and maid and was executed for the crime.
A look at the 1987 case of Lisa Steinberg, a 6-year-old who died as a result of abuse from her adoptive father, Joel Steinberg, who is serving a prison sentence for the crime.
An account of how and why OJ Simpson lost the civil ligation.
An examination of the case of Howard Mechanic, who went into hiding, beginning in the '70s, to avoid a five-year sentence incurred during an anti-Vietnam War protest. He was arrested in 2000 in Arizona, where he was running for Scottsdale City Council.
A report on the case of Darlie Routier, who is on death row for the murder of her two sons in 1996.
Profiling William Joyce, the former deputy leader of the British Union of Fascists, who fled to Germany to work for the Nazis until he was captured in 1945 and hanged.
A look at the “Atlanta Child Murders,” in which 29 blacks, mostly boys, were slain between 1979 and '81. Also: controversy surrounding the conviction of Wayne Williams for the murders.
A profile of Erin Brockovich, whose involvement in the landmark legal battle with the Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation was the basis of the film starring Julia Roberts. Included: interviews with Brockovich, lawyer Ed Masry and plaintiffs in the case.
An investigation into the 1998 death of millionaire Lonnie Binion, who was a member of a Las Vegas gaming family.
Examining the case of Marion Pruett, who went on a killing spree while in the Government witness-protection program. Included: interviews with his victims' relatives.
An examination of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, where the 21-year-old gay student was beaten and tied to a fence, discovered 18 hours later and died five days afterwards. Included: interviews with Shepard's mother; and the prosecuting and defending attorneys in the trial that convicted Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney.
An examination of the case of Peter Reilly, whose 1974 conviction for murdering his mother was later overturned.
An examination of the case of Ronald Cotton, who served 11 years for a 1984 rape conviction until DNA tests proved his innocence.
The unsolved 1943 murder of Sir Harry Oakes. Included: his son-in-law's arrest; and suspected Mafia involvement.
The case of Michael Pardue, who was released from prison after serving 27 years on flawed murder convictions and after three escapes.
A profile of Chevie Kehoe, a white supremacist who engaged in criminal behavior in his quest to form an Aryan People's Republic. Included: the robbery-murder of an Arkansas family in 1996.
Examining the 1984 child-abuse case at the Fells Acres Day School in Malden, Mass., where 10 children were abused.
A chronicle of the rise of major crime syndicates in America.
The case of David Ronald Chandler, who, in 1991, became the first person sentenced to death under the 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, but whose sentence was commuted to life by former President Clinton on his last day in office.
A report on the 1999 killing of 8-year-old witness Leroy Brown Jr. to keep him from testifying in a murder case.
A report on the case of former NFL player Rae Carruth, who was convicted of conspiracy in the 1999 killing of his pregnant girlfriend.
A report on mother and son killers Sante and Kenny Kimes
A chronicle of how the 1995 disappearance of American Atheists leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair, along with her son and granddaughter, was discovered to be a murder.
Examined: the 1998 murder of Tennessee state representative Tommy Burks by political opponent Byron Looper.
The case of Alvin Ridley, who was acquitted in 1999 of charges that he killed his wife in 1997. Host:
The case of Dana Ewell and Joe Radovcich, who were convicted of murdering Ewell's parents and sister in 1992.
Recalling the case of Debra Jean Milke, who's on death-row for arranging the 1989 murder of her 4-year-old son before Christmas.
Recalling the case of a woman who, in 1977, was abducted by Cameron Hooker and kept for 7 years as his sex slave.
The case of Joseph McLaughlin, who was convicted in 1998 of plotting to murder his wife in Boston in 1989
The case of 1940s serial killer William Heirens, known as “The Lipstick Killer,” is recalled.
Recalling the case of cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren, who murdered five members of an Ohio family in 1989.
A report on the controversy surrounding the proposed reopening of the case of Roger Keith Coleman, who was executed in 1992 for the rape-murder of his sister-in-law in 1981.
