Kids Behind Bars: Life or Parole - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
Aaron
On January 31, 2011, 14-year-old Aaron shot his neighbor, 14-year-old Alana, in her home in Harlem, Georgia. Aaron was sentenced to life without parole at 15, but now 21-year-old Aaron is appealing his sentence.
Curtis
On April 10, 1995 in Aurora, Colorado, 15-year-old Curtis was one of four teens involved in the death of Christopher as they attempted to steal his car. Curtis was sentenced to life in prison without parole. After 23 years in jail, Curtis has been granted a resentencing and could soon be released.
Preston
On March 4, 2010, 17-year-old Preston was one of three teens involved in the murder of Christopher during an attempted robbery in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Along with the other teens, Preston was sentenced to life without parole. Now at the age of 25, he has been granted a resentencing hearing.
Bobby
On March 7, 1992, 15-year-old Bobby shot girlfriend Krissi's mother and father as they slept in their home in Frisco, Texas. Roz was killed, but her husband Buz survived. Bobby was sentenced to life despite claims he was manipulated into committing the murder. He now hopes to appeal his sentence.
Brandon
On August 21, 2001, a group of teens, including 15-year-old Brandon, kidnapped and raped Melissa, a 21-year-old college student in Youngstown, Ohio. Brandon was tried as an adult and sentenced to 141 years in prison without parole. Seventeen years later the Ohio Supreme Court agreed that Brandon's sentence is the equivalent of life without parole and therefore unconstitutional. He has been granted the opportunity for a new sentence.
James
On November 24, 1990, 15-year-old James killed his stepmother and three young brothers with a shotgun, and then set their rural Wyoming home on fire. It was a crime the small town of Thermopolis would never forget. Twenty-seven years later, James' legal team is arguing that his original sentence is unconstitutional and that he should be resentenced.
Otis
On March 31, 1998 in Albany, Georgia, 16-year-old Otis broke into Valerie's home and allegedly tried to rob her. During the attempt, Valerie and her 16-year-old daughter, Valene, were shot. Valerie died weeks later and although her daughter Valene miraculously survived, she was left disfigured. Otis was sentenced to life without parole. Otis has been granted a re-sentencing hearing, and hopes he can someday be released.
Ronald
On February 2, 1999, 17-year-old Ronald and two other teens sought to retaliate against Cordell for an alleged sexual assault ultimately burning him alive in the woods of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Ronald, with the aid of his 16-year-old girlfriend Kristel, brutally tortured and murdered Cordell, and both were sentenced to life without parole. Ronald is now 36 years old, and has been granted a resentencing hearing.
Special
In this special episode, we learn the final rulings for convicted murderers Otis Daniels, Ronald Bell, and Kristel Maestas. Otis' attorney works to strike a deal to make him eligible for parole. Kristel has a resentencing hearing for her role in the 1999 murder of Cordell, while his family testifies against her. Kristel's co-defendant, Ronald, learns his fate.
Recently Updated Shows
Snapped
Who are these women and what drives them to kill? Oxygen's hit true crime series, Snapped, profiles fascinating cases of women accused of murder. Did they really do it? And if they did, why? Whether the motivation is revenge against a cheating husband, the promise of a hefty insurance payoff, or putting an end to years of abuse, the reasons are as varied as the women themselves. From socialites to secretaries, female killers share one thing in common: at some point, they all snapped. Each episode of Snapped chronicles the life of a woman who has been charged with murder. These shocking but true stories turn common assumptions about crime and criminals upside down, and prove that even the most unlikely suspects can be capable of murder.
Buried in the Backyard
Buried in the Backyard examines true-crime stories of victims found buried in the most unsuspecting of places. While most people enjoy their backyard as a safe haven, others are not so lucky when they discover the horrors lurking beneath well-trimmed hedges and manicured fences. Uncovering the remains is only the beginning, however, as each hour-long episode follows a unique police investigation to identify the body, determine a cause of death and find the person responsible. Captivating recreations, along with first-hand accounts from those closest to the victims and law enforcement agents involved in the case, bring each shocking tale to life. As investigators dig into the "how" and "why" surrounding each crime, viewers are taken on an unpredictable journey and reminded that this could happen to anyone - in any home, in any neighborhood.
Signs of a Psychopath
For every sadistic psychopath...there were signs. Charm. Narcissism. Lack of empathy. Impulsiveness. Manipulation. Deception. These traits and others are the telltale Signs of a Psychopath. This harrowing half-hour archive series revisits some of the most brutal killers in modern history, reviewing news footage and the words of the killers themselves to see which terrifying traits each killer exhibited. What are the signs...of evil?
The Twelve
Twelve citizens are called for jury duty on a high-profile murder trial as traumatizing as it is controversial, in which a woman stands accused of killing her sister's child.
As time goes by, the murder trial becomes a trial, not only for the accused, but for the jury members themselves.
Behind the façade of their anonymity, these twelve ordinary people bring with them their own histories. Lives that are as complex as the trial, full of fractured dreams, shameful secrets, hope, fears, personal trauma and prejudice.