Frontline Season 9 Episode 24 Innocence Lost

Innocence Lost is the 24th episode of the 9th season of the investigative documentary series Frontline. The episode focuses on the stories of several young individuals who were wrongfully convicted of serious crimes and spent years in prison for crimes they did not commit.

The episode begins by introducing us to the criminal justice system in the United States and how it is often stacked against those who are marginalized and unable to defend themselves adequately. The show argues that, despite the presumption of innocence, many innocent people are convicted of crimes they did not commit because of flaws in the criminal justice system.

We then meet several individuals who were wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for years. These individuals explain their stories and the circumstances that led to their conviction. The show highlights how some of them were coerced into confessing to crimes they did not commit; others were wrongly identified by witnesses or were victims of police misconduct and prosecutorial misconduct.

We hear the stories of Brian Banks, a high school football player who was falsely accused of rape by a classmate and lost his scholarship and his chance to play in the NFL; Gene Bibbins, who was coerced into falsely confessing to a robbery and was sentenced to 27 years in prison; and Juan Rivera, who was wrongly identified as the perpetrator of a brutal murder and spent 20 years behind bars. The show portrays how these individuals and their families have suffered immeasurably as a result of their wrongful convictions, and how they have struggled to rebuild their lives after being released from prison.

The episode also explores the topic of exonerations and how, in some cases, innocent people have been released from prison years or decades after their wrongful conviction. We hear from lawyers and activists who work to overturn wrongful convictions and help exonerate the wrongly convicted. The show highlights some of the difficulties that exonerated individuals face after their release, such as finding a job, accessing social services, and dealing with the trauma of incarceration.

Throughout the episode, we hear from experts, including lawyers, academics, and psychologists, who provide insights into why wrongful convictions occur and how the criminal justice system can be improved. The show argues that there are systemic issues with the criminal justice system that make it more likely for innocent people to be convicted, such as racial bias, inadequate legal representation, and prosecutorial misconduct. The show highlights some potential solutions, such as increasing transparency within the prosecutor's office, reforming the rules around eyewitness identifications, and improving access to DNA testing.

Innocence Lost is a moving and powerful episode of Frontline that sheds light on the devastating consequences of wrongful convictions. The show urges viewers to consider how the criminal justice system can be improved to reduce the likelihood of wrongful convictions and ensure that justice is served for all. The episode provides an important reminder that no one is immune to the flaws of the criminal justice system and that it is up to all of us to work towards a fairer and more just world.