ABOVE PHOTO: Attorney Benjamin Crump, center, one of the attorneys for Crutcher’s family, demonstrates that Terence Crutcher’s hands were up as he speaks during a news conference about the shooting death of Crutcher, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016 in Tulsa, Okla. Crutcher, was shot by a Tulsa Police officer on Friday night. Also pictured are attorneys David Riggs, left, Damario Solomon-Simmons and Melvin C. Hall. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)
SILVER SPRING, MD–TV One announced yesterday that production is underway for the new documentary series, “Evidence of Innocence,” hosted by Attorney Benjamin Crump, which will profile the unbelievable true stories of individuals who were convicted of crimes they didn’t commit, the journey each endured to have their cases overturned and the challenge to rebuild their lives. Emmy and NAACP Image award-winning producer Rushion McDonald of 3815 Media is the series executive producer and creator, in partnership with Jupiter Entertainment.
“TV One is excited to partner with Rushion McDonald to spotlight the inspirational stories of wrongly accused people who were fortunate to find justice after being wrongly accused and convicted for crimes they did not commit,” said Tia Smith, Senior Director of Original Programming and Production for TV One. “These stories of redemption after going through horrific circumstances are certain to encourage viewers to face their own personal challenges with renewed resolve.”
McDonald is currently executive producer of “The Steve Harvey Show.” His past credits include producer for “Jamie Foxx,” The Parkers,” “Family Feud,” “Think Like A Man” and “Think Like A Man Too.” “The Evidence of Innocence” series is slated for a 2018 premiere.
The series will be hosted by acclaimed civil rights attorney and president of the National Bar Association, Benjamin Crump, who has dedicated his career to bringing justice to those who are marginalized by the legal system. Crump served as the lead attorney for the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Alesia Thomas, and has been a vanguard in the fight against police brutality.
“Attorney Benjamin Crump is on the front lines of the fight for civil and racial equality in this country,” said TV One President Brad Siegel. “We are honored to work with him to host the show and utilize his personal experiences to provide context drawn from many years of defending the rights of the Black community.”
McDonald said he was inspired to create Evidence of Innocence in response to the national headlines regarding the racial injustice in America’s justice system. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects, the show will tell the story of how the wrongly accused maintained their faith while waiting on the opportunity to prove their innocence.
“As Attorney Crump says, all you have to do is sit in the back of a court room and you’ll see that justice is not equal in this country,” said McDonald. “However, this show is different from any other true crime show. Even though these persons received the blunt end of a bad deal, their stories are inspiring.”
“Evidence of Innocence” is produced for TV One by 3815 Media and Jupiter Entertainment. Rushion McDonald, Todd Moss and Allison Wallach serve as Executive Producers. Executives in Charge of Production are Robert Twilley and Harrison Land. For TV One, Tia Smith is Executive in Charge of Production and Sr. Director of Original Programming and Production; and D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programming and Production.
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