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/DiscoveryID. Investigation 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.
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