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American Justice is an hour-long criminal justice program on the cable channel A&E Network, hosted by Bill Kurtis. The show features interesting or notable cases, such as the Scarsdale Diet doctor murder, the Hillside Stranglers, Selena Murder of a Star, Matthew Shepard, or the Wells Fargo heist, with the stories told by key players, such as police, lawyers, victims, and the perpetrators themselves. As of 2006, more than 250 episodes have been produced, making it the longest running documentary justice show on cable.
[edit] Episodes
| # |
Title |
Episode Summary |
| 2 |
Dahmer: Mystery of the Serial Killer |
The case of Jeffrey Dahmer, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering 15 young boys. |
| 5 |
Vigilante Justice |
A look at people who stepped over the line and became vigilantes, focusing on the Bernard Goetz New York City Subway shootings, and a case of a man who killed his son's alleged molester. |
| 10 |
Mob Rats |
Looks at Joseph Valachi, the first Mafioso to break the code of silence, and Sammy Gravano, who helped convict the Gambino family boss |
| 11 |
Lorena Bobbitt: Women and Violence |
Examines the highly charged issue of battered women. Do they have the right to respond with violence, and under what circumstances? Will the acquittal of Lorena Bobbitt lead to an "open season" on men? And why are women increasingly involved in drug and gang activity? |
| 14 |
Cops on Trial |
Examines how police are treated as defendants and the types of sentences they face; and reveals research results that show that police and the general public are held to different standards of justice. |
| 18 |
Attack at Waco |
The story of the tragic assault on the Branch Davidian compound in Texas and the subsequent efforts to determine the facts and assign blame |
| 20 |
Gang Busters |
Looks at: the "Secret 6", a group of powerful Chicago businessmen who aided in bringing down Al Capone; drug trade in a Boston housing development; and gang violence in the Midwest |
| # |
Title |
Episode Summary |
| 21 |
Prostitution: Sex and the Law |
From the street-corner hooker to the high-class Hollywood call girl, this episode examines how the sellers of sex are brought to justice. |
| 24 |
Riot: The Chicago Conspiracy Trial |
Examination of the turbulent events behind the 1968 anti-war riots in Chicago which led to the "Conspiracy to Commit Riot" trials of the famed Chicago Seven. |
| 25 |
Divorce Wars |
Examines how divorce has changed from the days when women were considered the legal "property" of their husbands to today's high-stakes divorce contests, typified by the battle between Donald and Ivana Trump. |
| 26 |
Godfathers vs. The Law |
Profiles of top gangsters and the lawmen who have risked their lives to defeat the underworld. (2-hour version) |
| 28 |
Kidnapped |
A look at tee cases of biathlete Kari Swenson in Montana and Exxon executive Sidney Reso in New Jersey, and examines just how effective law enforcement authorities are in investigating and negotiating tense kidnap situations. |
| 31 |
Defending the Mob |
A look at the career of Frank Ragano, attorney to Florida mob boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. and corrupt Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa. |
| 32 |
Witness Protection |
Interviews with several gangsters, who reveal what their lives are like after getting plastic surgery, new identities, legitimate jobs, and moving into new neighborhoods. |
| 33 |
Bad Medicine |
Includes a nurse suspected of killing babies in her hospital's pediatric intensive care unit; a doctor charged with nine counts of second degree murder; and the owner of the "Personal Best" plastic surgery centers who was accused of allowing his chauffeur to perform medical duties and was hit with 212 malpractice suits. |
| # |
Title |
Episode Summary |
| 41 |
Mob Ladies |
Features Virginia Hill, who helped Bugsy Siegel build Las Vegas, Arlyne Brickman, who trafficked in heroin even while working as an FBI informer, and "Mafia Princess" Antoinette Giancana, who professes great love for her father, mob boss Sam Giancana. |
| 43 |
Hired Guns |
