VIDEO: First Look - MTV to Premiere New Original Docu-Series UNLOCKING THE TRUTH
By: Caryn Robbins Jul. 18, 2016
MTV today announced the premiere of UNLOCKING THE TRUTH, an all-new serialized documentary series that will take a powerful, in-depth look into the justice system, premiering on Wednesday, August 17 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. The series will be told through the unique point of view of Ryan Ferguson, an exoneree who spent 10 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit and is resolute in his passion to help other innocent people who may have been wrongfully convicted. "Unlocking the Truth" will follow Ryan and co-investigator Eva Nagao as they examine three high-stakes cases of inmates claiming they are innocent and fighting for their freedom. Check out a first look below!
Ryan Ferguson grew up in Columbia, MO, and lived an ordinary life with his family, but when a 48-year-old newspaper editor was found brutally murdered his life took a drastic turn. At the age of 19, Ryan was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit due to a twisted tale of false confessions and police misconduct. After years of Ryan's family relentlessly fighting to prove his innocence, they were able to get Chicago's famed wrongful conviction attorney, Kathleen Zellner, on his case. After spending ten years in prison, Ryan was released and exonerated on November 12, 2013.
In "Unlocking the Truth," Ferguson, and co-investigator Eva Nagao of the Exoneration Project and an ardent fighter for justice reform, will investigate the cases of three inmates currently incarcerated and claiming they are innocent. The pair will work to find proponents and opponents of the convicted, uncover and examine evidence, and analyze never-before-heard witness insights that may help them on their journey for new findings. Through raw, private scenes inside the lives of Michael Politte, Kalvin Michael Smith and Byron Case, the series will turn the large-scale problem of a flawed justice system - which leads to a striking number of innocent people in prison - into a deeply personal experience and worst nightmare come to life.
"Unlocking the Truth" will examine the following controversial cases:
Michael Politte was 14 years old when he was arrested for the murder of his mother, Rita Politte, who was found dead in her home after being hit with a blunt object and lit on fire. Michael is now serving a life sentence in the same prison where Ryan Ferguson spent 8 years of his life.
Kalvin Michael Smith was 26 years old when he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and robbery for attacking a pregnant woman. He has served 18 years of his 29-year sentence. Kalvin's case has garnered large-scale attention and a "Free Kalvin Smith" movement has started in the city of Winston-Salem, NC.
Byron Case was 19 years old when his friend, Anastasia WitbolsFeugen, was found dead in a Missouri cemetery. Three years later, Byron's ex-girlfriend came forward to police and claimed he was the murderer. Byron was sentenced to life and life without parole for the murder.
"Unlocking the Truth" is produced by MTV and Embassy Row. Michael Davies, Debbie DeMontreux, Adam Kassen, Stacey Altman and Andrew Jenks serve as Executive Producers.
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