‘Accused: Guilty Or Innocent?’: A&E Delivering Up-Close Look At Lives Of Those Accused Of Brutal Crimes (2024)

Jake Kanter

·5 min read

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The show opens with a News Channel 11 news report from Hawkins County, Tennessee. “Bryan Lawson is charged with first-degree murder and reckless engagement in the death of his wife, Beth ‘Chandra’ Lawson,” the anchor explains. “Police say a home surveillance system recorded Lawson shooting his wife. Investigators also said that video showed the pair in an argument before the shooting. The couple’s small child was standing beside Chandra Lawson when she was shot.” We then cut to the office of Lawson’s attorney Larry Boyd, where the pair are gaming out their defense. What follows is ringside seats to Lawson’s torturous six-month route to trial, in which we meet his family, go inside the courtroom and — shockingly — see the CCTV footage referred to in that News Channel 11 report.

Welcome to Accused: Guilty Or Innocent?, the new documentary series from A&E, which producers claim is one of the first shows on U.S. television to follow individuals accused of a serious crime from the point they are charged, to the denouement of their case in a court of law. The series premieres on April 21 at 10PM EST/PST and is made by British production company Brinkworth Films, which originally launched the show as The Accused for ViacomCBS’s UK network Channel 5 in 2017.

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Executive producer Malcolm Brinkworth says A+E Networks got in touch asking for the Channel 5 show tapes. Soon after, his company was developing a fully-fledged, eight-part American series. Brinkworth Films invested time and money into compiling a “remarkably big database” of U.S. defense lawyers, through which it was able to identify and track down cases that might make strong stories for the show.

Brinkworth ended up shadowing 35 cases, many of which did not work out for a variety of reasons including the case collapsing. Those that did work out, however, make for a compelling list of human interest stories. Wife-killer Lawson opens the season, but later episodes feature a 23-year-old woman who is arrested for a decade-old malicious robbery after new fingerprint evidence surfaces, and a two-part special on a farmer accused of murdering his mother.

Getting these people to engage when they are going through one of the most traumatic events of their life requires an enormous amount of the work, Brinkworth explains. “Imagine this is you and you had been accused of something that you passionately believe that you are innocent of. Local press has been running stories on you, some of it may have even gone national. Your neighbors don’t talk to you, you probably don’t have a job because you’ve been sacked. Your family and friends are asking, did you really do this? Then you get a phone call from your lawyer saying: ‘Hey, a television program has been in touch.’ That’s the context around which you have to frame the question,” he says.

“The trust that’s involved is huge. You are going to be with them as they go through this entire experience. Some people think about it and don’t think they can do it, some people say ‘yes’ but we or the network might say ‘no.’ But it is an extraordinary thing to agree to. It’s something we take incredibly seriously.”

‘Accused: Guilty Or Innocent?’: A&E Delivering Up-Close Look At Lives Of Those Accused Of Brutal Crimes (1)

Lawson’s episode sets the tone for the series. There is no narrator, no fast-cut editing, no sensationalizing of the story. Instead, Lawson, his lawyer and his family do the talking, taking you inside the mind of a man who gunned down his wife in his own living room. And what you find, beyond that News Channel 11 report, is a complex man who had a complicated relationship with an abusive woman and her children. You discover the effort involved in obtaining evidence that is crucial to his defense and the contortions and soul searching he must go through when offered a plea bargain. Along the way, you see first-hand the security footage that vividly captures the moments that led to his crime — and perhaps most surprisingly of all, the shooting itself. It’s a moment no TV crime drama can prepare you for.

“It’s incredibly powerful,” Brinkworth says. “As you would expect, we took a great deal of advice on it from our own counsel and A+E to determine how best we should use it or not. Also bear in mind the family sensitivities, the individual and his lawyer. It has huge ramifications for all involved. If there is a key piece of evidence, which is integral to the case and pivotal in the defense, then it seems absolutely appropriate for us to look at that — properly in that context and in that light — and in Bryan’s case, that CCTV footage was critical to any understanding of what happened that day and the defense he was able to make.”

It all adds up to what Brinkworth says is one of the most extraordinary shows he has been involved with. “If you look at cop dramas, or factual, it’s always the police or the prosecution. Where we think this is different is when you’re accused of a serious crime, your whole life is on the line. The consequences of being found guilt polarize everything around you,” he says. “Each case has got huge stakes for the individual, each case has got huge stakes for the lawyers, the defense, the prosecution. And you are there every step of the way in a way no-one’s ever done before.”