Includes the case of a corrupt businessman who had his partner murdered and a millionaire who arranged to have his wife killed to avoid splitting his fortune with her in divorce proceedings. |
| 44 |
Cruel and Unusual |
Includes: Henry Young, who was kept in the "Dark Hole" of Alcatraz; Tommy Ortiz, who was beaten by prison guards wearing lead-filled gloves; and John Evans, whose body was charred in the electric chair. |
| 47 |
Deadly Force |
Features the police bombing of the MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, which killed 11, and the shootings of Randy Weaver's wife and son at Ruby Ridge. |
| 48 |
The Quiz Show Scandal and Other Frauds |
Program examines the game-show scam involving distinguished professor Charles van Doren. |
| 49 |
Cop Killers |
Includes the murder of Texas State Trooper Bill Davidson by Ronald Ray Howard, who claimed gangster rap music encouraged him to shoot the officer, and the execution of rookie cop Eddie Bryne by members of a drug gang, while he sat in his patrol car guarding the home of a drug witness in Queens, New York. |
| 50 |
The Chicago Mob |
Includes segments on Al "Scarface" Capone, Anthony Accardo|Anthony "Joe Batters" Accardo]], and Sam "Mooney" Giancana. |
| 52 |
Vegas & The Mob |
Features an interview with Frank Rosenthal, a former casino manager who was the basis of Robert De Niro's character in the movie "Casino". (2 hours) |
| 58 |
The Long Island Railroad Massacre |
A look at the mass murder committed by Colin Ferguson on board a New York commuter train in December 1993. Includes Ferguson's bizarre attempts to defend himself at his trial. |
| 59 |
John Wayne Gacy: Buried Secrets |
The bizarre case of the successful businessman and volunteer parade clown who murdered 33 men after luring them to his home in suburban Chicago. |
| 60 |
Crime of Passion: The Pamela Smart Story |
Explores the dark side of passion by examining the case of Pamela Smart who seduced her lover, a 15-year-old, into killing her husband. |
| # |
Title |
Episode Summary |
| 61 |
The Menendez Murders |
Examines the spectacular trials of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers accused of murdering their wealthy parents. |
| 63 |
Mob Hit Men |
A look at hitmen and the terror they wrought on the streets of Philadelphia. |
| 64 |
To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives |
A look at the men and women who gaze into the depths of evil to solve the mystery of humanity's most heinous crime -- murder. |
| 66 |
Death Row Women |
Inside America's prisons for a rare look at mothers and grandmothers awaiting execution on death row |
| 67 |
Free to Kill: The Polly Klaas Murder |
The focus of this episode are the repeat offenders who, like Richard Allen Davis, american justice has failed to rehabilitate. We also examine attempts to protect future victims with new laws and aggressive policing |
| 71 |
The Amy Fisher Story |
The case of Amy Fisher, the 17-year-old who was willing to kill to get the man she wanted. |
| 73 |
Night Stalker |
A look back at the yearlong killing spree of Richard Ramirez in Los Angeles, his capture, and trial. |
| 74 |
Presumed Guilty |
A look at the shocking case of Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez, who were sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a young girl, Jeanine Nicarico--a crime they did not commit. |
| 76 |
Myth of a Serial Killer: The Henry Lee Lucas Story |
A probe into the strange case of the one-eyed Henry Lee Lucas, sentenced to death in Texas. Were his confessions hoaxes designed to fool police? |
| 77 |
The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Mobster |
The stories of the most notorious Jewish gangsters in America, including "Dopey Benny" Fein, Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, Dutch Schultz, Meyer Lansky, and Bugsy Siegel |
| 78 |
Crime Family |
Profile of infamous mob boss Vito Genovese and how he built the most ruthless and powerful crime family in the nation. |
[edit] 81-100
| # |
Title |
Episode Summary |
| 81 |
The Scarsdale Diet Doctor Murder |
School headmistress Jean Harris was accused of murdering her lover, "Scarsdale Diet" author Dr. Herman Tarnower |
| 82 |
The Susan Smith Story: A Mother's Confession |
A look back at the shocking story of how Susan Smith drowned her two sons and then tried to fool the nation into believing that an African-American man had committed the crime |