Recalling the 1997 murder of Sheila Bellush, arranged by her multimillionaire ex-husband. The case is the subject of Ann Rule's book “Every Breath You Take.”
A report on the case of Daniel Colwell, a mentally disabled man who killed a middle-aged couple in 1996 hoping to get the death penalty. Colwell planned to commit suicide, but was unable to commit the act.
Recalling how murder witness Bob Lowe's life changed when he testified and the accused, Harry Aleman, was acquitted.
The case of Tim Boczkowski, who was convicted of the murder of both his first and second wives in 1996 and 1999, respectively.
The case of Rex Allen Krebs, who received the death penalty for the rape and murder of two college students in 1998 and '99. Krebs was released from prison in 1997 after serving 10 years for a prior rape conviction.
The 10th anniversary show explores the role of the jury through recollections of high-profile trials and commentary from jurors who served in them. Included: Jack Kevorkian's trial in 1994; the O.J. Simpson trial (1995); and the 1998 trial of Dana Ewell, who planned the 1992 murder of his family.
Recalling the case of Wesley Shermantine, who was convicted of murdering Cyndi Vanderheiden in 1998. Her body has not been found.
A man is accused by his ex-wife of killing their child.
The case of Margaret Rudin, who was convicted in 2001 of murdering her millionaire husband Ron in 1995.
The case of LaCresha Murray, whose 1996 conviction of infanticide was dismissed in 2001. Murray was 11-years-old at the time of the infant's death.
Recalling the case of Thurman Martin, who was murdered in 1997 by his grandson and his stepfather, who claimed the crime was commited as retribution for years of abuse.
An Ohio teenager turns up in the trunk of her car six days after being reported missing.
Recalling the case of Andrea Yates, the Texas housewife convicted in 2002 of drowning her five children in the bathtub.
Recalling the case of Kathy Bush, who was convicted in 1999 of child abuse and accused of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Included: an interview with Bush.
Recalling the case of Dr. L. Stan Naramore, whose 1996 murder conviction was overturned in 1998.
A murder case involving high-school students and a suspect who refuses to plea bargain.
Recalling the case of killer John Emil List, who murdered his mother, wife and children in 1971, and was captured in 1989.
The life of gangster Al Capone is chronicled.
The case of James Harry Reyos, convicted in 1983 of killing a priest in 1981. Reyos confessed to the crime but later claimed he was innocent.
Recalling the 1999 murder of Gladys Ricart, who was shot by an ex-boyfriend, Agustin Garcia, on her wedding day.
Recalling the 2000 murder of mail-order bride Anastasia Solovieva and the first-degree murder conviction of her husband, Indle Gifford King Jr.
Recalling the 1994 investigation into allegations by Corcoran State Prison guards that fellow officers staged gladiator-style fights between inmates.
A report on the Central Park Jogger case and the overturning of the convictions of the five men initially charged with the crime following a 2002 confession by Matias Reyes that he was the lone rapist.
Recalling the 1999 murder of Bruce Miller as part of a conspiracy between his wife and her lover, who met online.
Recalling the 2001 death of Diane Whipple, who was killed by two dogs outside of her San Francisco apartment. Neighbors Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel, who were caring for the dogs, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The case of Alvin Latham, who was acquitted of charges that he murdered a man who died during a shipwreck.
A case involving a man convicted of murdering a Texas Ranger over 25 years ago. Included: legal aspects of his crime and punishment.
The case of murderer Jamil Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, who was convicted of killing a deputy sheriff in 2000.
A 1994 robbery-murder involving an armored car is recalled.
Recalling the wrongful-conviction case of Terence Garner, who spent more than four years in prison for a robbery and shooting he didn't commit.
The case of serial killer Cary Stayner, who murdered individuals at Yosemite National Park in 1999.
The case of brothers Alex and Derek King who pled to third-degree murder in the death of their father, Terry King.
The case of Kosta Fotopoulos, sentenced to life for the 1989 murders of two teens.
