Season 5
34 episodes · 1996
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.
- 1
Cop Killers
Notorious recent cases provide the focus for an examination of cop killings and what can be done to protect those in uniform.
- 2
The Chicago Mob
Chicago crime bosses; Al Capone; Anthony "Joe Batters" Accardo; Sam Giancana; Gus Alex.
- 3
The Sam Sheppard Story
Dr. Sam Sheppard is convicted of murder in 1954 and retried in the '60s.
- 4
Murder in the Family
The cases of the Freeman brothers and Jeffrey Howarth highlight an examination of murder in the family.
- 5
Vegas and the Mob
How Bugsy Siegel and others built a glittering gambling mecca from barren desert; includes an interview with former casino manager Frank Rosenthal.
- 6
Long Island Railroad Massacre
In 1993 Colin Ferguson methodically shoots passengers aboard a Long Island Railroad commuter
- 7
Bounty Hunters
Bail bondsmen hire bounty hunters to capture fugitives.
- 8
The Pamela Smart Story
Schoolteacher Pamela Smart enlists a student to kill her husband.
- 9
John Wayne Gacy: Buried Secrets
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.
- 10
When Cops Kill
Technology creates police weapons designed to stun rather than kill.
- 11
Hot Pursuit
Strict departmental policies govern high-speed police chases.
- 12
Great Crimes & Trials: John Christie of Rillington Place
In the 1950s, England reels over the case of serial killer John Christie.
- 13
Denis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer
A British serial killer lures young men to his apartment and dismembers them.
- 14
Mob Hit Men
Interviews with Nicholas "The Crow" Caramandi, former hit men and other experts highlight an examination of the mob hit man. Host: Bill Kurtis.
- 15
Bamber Family Murders
Recalling the Bamber family murder case, considered by some to be almost the perfect crime.
- 16
Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker
Richard Ramirez rapes, mutilates and tortures more than 25 California victims.
- 17
The Menendez Murders
Three juries consider the murder cases against Erik and Lyle Menendez.
- 18
Hammersmith Murders: Jack the Stripper
The murders of six prostitutes end with a man's suicide.
- 19
I Confess
Confessions play a part in three unique criminal cases; coercion; admissibility.
- 20
James Hanratty: A6 Murder
After James Hanratty is hanged for a murder, a man confesses to the crime.
- 21
To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives
Profiling the lives of men and women who choose to work as homicide detectives.
- 22
Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
The twisted career and mysterious disappearance of the union boss.
- 23
Caryl Chessman
Clever criminal who spent the last 12 years of his crusading against execution.
- 24
The McKay Kidnapping
The cruel story of mistaken identity in the Muriel McKay kidnapping case.
- 25
Black Panther
A woman is kidnapped and murdered after inheriting a fortune.
- 26
Free to Kill: The Polly Klaas Murder
The case of Polly Klaas highlights an examination of repeat offenders who are set loose upon society.
- 27
Kennedy Assassination
Theories abound concerning President Kennedy's death.
- 28
Massacre of the Tsar
The controversial story of the 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family
- 29
Death Row Women
How society ultimately copes with the prospect of executing a woman.
- 30
Neville Heath: The Lady Killer
Englishman Neville Heath was hanged for murder.
- 31
The Defenders
The United States is the only country to provide free legal counsel for poor defendants.
- 32
Rise of the Mafia
An examination of the Gambino crime family and its bloody 30-year war with the other gangland families of New York.
- 101
The Great Midwest Gangs
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.
- 102
The Kidnappers
For bigger payoffs, criminals turn from bank robbery to kidnapping.