Showing posts with label Reasonable Doubt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reasonable Doubt. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Investigation Discovery Examines Questionable Courtroom Convictions in Season Three of "Reasonable Doubt"

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY EXAMINES QUESTIONABLE COURTROOM CONVICTIONS IN SEASON THREE OF REASONABLE DOUBT

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(Silver Spring, Md.)— As claims of innocence ring in prison cells across America, families of prisoners can be tormented by the questionable guilt of their loved ones. Driven by a desire to get to the truth, retired homicide detective Chris Anderson and criminal defense attorney Fatima Silva team up once again for a third season of REASONABLE DOUBT to help families who are convinced that their loved ones were wrongfully convicted of murder. With their parallel expertise of the law, Chris Anderson and Fatima Silva know that the system doesn’t always get it right. Each episode of REASONABLE DOUBT begins with the loved ones of the convicted presenting evidence of their innocence. Anderson and Silva then set out on the intense process of re-examining a murder case, poring over evidence, interviewing witnesses and consulting experts previously overlooked by police or barred by the court. Each episode culminates with the gut-wrenching reveal to the family that either brings hope for an appeal, or clarity to accept the guilty verdict. With 10 powerful episodes examining whether justice was served, season three of REASONABLE DOUBT returns to Investigation Discovery on Tuesday, March 3 at 10/9c.
“I believe in the integrity of the judicial system, and I believe it should work for everyone,” said co-host Chris Anderson. “I have zero sympathy for those who seek to victimize the innocent, nor those who rip away at the fibers of true justice, which is why the work that we do on REASONABLE DOUBT is so important.”

When Kathy Middleton died from a gunshot in her own home, police had three options: it was an accident, suicide, or her husband, Ken, killed her. After a bizarre alibi where Ken claims he was polishing a gun and passed out only to awaken to find his wife dead with a gunshot wound, the police decide on option three. Ken is now serving life in prison, but his son and grandson are convinced that he was wrongfully convicted. In the season three premiere of REASONABLE DOUBT, airing on March 3 at 10/9c, Chris and Fatima set out to investigate their leads to see if they can offer hope to Ken’s family that he will ever walk through their door as a free man.   
Other cases investigated this season include: the case of Celeste Beard, who didn’t pull the trigger on her husband, but who is locked up for life for being the mastermind behind it all; Michael Crump, a small-time drug dealer whose family insists isn’t capable of the murder for which he was put away; hero or cold-blooded murderer Claude Garrett,  who claims he was trying to rescue his girlfriend from a fire, but a jury convicted him of setting it with a motive for murder; Tracy Lee Fortson, whose family claims she was framed for the murder of her boyfriend who was shot, stabbed, and encased in 800 pounds of cement; Mike Johnson who was convicted of killing his ex and her unborn baby with a pipe bomb when she opened a package at her door; and more.

ABOUT CHRIS ANDERSON
Detective Sergeant Chris Anderson is a retired homicide detective for the City of Birmingham Police Dept., where during his 21-year tenure, he spent 17 years as an investigator. He has investigated more than 300 Homicide cases in one of America’s most dangerous metropolitan cities. Chris also spent several years as a fugitive unit supervisor, where he and his team were responsible for hunting down and apprehending only the most violent fugitives. He is currently working with the District Attorney’s Office as a cold case investigator, and also heads up Birmingham’s Conviction Integrity Unit. Chris grew up in Birmingham and credits his mother, also a retired Birmingham Police Sergeant, for his deep passion for police work and the compassion to pursue justice.

ABOUT FATIMA SILVA
Fatima Silva is a criminal defense attorney practicing in the Bay Area of California. Her practice areas include criminal defense and personal injury. Ms. Silva earned her B.S. in Political Science from St. Mary’s College of California and her Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law in New York, where she represented indigent clients. Ms. Silva is a Bay Area native and lives in San Francisco with her husband and son. In her spare time, she coaches a high school mock trial team.

