Taking the Stand

When 3-year-old Hannah Wesche dies of head trauma, the babysitter who cared for her is indicted for her murder. Lindsay Partin takes the stand to defend her innocence…and to try to explain several suspicious statements she gave to police detectives.

What started out looking like a freak traffic accident soon becomes a suspected murder cover-up. Todd Kendhammer has to take the stand to convince a jury that he would never hurt the love of his life, his wife Barbara.

When a woman shoots her pilot husband and flees to Brazil, she sets off a long battle for her extradition and trial in the States. She’ll go under oath to convince a jury that anyone in her place would have done the same. Claudia Hoerig takes the stand to tell a harrowing-and explosive-story of the end of her troubled marriage.

A beloved college professor is executed in Tallahassee, Florida and the suspects include a mother with two children, a violent gang member and a family of wealthy dentists. The investigation leads to murder charges against a trio from Miami, who allegedly conspired with the victim’s own family, in a hitman for hire scheme. In a risky move, the woman who allegedly connected the killers to the people prosecutors say paid for the murder decides to take the stand in her own defense.

When a son finds his father slumped over dead near a pile of cocaine, he dismembers the body to conceal the crime. James Scandirito, Jr. takes the stand to explain why he thought he had to dismember and bury what he claims was his already deceased father.

George Burch stands accused of the brutal murder of Nicole VanderHeyden, a 31 year old mother of three. He willingly takes the stand to prove he is not guilty and provide the jury with an alternative suspect.

When a university student and athlete is stabbed to death following a minor traffic incident, a 24-year-old fast food worker is indicted on a second-degree murder charge. Luke VanHemert takes the stand to address inconsistencies in his story to police, and to claim his actions were in self-defense.

When railroad mechanic Robert Limon is shot and killed by Jonathan Hearn, an investigation leads to Robert’s widow–and spurs questions about her involvement in the crime. Sabrina Limon takes the stand to contest the account of her former lover, Jonathan Hearn, insisting she had no knowledge of his intent to commit the crime.

Sean Foley stands accused in the shooting death of his girlfriend’s step-father, Jimmy Shelton. After a booze-filled evening, Sean fatally shoots Jimmy on Jimmy’s own back porch. Sean claims that Jimmy was the aggressor that night. Foley has decided to take the stand to convince the jury that he’s innocent, that the shooting was in self-defense and not cold-blooded murder.

Former Houston doctor Leon Jacob is currently serving a life sentence. He was found guilty of plotting, along with his girlfriend, Valerie McDaniel, the murder of his ex-girlfriend and Valerie’s ex-husband. Valerie took her own life after serving some time in prison. Leon Jacob takes the stand to defend his rocky past.

A shootout with police in West Virginia leads to the arrest of a 23-year-old Texas man, who is charged with savagely killing an elderly couple, robbing them and burning down their home. Facing the death penalty, the defendant decides to take the stand and points the finger at the surprising suspect he claims committed the horrific crimes.

Shayna Hubers takes the stand to defend herself after she brutally murdered her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Ryan Poston. She willingly takes the stand to prove her actions were in self-defense, by showing Ryan’s abusive side.

When a parolee is bounced from his job, he seeks retribution on a peaceful, unwitting community when he kidnaps, tortures and kills a mother and caregiver. Scott Nelson takes the stand to give a convoluted explanation on why he blames his parole officer for his seemingly random decision to kidnap, torture and kill a local Florida woman.

When an off-duty Dallas police officer shoots a man in his own apartment, the jury will have to decide if it was murder or a tragic mistake. Amber Guyger takes the stand in her own defense to convince the jury not to lock her away for up to 99 years.

When a young Arizona businessman is found slaughtered in his bathroom, friends point police towards his on-again off-again ex-girlfriend. Facing the death penalty, Jodi Arias takes the stand for an unprecedented 18-days in an attempt to explain how the brutal killing of her ex-boyfriend was self-defense.