Season 5

Season 5

1996-01-17
34 Episodes

Overview

A look at groundbreaking criminal cases, presenting viewers with an inside look at the case through the eyes of those directly involved, ranging from law enforcement officers to the victims.

Episodes

Cop Killers

1. Cop Killers

1996-01-17

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Notorious recent cases provide the focus for an examination of cop killings and what can be done to protect those in uniform.

The Chicago Mob

2. The Chicago Mob

1996-02-07

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Chicago crime bosses; Al Capone; Anthony "Joe Batters" Accardo; Sam Giancana; Gus Alex.

The Sam Sheppard Story

3. The Sam Sheppard Story

1996-02-15

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Dr. Sam Sheppard is convicted of murder in 1954 and retried in the '60s.

Murder in the Family

4. Murder in the Family

1996-03-06

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The cases of the Freeman brothers and Jeffrey Howarth highlight an examination of murder in the family.

Vegas and the Mob

5. Vegas and the Mob

1996-04-10

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How Bugsy Siegel and others built a glittering gambling mecca from barren desert; includes an interview with former casino manager Frank Rosenthal.

Long Island Railroad Massacre

6. Long Island Railroad Massacre

1996-04-24

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In 1993 Colin Ferguson methodically shoots passengers aboard a Long Island Railroad commuter

Bounty Hunters

7. Bounty Hunters

1996-05-11

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Bail bondsmen hire bounty hunters to capture fugitives.

The Pamela Smart Story

8. The Pamela Smart Story

1996-05-25

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Schoolteacher Pamela Smart enlists a student to kill her husband.

John Wayne Gacy: Buried Secrets

9. John Wayne Gacy: Buried Secrets

1996-06-05

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John Wayne Gacy's lawyers discuss the man, the crimes and the case now that his execution has lifted the constraints of their attorney-client privilege.

When Cops Kill

10. When Cops Kill

1996-06-19

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Technology creates police weapons designed to stun rather than kill.

Hot Pursuit

11. Hot Pursuit

1996-07-17

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Strict departmental policies govern high-speed police chases.

Great Crimes & Trials: John Christie of Rillington Place

12. Great Crimes & Trials: John Christie of Rillington Place

1996-07-28

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In the 1950s, England reels over the case of serial killer John Christie.

Denis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer

13. Denis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer

1996-08-18

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A British serial killer lures young men to his apartment and dismembers them.

Mob Hit Men

14. Mob Hit Men

1996-08-21

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Interviews with Nicholas "The Crow" Caramandi, former hit men and other experts highlight an examination of the mob hit man. Host: Bill Kurtis.

Bamber Family Murders

15. Bamber Family Murders

1996-08-25

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Recalling the Bamber family murder case, considered by some to be almost the perfect crime.

Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker

16. Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker

1996-09-01

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Richard Ramirez rapes, mutilates and tortures more than 25 California victims.

The Menendez Murders

17. The Menendez Murders

1996-09-04

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Three juries consider the murder cases against Erik and Lyle Menendez.

Hammersmith Murders: Jack the Stripper

18. Hammersmith Murders: Jack the Stripper

1996-09-22

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The murders of six prostitutes end with a man's suicide.

I Confess

19. I Confess

1996-09-25

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Confessions play a part in three unique criminal cases; coercion; admissibility.

James Hanratty: A6 Murder

20. James Hanratty: A6 Murder

1996-09-29

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After James Hanratty is hanged for a murder, a man confesses to the crime.

To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives

21. To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives

1996-10-02

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Profiling the lives of men and women who choose to work as homicide detectives.

Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa

22. Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa

1996-10-06

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The twisted career and mysterious disappearance of the union boss.

Caryl Chessman

23. Caryl Chessman

1996-10-13

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Clever criminal who spent the last 12 years of his crusading against execution.

The McKay Kidnapping

24. The McKay Kidnapping

1996-10-20

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The cruel story of mistaken identity in the Muriel McKay kidnapping case.

Black Panther

25. Black Panther

1996-10-20

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A woman is kidnapped and murdered after inheriting a fortune.

Free to Kill: The Polly Klaas Murder

26. Free to Kill: The Polly Klaas Murder

1996-10-23

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The case of Polly Klaas highlights an examination of repeat offenders who are set loose upon society.

Kennedy Assassination

27. Kennedy Assassination

1996-11-17

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Theories abound concerning President Kennedy's death.

Massacre of the Tsar

28. Massacre of the Tsar

1996-11-17

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The controversial story of the 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family

Death Row Women

29. Death Row Women

1996-11-20

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How society ultimately copes with the prospect of executing a woman.

Neville Heath: The Lady Killer

30. Neville Heath: The Lady Killer

1996-11-24

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Englishman Neville Heath was hanged for murder.

The Defenders

31. The Defenders

1996-12-04

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The United States is the only country to provide free legal counsel for poor defendants.

Rise of the Mafia

32. Rise of the Mafia

1996-12-08

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An examination of the Gambino crime family and its bloody 30-year war with the other gangland families of New York.

The Great Midwest Gangs

101. The Great Midwest Gangs

1996-02-10

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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.

The Kidnappers

102. The Kidnappers

1996-03-09

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For bigger payoffs, criminals turn from bank robbery to kidnapping.