The case of Celeste Beard Johnson, convicted of orchestrating the 1999 murder of her husband, Texas millionaire Steven Beard Jr.
Examining the case of Clarence Elkins, convicted of the 1998 murder of his mother-in-law and rape of his niece. The niece, who testified against her uncle, has since recanted her statement.
A wrongful-conviction case is examined.
The case of Brian Eftenoff, who was convicted in 2001 of murdering his wife in 1999 by forcing her to ingest cocaine.
An examination of the case against Robert Blake, the actor accused of murdering his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, in May 2001. Included: profiles of the victim and the accused. Among those commenting: L.A. Times reporter Jean Guccione; author Dennis McDougal (“Blood Cold”); and the victim's sister, Margerry Bakley.
The case of Clara Harris, a Texas woman who killed her husband in 2002 by running him over with a Mercedes-Benz.
The case of serial killer Keith Jesperson, dubbed “The Happy Face Killer,” who received a life sentence for the murders of eight women.
A death resulting from arson and the case against the suspect are examined.
Recalling the 1999 murder of Girly Chew Hossencofft by her estranged husband, Diazien Hossencofft, and his girlfriend, Linda Henning.
Recalling the case of Stella Nickell, who was convicted in 1988 of murdering her husband and a woman using cyanide-laced Excedrin.
Recalling the 1999 beating death of Pfc. Barry Winchell, a supposedly gay soldier assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The 1995 murders of sisters Martha Parmer Durrett and Lindar Parmer Harrison are recalled.
Recalling the case of pedophile priest John Geoghan, who was killed in 2003 while serving a prison sentence.
The case of a lawyer accused of being involved in a murder.
Recalling the case of Erika and Benjamin Sifrit, convicted of murdering a Virginia couple who were vacationing in Ocean City, Md., in 2002.
Recalling the case of Stacey Lannert, who's serving a life sentence for killing her father while he slept in 1990. Lannert claimed she shot her father as a result of years of sexual abuse.
Recalling the case of Gerald Hand, who was sentenced to death for the 2002 murders of his fourth wife and a longtime friend. Hand is also suspected in the deaths of his first two wives.
The case of Diane Borchardt, serving a life sentence for hiring three teens to kill her estranged husband in 1994.
The case of Dana Ireland, who was murdered in 1991 by three men who were convicted in 2000.
The case of Lionel Tate, a 12-year-old who was tried as an adult for his actions that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old neighbor in 1999 is reviewed.
The case of murderer Lewis Joyner, convicted of the 1995 killing of his wife, Ruby.
The murders of a doctor and his wife are recalled.
Al Capone's takeover of bootlegging and vice operations, his ordering of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, his conviction for tax evasion in 1931 and subsequent imprisonment.
The case of Curtis Thompson, sentenced to death for killing three people in 2002 during a shooting spree, is examined.
The case of Valessa Robinson, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 1998 stabbing death of her mother.
The 1995 murder of former Los Angeles Raiders cheerleader Linda Sobek by photographer Charles Rathbun is recalled.
A report on Susan Smith outlines the South Carolina woman's 1994 murder of her two sons, her fictitious story of a carjacking at gunpoint, and her subsequent confession and trial. Included: interviews with defense and prosecution attorneys, the trial judge, jurors and the victims' grandfather.
An execution-style murder is examined.
The case of Michael Fletcher, sentenced to life in prison in 1999 for the second-degree murder of his pregnant wife, Leann. Included: interviews with Fletcher, his defense attorney and the assistant prosecutor.
The murder of a husband is recalled.
The case of Linda Jones, convicted of the murder-for-hire of her husband in 1995.
The case of Merry Pease, convicted of the 1993 murder of her husband in their mobile home.
The case of Roger Scaggs, a Texas businessman who was convicted in 1998 of murdering his wife.
A chronicle of the Laci Peterson murder case includes comments from two jurors in the trial of Scott Peterson, who was convicted in November 2004 of murdering his pregnant wife.