| 83 |
The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot |
Probes the bizarre case of Wanda Holloway, who would stop at nothing--including murder--to get her daughter on the cheerleading squad. |
| 84 |
Von Bülow: A Wealth of Evidence |
An examination of snooty, aristocratic Claus von Bulow and if he attempted to murder his wife. |
| 85 |
Murder "In Cold Blood" |
Chronicles the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Kansas, and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of their two killers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. |
| 87 |
The Donnie Brasco Story |
The true story of Joe Pistone, the FBI agent who risked his life to infiltrate a ruthless New York Mafia family and gather evidence against crime bosses |
| 88 |
The Preppie Murder |
A probe of the death of young Jennifer Levin, who was killed in New York City's Central Park by Robert Chambers, a handsome prep-school graduate |
| 89 |
The Hillside Stranglers |
An examination of the infamous case of serial killers Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi, who murdered 10 young women and girls in Los Angeles in 1977 and 1978 |
| 90 |
The Pizza Connection |
Story of how the FBI busted one of the largest drug rings ever. The exploding case led investigators from New York's sidewalk pizzerias to Zurich's financial districts and the highest levels of the Italian government |
| 91 |
The John Lennon Assassination |
A look at the twisted mind of Mark David Chapman, the deranged Beatles fan who grew up worshipping John Lennon, then stalked and murdered him in December 1980. |
| 92 |
Spree Killers |
A look at the crimes and capture of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, teenage lovers who murdered 10 people in the 1950s. |
| 95 |
Framed |
The shocking story of Clarence Brandley, an innocent man who was convicted of murder and spent seven years on death row before being cleared. |
| 96 |
False Witness |
The strange case of Gary Dotson, who wasn't released from prison even when the woman who accused him of rape admitted that she'd been lying. |
| 97 |
Marriage & Murder |
An examination of three cases where husbands and wives have murdered their spouses. Features Charlene Brundidge, who killed her husband, then later won clemency because she was an abused wife. |
| 99 |
Hunting Bambi: The Laurie Bembenek Story |
The case of beautiful ex-cop Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek, who escaped after spending nine years in prison for the murder of her husband's ex-wife. |
| 100 |
Dead Woman Walking: The Karla Faye Tucker Story |
Recalls the controversial life and death of the first woman executed in Texas since 1863. |
[edit] 101-120
- 101 The Green Beret Murder Mystery
- 102 The Sam Sheppard Story
- 103 Selena: Murder Of A Star
- 104 Fall From Grace
- 105 The Heidi Fleiss Story
- 106 Death Row Prostitute: Aileen Wuornos
- 107 The Sinatra Kidnapping
- 108 The Larry Flynt Story: Hustling The First Amendment
- 109 A Teenage Murder Mystery
- 112 A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story
- 115 A Murder in Greenwich: The Martha Moxley Case
- 116 Justice Denied: The Hurricane Carter Story
- 117 Till Death Do Us Part
- 118 Body of Evidence: The Tom Capano Trial
- 119 The Perfect Murder: The Shannon Mohr Story
- 120 Drowning In Lies: The Trial Of Edward Post
[edit] 121-140
- 121 Payback for a Bully
- 122 “It’s Not My Fault.”: Strange Defenses
- 123 Lethal Injection: The Hospital Murders
- 124 The Jonesboro Schoolyard Ambush
- 125 Sister against Sister: The Twin Murder Plot
- 126 Rape in Connecticut: The Alex Kelly Story
- 127 Duty, Honor...and Murder
- 129 A Parent’s Nightmare
- 131 Death Row Radical: Mumia Abu-Jamal
- 132 Dancing, Drugs, & Murder
- 133 Blueprint for Murder
- 134 The Killer Within
- 135 The Trial Of Louise Woodward
- 136 Getting Away With Murder
- 137 Deadly Magnolia
- 139 Kill Thy Neighbor: George Trepal
- 140 The Life and Death of Teena Brandon
[edit] 141-160
- 141 Oil, Money and Murder
- 142 Free To Murder Again
- 143 The Wife Who Knew too Much
- 144 When a Child Kills
- 145 The California Killing Field
- 146 Murder on a Reservation
- 147 Dangerous Medicine?