REASONABLE DOUBT is produced for Investigation Discovery by Painless Productions and RPR Media. Jim Casey and Rob Rosen are executive producers for Painless and RPR respectively. For Investigation Discovery, Eugenie Vink is executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Kevin Bennett is general manager and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel, and Destination America.

About Investigation Discovery


Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

Monday, May 21, 2018

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY FINDS REASONABLE DOUBT

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY FINDS REASONABLE DOUBT

--New Season of Hit Series on Questionable Courtroom Convictions Returns--
(Silver Spring, Md.)— In a justice system that’s not always so just, families can be tormented by the question of guilt or innocence of their convicted loved ones. REASONABLE DOUBT returns with all-new episodes profiling the gut-wrenching process of re-exploring murder cases where the perpetrators convicted of the crime maintain their innocence. In the second season, retired homicide detective Chris Anderson teams with his new partner, criminal defense attorney Fatima Silva, to pore through evidence, interview witnesses and consult experts previously overlooked by police or barred by the court. At the end of each episode, the determined investigators evaluate their findings and either offer the convicted’s family hope for an appeal, or clarity to accept the guilty verdict. With 10 powerful episodes examining whether justice was served, season two of REASONABLE DOUBT returns to Investigation Discovery on Wednesday, June 13 at 10/9c. 

“In our judicial system, ‘justice denied for one is truly justice denied for all’,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America. “REASONABLE DOUBT is a series that will, hopefully, provide peace and closure to some families, or hope and resources for others.” 

2011 was the year 19-year old KC Grondin got his first girlfriend. It’s also the year he was charged with her murder. In the premiere episode airing on Wednesday, June 13 at 10/9c, Chris and Fatima reopen the case to see if KC’s family is right to believe that his conviction was a grave injustice, or if the prosecution got it right and KC was an angry teenager driven to kill for lust and money. Other cases profiled this season include: a down and out twenty-something accused of murdering her parents for money; a newlywed found guilty of drowning his wife in their bathtub; a rapper who was convicted of killing a fan in a crowded nightclub; a pest control worker who was convicted of brutally murdering a 71-year-old socialite; a serial cheater who was found guilty of killing his wife in a seedy motel room; and more. 

ABOUT CHRIS ANDERSON
Detective Sergeant Chris Anderson is a retired homicide detective for the City of Birmingham Police Dept., where during his 21-year tenure, he spent 17 years as an investigator. He has investigated more than 300 Homicide cases in one of America’s most dangerous metropolitan cities. Chris also spent several years as a fugitive unit supervisor, where he and his team were responsible for hunting down and apprehending only the most violent fugitives. Chris grew up in Birmingham and credits his mother, also a retired Birmingham Police Sergeant, for his deep passion for police work and the compassion to pursue justice.

ABOUT FATIMA SILVA
Fatima Silva is an attorney practicing criminal defense, immigration and personal injury in the Bay Area of California. Previously, she worked for a civil litigation firm in San Francisco. Fatima has represented clients on both the plaintiff and defense side. Fatima earned her B.S. in Political Science from St. Mary’s College of California and her Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law in New York, where she represented indigent clients. Fatima is a Bay Area native and lives in San Francisco with her new husband. In her spare time, Fatima sings in a cover band and coaches a high school mock trial team. 

REASONABLE DOUBT is produced for Investigation Discovery by Painless Productions and RPR Media. Jim Casey and Rob Rosen are executive producers for Painless and RPR respectively. For Investigation Discovery, Eugenie Vink is senior executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel, and Destination America. 

About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading crime and justice network on television, delivering the highest-quality programming to approximately 85 million U.S. households. From harrowing crimes to in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries behind these “real people, real stories”, the always revealing network challenges our understanding of culture, society and the human condition. The #1 network for women in all of cable, ID’s programming is available in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD), as well as anytime and anywhere through the network’s TV Everywhere offering, IDGo. For exclusive web content and bonus material, fans can follow ID on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or check out the network’s true crime blog, CrimeFeed.

Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Available in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. For additional information about ID, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com

Thursday, April 13, 2017

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY PROVIDES REASONABLE DOUBT IN NEW SERIES THAT QUESTIONS MAJOR COURTROOM CONVICTIONS

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY PROVIDES REASONABLE DOUBT IN NEW SERIES THAT QUESTIONS MAJOR COURTROOM CONVICTIONS

(Silver Spring, Md.)—With news stories of overturned convictions and mistrials, and relentless pleas of innocence from inside prisons, a single question haunts every convict’s family: did they really do it? The search for answers is the central focus of ID’s newest series, REASONABLE DOUBT, profiling the gut-wrenching process of reopening a closed case to evaluate findings and either offer the convicted’s family hope for an appeal, or confirm the dark truth that their loved one really is guilty of the most unforgivable crime. To uncover the potentially life-changing truth, two determined investigators approach these controversial cases from two distinctly different perspectives. Chris Anderson, a retired homicide detective, uses his years of hard-hitting investigative experience to track down witnesses, examine crime scenes and confront the convicted one-on-one, while Melissa Lewkowicz, a no-nonsense defense attorney, scours every detail of the trial and questions anyone who testified – or should have. The two dive headfirst into cases full of mind-bending facts, often uncovering shocking evidence previously overlooked by police – or barred by the court – to help discover if justice was served to the victim and their families. With 10 intense episodes trying to confirm if these are true convictions, REASONABLE DOUBT premieres on Wednesday, April 26 at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.

“In a justice system that’s perhaps not always so just, families can be tormented by the question of guilt or innocence of their loved ones,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President, Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America. “In REASONABLE DOUBT, Chris Anderson and Melissa Lewkowitz bring their unique approach and expertise to each case in examining whether a person convicted of murder was truly guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt.”

In every episode of REASONABLE DOUBT, new witnesses, pieces of evidence, and other clues come forward to pose the case of guilt or innocence of a convicted murderer. Each surprising new development for or against the perpetrator’s guilt multiplies the suspense as viewers grow closer to the ultimate verdict. In the premiere episode, up-and-coming hip-hop artist McKinley “Mac” Phipps was on the fast track to fame when a young fan named Barron Victor Jr. was shot and killed at one of his concerts in 2000. Mac was convicted of the murder but his parents believe he's the victim of old fashioned southern justice. They turn to Chris and Melissa to reopen the investigation to see if they should continue to fight for their son’s innocence or accept the jury’s verdict once and for all.

ABOUT CHRIS ANDERSON
Detective Sergeant Chris Anderson is a retired homicide detective for the City of Birmingham Police Dept., where during his 21-year tenure, he spent 17 years as an investigator. He has investigated more than 300 Homicide cases in one of America’s most dangerous metropolitan cities. Chris also spent several years as a fugitive unit supervisor, where he and his team were responsible for hunting down and apprehending only the most violent fugitives. Chris grew up in Birmingham and credits his mother, also a retired Birmingham Police Sergeant, for his deep passion for police work and the compassion to pursue justice.

ABOUT MELISSA LEWKOWICZ
With over a decade of experience in criminal law, Los Angeles-based attorney Melissa Lewkowicz currently serves as a Partner at the Law Offices of Chester & Lewkowicz. Specializing in Criminal Defense, she works zealously to defend clients who have been accused of misdemeanor and felony offenses, ranging from DUI’s to homicide. Melissa is also a board member of Face Forward and has volunteered assisting victims of Domestic Violence with the Domestic Violence Project, and is admitted to practice law in California, New York, and New Jersey. In 2017, “Super Lawyers” called Melissa Lewkowicz a “Rising Star” as one of their “Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorneys in Los Angeles.”

REASONABLE DOUBT is produced for Investigation Discovery by Painless. For Painless, Painless Productions and RPR Media. Jim Casey and Rob Rosen are executive producers for Painless and RPR respectively. For Investigation Discovery, Eugenie Vink is senior executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel, and Destination America.

About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television. From harrowing crimes and salacious scandals to the in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries behind these “real people, real stories,” the always revealing network challenges our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. One of our nation’s fastest growing cable networks, ID delivers the highest-quality programming to approximately 85 million U.S. households and is available in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD). For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryIDInvestigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.