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‘Accused: Guilty Or Innocent?’: A&E Delivering Up-Close Look At Lives Of Those Accused Of Brutal Crimes (2024)

FAQs

Is accused guilty or innocent real? ›

The acclaimed true crime series offers an extraordinary account of what happens when someone is formally charged with a crime and sent to trial—all solely from the perspective of the accused, their legal team and family members.

Where can I watch season 5 of Accused, Guilty or Innocent? ›

Watch Accused: Guilty or Innocent? Season 5 Online | A&E.

Is there going to be a season 2 of Accused, Guilty or Innocent? ›

Will there be a season 2 of Accused? Yes, Accused has been renewed for a second season by Fox in March 2023. You can stream season 1 on Hulu while you wait for it to air.

Where can I watch accused, guilty, or innocent season 3? ›

Currently you are able to watch "Accused: Guilty or Innocent? - Season 3" streaming on Hulu, A&E Crime Central Apple TV Channel or for free with ads on A&E. It is also possible to buy "Accused: Guilty or Innocent? - Season 3" as download on Amazon Video, Apple TV.

Can you be found guilty after being found innocent? ›

Both acquittal and a not-guilty verdict mean the prosecution could not prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. However, once you are acquitted or declared not guilty, your "Double Jeopardy" Fifth Amendment protections kick in, and you cannot be tried again for the same crime.

What happened to Ramon on accused guilty or innocent? ›

In the end, Ramon Nieves accepted the Prosecution's plea bargain offer to serve 2.5 years in jail to avoid the possibility of a 15-year sentence if he went to trial and the jury voted him guilty.

Was Woody Six guilty or innocent? ›

Six was found guilty of reckless homicide and resisting arrest, and received the minimum sentence of one year in prison.

Is accused on Hulu or Netflix? ›

Watch Accused Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)

Is Accused: Guilty or Innocent on Hulu? ›

Watch Accused: Guilty or Innocent? Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)

What happened to Angel from Guilty or Innocent? ›

Angel's attorneys kept working on her case, and had Angel take lie detector examinations which bolstered her claim of innocence. With that information, the new Hamilton County District Attorney General, Coty Wamp, dismissed the murder case against Angel Bumpass.

Is accused coming back in 2024? ›

Fox is looking for new crime stories for the 2023-24 season. The network has renewed the Accused series for a second year. The first season of 15 episodes is currently airing on Tuesday nights.

Did accused get canceled? ›

In November 2022, it was announced Accused would air as part of Fox's midseason schedule on January 22, 2023. In March 2023, Fox renewed the series for a second season. The second season is scheduled to premiere in October 8, 2024.

Where can I watch accused season 5? ›

Watch Accused: Guilty or Innocent? — Season 5 with a subscription on Hulu, or buy it on Prime Video, Apple TV.

Where can I watch season 4 of Accused? ›

Watch Accused: Guilty or Innocent? — Season 4 with a subscription on Hulu, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What is the Netflix show guilty or innocent? ›

Series Info

Synopsis "Accused: Guilty or Innocent?" is an intimate account of what happens when someone is formally charged with a crime and sent to trial as told by the perspective of the accused, their legal team and their family members.

Is a person really innocent until proven guilty? ›

Presumption of Innocence; Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. It is a cardinal principle of our system of justice that every person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent unless and until his or her guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt. The presumption is not a mere formality.

How accurate is the accused? ›

The Accused is a 1988 American legal drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan and written by Tom Topor, loosely based on the 1983 gang rape of Cheryl Araujo in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Who decide whether an accused person was guilty or innocent? ›

Jury makes a decision

They include a legal definition of the crime. The jurors meet in private and discuss the case and vote guilty or not guilty. This is called deliberations. To reach a final decision (a verdict), the jury must all agree that a person is guilty or not guilty of each charge.

Is accused a reality show? ›

Accused is an American crime drama television series developed by Howard Gordon that is based on the 2010 British series of the same name, created by Jimmy McGovern. The series premiered on Fox on January 22, 2023. In March 2023, the series was renewed for a second season is set to premiere on October 8, 2024.

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