- 148 A Son's Confession
- 150 Family Secret: The Death of Lisa Steinberg
- 151 Hiding In Plain Sight: Tales Of A Fugitive
- 152 A Mother On Death Row
- 153 The Erin Brockovich Story
- 154 The Boy Who Saw Too Much
- 155 The Atlanta Child Murders
- 156 Who Wants to Kill a Millionaire
- 157 Shotgun Justice
- 158 Shattered Innocence: The Fells Acres Abuse Case
- 159 Raised On Hate
- 160 The Matthew Shepard Story
[edit] 161-180
- 161 Lying Eyes
- 162 Conspiracy to Kill: The Rae Carruth Story
- 163 Eliminating The Competition
- 164 Marijuana And Murder
- 165 Like Mother, Like Son: Sante and Kenny Kimes
- 166 The Girl In The Box
- 167 The Disappearance Of Madalyn Murray O'Hair
- 168 A Mother's Story Of Murder
- 169 Murder In A Small Town
- 170 Millions Of Reasons To Kill
- 171 Driven To Kill
- 175 The Cult Murders
- 176 Brutal Revenge
- 177 An Execution in Doubt
- 178 Suicide By Execution
- 179 The Witness and the Hitman
- 180 While the Children Slept
[edit] 181-200
- 181 The Monster Inside
- 182 Vanished
- 183 Crib Death?
- 184 The Black Widow Of Vegas
- 185 In The Hands Of A Child
- 186 Who Killed Hannah Hill?
- 187 Justifiable Homicide?
- 188 A Questionable Doctor
- 189 A Mother's Betrayal
- 190 The Andrea Yates Story
- 191 A Murder before Homecoming
- 192 Shots in the Dark
- 193 Shamed into Confession
- 194 Mistaken Identity
- 195 Mail Order Murder
- 196 The Corcoran Eight
- 197 To Save Their Souls
- 198 What the Girl Saw
- 199 Murder Online
- 200 Mystery at Sea
[edit] 201-220
- 202 The San Francisco Dog Mauling
- 203 The Central Park Jogger Case: What Went Wrong?
- 204 The Wells Fargo Heist
- 205 Blood Brothers: The Derek and Alex King Case
- 206 The Yosemite Killer
- 207 Don't Mess with Texas
- 208 Another Man's Crime
- 209 Murder by Mercedes
- 210 For Love or Money
- 211 A Deadly Dose
- 212 Playing With Fire
- 213 The Happy Face Killer
- 214 Murder on the Boardwalk
- 215 The Case of Robert Blake
- 216 Traces in Blood
- 217 The Excedrin Killings
- 218 A Soldier's Secret
- 219 Daughter Dearest
- 220 Blood Relations
[edit] 221-240
- 221 Thrill Killers
- 222 Sins of a Priest: The John Geoghan Story
- 223 The Black Widower
- 224 Under Suspicion: The Case of Catherine Shelton
- 225 Stacey's Story
- 226 Murder in Paradise
- 227 Child's Play, Deadly Play
- 228 Murder & Mrs. B
- 229 The Wrath of Mrs. Jones
- 230 The Doctor's Wife
- 231 A Model Murder
- 232 Double Life, Double Murder
- 233 The Bully of Toulon
- 234 Love Triangle
- 235 Serial Wife
- 236 Who Whacked Zack?
- 237 Accused in Appalachia
- 238 The Brit and the Bodybuilder
- 239 Lies of a Friend
- 240 A Warrant to Kill
[edit] 241-260
- 241 Palm Beach Law
- 242 The Deer Hunting Murder
- 243 The Perfect Wife
- 244 What Happened to Carrie Culberson?
- 245 A Confession in Question
- 246 The Scott Peterson Trial
- 247 Murder in the Court
- 248 Countdown to an Execution
- 249 Blood on the Staircase
- 251 The Bridge Murders
- 252 Hamptons Murder Mystery
- 254 The Brothers Kimble
[edit] Specials
- Murder in a College Town
- Special Why O.J. Simpson Won
- Special The Rosenbergs
- Special Who Killed the Candy Heiress?: The Helen Brach Story
- 1600 Why O.J. Simpson Lost:: The Civil Trial
- 58930 Death in a Small Town
- Special Who Is the Lipstick Killer
- 65535 Vigilante Dad
