Trial by Media
In this true crime docuseries, some of the most dramatic trials of all time are examined with an emphasis on how the media may have impacted verdicts.
- Metascore69
- 2020-2020
- 1 season
- Netflix
- Documentary, Suspense
- TV-MA
In this true crime docuseries, some of the most dramatic trials of all time are examined with an emphasis on how the media may have impacted verdicts.
Season 1 Episode Guide
6 Episodes 2020
Episode 1
Talk Show Murder
Mon, May 11, 2020 63 mins
Trial by Media looks at the murder of Scott Amedure who was shot and killed by Jonathan Schmitz after the two of them appeared on Jenny Jones (1991) and Amedure confessed to a secret crush on Schmitz. It examines the murder and the trial of Schmitz. It also looks at the high profile civil case against the show's producers brought by the Amedure family. Although the family won the initial trial which was broadcast on Court TV, they lost on the appeal.
Episode 2
Subway Vigilante
Mon, May 11, 2020 61 mins
Trial by Media looks at the notorious case of the subway vigilante who gunned down four young men who were harassing him on the New York City subway. It looks at the initial crime and the effort to locate the shooter. It looks at Bernhard Goetz and his victims. It looks at the trials of Goetz and the public reaction to the arrest.
Episode 3
41 Shots
Mon, May 11, 2020 64 mins
Trial by Media looks at the shooting death of Amadou Diallo a 23-year-old immigrant from Guinea who was shot and killed by four New York City Police plain clothes officers who mistook him for a rape suspect. The police combined for 41 shots at him, 19 of which struck Diallo killing him. It examines coverage of the story that characterized Diallo as a street-peddler and the city's policing strategy that led to the shooting. It also examines the sensational televised trial of the police officers.
Episode 4
King Richard
Mon, May 11, 2020 64 mins
Trial by Media looks at the case of HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy who was charged with multiple instances of fraud and money laundering. The conspicuously wealthy Scrushy hires an unconventional defense attorney and rigorously defends himself to the press and public. He reaches out to the African American Christian community in search of allies. Later, he becomes host of a religious talk show. His lawyers mount a patriotic defense and he wins.
Episode 5
Big Dan's
Mon, May 11, 2020 58 mins
Trial by Media goes to New Bedford, Massachusetts, to examine the 1983 gang rape of Cheryl Araujo who was assaulted on a pool table by four men at Big Dan's Tavern. The trial was televised on CNN revealing the woman's identity and allowing the world to see a brutal blaming the victim cross-examination.
Episode 6
Blago!
Mon, May 11, 2020 57 mins
Trial By Media looks at the case of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who was indicted of corruption after he attempted to solicit bribes to occupy the U.S. Senate seat vacated by then president-elect Barack Obama. It looks at his life before politics and his career in Chicago. It looks at the scandal that took him down and the media circus around it.