The murder of a woman by off-duty former sheriff's deputy Joseph Kent McGowen in 1992 is recalled.
Following the efforts of attorney Juliet Yackel that led to death-row inmate Darnell Williams' sentence being commuted to life without parole. Williams was on death row for the 1986 murder of an elderly couple.
Recalling the 1997 murder of Farah Fratta after her husband hired a hitman.
An examination of violence in courtrooms includes a meeting between three Texas judges who were attacked.
The case of Carrie Culberson, who disappeared in 1996. Her boyfriend, Vincent Doan, was convicted of her murder, but the body was never found.
Notorious cases of bad medicine, including a physician and a nurse who were convicted of murdering patients, and a cosmetic surgeon who was, host Bill Kurtis says, “one of the most sued doctors in U.S. history.” Also examined: malpractice-suit cap laws; the Georgia Medical Board's “tough approach to bad medicine.”
The case of Martin Tankleff, convicted of murdering his parents in 1988.
The case of Tom Cummins, who was wrongfully suspected of the rape and murder of his two cousins in 1991. Four men were later convicted of the crime. Cummins is interviewed.
The case of Ted Kimble, who was sentenced to 107 years in prison in 1999 for arranging to have his wife murdered by his brother, Ronnie Lee Kimble. Included: interviews with the siblings.
The case of Daniel Pelosi, convicted in 2004 of the 2001 murder of Theodore Ammon, the rich, estranged husband of his lover. Included: interviews with Pelosi and two jurors from the trial.
A death thought to be a hunting accident that later raised investigators' suspicions is recalled.
Examining the case of author Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of the 2001 murder of his wife, Nortel Networks executive Kathleen Peterson.
The case of George Lewis, convicted for the 1984 rape and murder of Karen Gregory, in Gulfport, Fla. Included: an interview with Lewis.
Examining the professional and personal lives of two women who run an all female law office in West Palm Beach, Fla.
When 19-year-old aspiring artist Sarah Stern goes missing just weeks before Christmas 2016, investigators initially suspect she may have died by suicide or run away from home. Then, in January 2017, one of Sarah’s former high school classmates comes forward with chilling information that leads to an undercover police sting and the shocking arrests of two very familiar faces. Armed with a bombshell, caught-on-tape confession from one of the suspects and the damning testimony of the other, Monmouth County, New Jersey prosecutors face the uphill task of trying to secure a murder conviction without a body for only the second time in the state’s history. Features interviews include Sarah’s father, detectives and prosecutors, along with complete access to archival materials detailing the search and the undercover sting operation.
On July 20, 2015, beloved 60-year-old chiropractor Mary Yoder falls violently ill and is rushed to the hospital. Two days later, she dies, leaving her family and friends in a state of stunned disbelief. When Mary’s autopsy report reveals she didn’t die of natural causes, and police receive a series of suspicious letters, they realize they’ve got a murder on their hands. Their ensuing investigation leads to allegations of an eyebrow-raising affair, a suspicious letter, and a surprise arrest. And while Mary’s accused killer maintains her innocence, it takes two different trials to determine her fate. In-depth insights from the prosecutor detail how an investigation into an unusual death turned into a murder case, and how digital forensic evidence tied the suspect to the crime.
On October 20, 2014, white Chicago PD Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shoots 17-year-old African American Laquan McDonald in an act that he and the Chicago PD called “self-defense.” However, when freelance journalist Jamie Kalven gets word from a source that there is more to the story, his search for the truth uncovers a disturbing cover-up. Through his efforts, as well as the efforts of fellow journalists and activists, officials are finally forced to release the police dash cam footage from that fateful night. Public uproar results in Officer Van Dyke’s arrest on first-degree murder charges, and in the midst of a media circus, the case goes to trial.
