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Truth

Episode 3 of 4

Capital punishment seen through the eyes of young people whose lives have been shaped by it. Two teenagers give different accounts of the murder with which they are charged.

Life and Death Row tells the story of capital punishment through the eyes of young people whose lives have been shaped by it. With unprecedented access inside prison walls, it discovers what it's like to live with the threat of the death chamber, as well as hearing from victims and their families, and the family of those on death row - some praying for execution, some hoping for a reprieve. Each episode focuses on different aspects of the system - execution, punishment and the complex nature of 'truth'.

In January 2014, Waynesville, Ohio, 18-year-old Justin Back is brutally murdered in his own home. Two of his 19-year-old friends, Austin Myers and Timothy Mosley, are arrested and charged with his murder. However both give very different versions of events, begging the question, who is telling the truth?

With prosecutors seeking the death penalty for the crime, what will each one do to save themselves from the ultimate punishment? With access to the families of all three boys, the devastating nature of this gruesome crime and it's repercussions are revealed. It's one crime but will there be two different outcomes?

10 months left to watch

59 minutes

Audio described

Clips

Louis Theroux: Docs That Made Me

Louis Theroux: Docs That Made Me

This documentary is part of Louis Theroux's Favourite Documentaries.

Louis describes the Life and Death Row strand as 'compelling and powerful' but the episode 'Truth' particularly stood out because of the age of the young men and the apparently senseless murder they committed. The viewer is asked to try and understand the perpetrators and their relatives - how they process their acts and adjust to their current situation.

There's a personal connection for Louis Theroux as he worked with this episode's director Ellena Wood on his 2017 documentary about anorexia in London, Talking to Anorexia.

In 2015, Life and Death Row won the RTS Television Award for Best Documentary Series.

Credits

Role Contributor
Producer Ellena Wood
Director Ellena Wood
Executive Producer Aysha Rafaele
Executive Producer Fergus O'Brien

Broadcasts

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