Tue, Jan 4, 2000
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.
Wed, Feb 2, 2000
On September 10th, 1988 7 year old Jaclyn Dowaliby is abducted from her parents home in Midlothian, Illinois sometime during the night. Four days later her body was found, and based on the results of a poor police investigation her parents David and Cynthia are charged with her murder. Cynthia was acquitted of the crime, but David was convicted only to have his conviction overturned several years later. American Justice looks at this tragic case that remains unsolved as of May 2015.
Tue, Mar 14, 2000
American Justice examines the 1988 murder of Brenda Sue Schaefer by her boyfriend Mel Ignatow in Louisville, KY. Ignatow was acquitted of her murder despite a damning testimony from a former girlfriend. He was later sentenced to prison for perjury in the case and admitted in court that he had in fact killed Schaefer. Despite this revelation he could not be retired for murder because it would have been Double Jeopardy.
Wed, Apr 19, 2000
The 1997 trial of 19 year old British au pair Louise Woodward is the focus of American Justice. Woodward was accused of a form of child abuse known as "shaken baby syndrome" in the death of 8 month old Matthew Eappen in Boston. Initially convicted of second-degree murder, that verdict was later set aside in favor of involuntary manslaughter and she was released with time served.
Wed, May 10, 2000
American Justice examines the case of Patricia Allanson. In 1974 Allanson goaded her husband into killing his parents. Then after he was sentenced to prison she set her sights on his grandparents by poisoning them, all in an effort to gain a half million dollar inheritance. After serving a short prison term she returned to her evil scheming ways by stealing and poisoning an elderly couple that she was caring for, but this time she enlisted the help of her daughter.
Tue, May 23, 2000
American Justice takes an objective look at one of the most famous murder cases in Texas history. Cullen Davis, who was an heir to his father's massive Texas oil fortune and at one time was worth an estimated half a billion dollars, was charged with the shooting death of his 12 year old step-daughter and his wife's lover on August 2nd, 1976. On the same evening he also allegedly shot his wife and a family friend, they didn't die from their wounds and implicated Davis as the shooter. Davis was acquitted of the murders and the case became the subject of several books, television shows, and a made for television movie.
Top-rated
Tue, Jun 20, 2000
On October 15th, 1988 Peggy Carr of Alturas, FL dies of Thallium poisoning. Tests show that her two sons also showed signs of Thallium poisoning. Immediately detectives suspect Peggy's husband Pye Carr of the horrible crime. But soon investigators start to shift their focus on to George Trepal, a neighbor with a genius level IQ and a self taught chemist. American Justice looks at the events leading to the murder conviction of George Trepal.
Wed, Jul 5, 2000
On November 29th, 1992 Sara Tokars is shot to death in front of her two young children by a man who had accosted them at their home in Marietta, GA. After her death her husband Fred Tokars, who was a defense attorney, started to exhibit strange behavior which led investigators to take a closer look at his possible involvement. American Justice takes a close look at the case that led to investigators accusing Fred Tokars of murder for hire, and then his subsequent conviction of the murder of his wife.
Top-rated
Tue, Sep 19, 2000
In the early to mid 1980's Leonard Lake and Charles Ng are believed to have raped, tortured, and murdered over a dozen women at Lake's remote cabin in Calaveras County, California. Investigators found a torture chamber, videotapes of Lake and Ng torturing a couple of victims, and over 40 pounds of charred bones at the cabin. Lake committed suicide before he could be charged for the crimes. Charles Ng, a native of Hong Kong and former U.S Marine, eluded prosecution for 13 years, but is now serving his sentence on death row. American Justice looks at the heinous nature of the crimes committed by Lake and Ng and how Ng was able to avoid prosecution for so long.