On the outside, veterinarian Valerie McDaniel and her boyfriend Leon Jacob look like they have it all. But in February 2014, Houston police receive a tip from a conscientious bail bondsman that a murder-for-hire plot is in the works and a woman’s life may be in danger. What ensues is a high-pressure police sting operation, the performance of an investigator’s career, a staged kidnapping, and a shocking suicide that leads to an explosive trial in which the defendant’s own words come back to haunt him. Features interviews with the bail bondsmen who tipped off police, the cop who went undercover to protect the lives of the intended victims, as well as prosecutors and defense attorneys and actual footage from the undercover sting operation.
When 18-year-old Conrad Roy is found asphyxiated in his pickup truck, his death is quickly ruled a suicide. But as detectives retrace Conrad’s final moments, a trail of texts left behind on his cellphone reveal a toxic teenage romance between him and 17-year-old Michelle Carter, turning the investigation upside down. But in an unprecedented case, in which Michelle stands accused of Conrad’s murder and prosecutors allege that her words were deadly weapons, there is no state law to lean on. Up against 317 pages of damning text messages, the defense must rely on an unusual defense to convince the judge of Michelle’s innocence.
On November 13, 2012, 37-year-old single mother Cari Farver mysteriously vanishes into thin air. In the days and months that follow, Cari’s loved ones receive a string of increasingly strange texts from her, indicating she is alive and well, but apparently hell bent on harassing her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. By the time police piece together the shocking, twisted truth behind her disappearance, one woman is dead, and another woman stands accused of her murder. But with no body, no weapon, and no witness to the crime, prosecutors must try and secure a conviction based on a trail of texts and emails. Features in-depth interview with Dave Kroupa, Cari’s love interest at the time she disappeared and the focus of the perpetrator’s deadly obsession.
In a murder case that makes headlines around the globe, a professional football player stands accused of killing his friend in cold blood.
When a hostile online feud turns deadly, detectives’ hunt for a mysterious CIA operative leading to the discovery of a jaw-dropping and vengeful catfishing scheme.
Model and mother Samira Frasch loved the spotlight, but when her glamorous life ends unexpectedly in her mansion pool, investigators turn their eyes toward the web of heated relationships surrounding her family.
A string of murders targeting prominent law officials leaves a small Texas town gripped in fear and investigators in a race against time to stop the killer before he strikes again.
Prosecutors attempt to persuade a jury to send a man to prison based solely on circumstantial evidence after a woman is found brutally murdered in her workplace with a lack of DNA evidence and a long list of potential suspects.
After a devoted mother and her two children vanish suddenly, investigators work to expose the truth behind why they never came home
When a brutal triple-homicide case with alleged ties to witchcraft heads to trial, questions about religious bias and the real motive-to-kill take centre stage.
When a white off-duty police officer, Amber Guyger, kills an unarmed black man, Botham Jean, in his own home in Dallas, racial tensions and calls for justice rise.
A third victim bravely unveils a killer hiding in plain sight, which finally helps solve two cases involving the murders of abducted women.
When an up-and-coming defense attorney is murdered in her office, her colleagues vow to seek justice and "make this right."
A child murderer brutally kills a young girl in the woods, which leaves small-town detectives scared of what may follow, so they take advantage of a chance encounter and a digital trail to locate and apprehend the killer.
When a local deputy sheriff's pregnant daughter is shot and killed in her bed, the search for answers gets personal as investigators suspect a killer close to home.
After a woman is found stabbed to death in her home, investigators spend eight years trying to locate her killer, and by using an undercover sting operation, they discover a dark world filled with lies, betrayal and terror.
When a 13-year-old girl goes missing and is found murdered, virtual evidence she leaves behind leads to two shocking arrests.
When an Army Sergeant is gunned down at home on New Year's Eve, investigators are at a loss on who would harm the beloved family man, until fellow soldiers in his unit confess shocking secrets to solve his murder.
When an Ohio man emerges from a remote forest with a bullet lodged in his arm having survived a murder attempt, investigators uncover a deadly scheme to lure men with an online job posting only to kill them for financial gain.
A relentless detective leaves no stone unturned until the entire truth behind a young woman's brutal death is exposed and everyone responsible for taking her life is brought to justice.
