American Justice
Season 5
1996 • 34 Episodes
A look at groundbreaking criminal cases, presenting viewers with an inside look at the case through the eyes of those directly involved, ranging from law enforcement officers to the victims.
Episodes
1. Cop Killers
January 17, 1996
Notorious recent cases provide the focus for an examination of cop killings and what can be done to protect those in uniform.
2. The Chicago Mob
February 7, 1996
Chicago crime bosses; Al Capone; Anthony "Joe Batters" Accardo; Sam Giancana; Gus Alex.
3. The Sam Sheppard Story
February 15, 1996
Dr. Sam Sheppard is convicted of murder in 1954 and retried in the '60s.
4. Murder in the Family
March 6, 1996
The cases of the Freeman brothers and Jeffrey Howarth highlight an examination of murder in the family.
5. Vegas and the Mob
April 10, 1996
How Bugsy Siegel and others built a glittering gambling mecca from barren desert; includes an interview with former casino manager Frank Rosenthal.
6. Long Island Railroad Massacre
April 24, 1996
In 1993 Colin Ferguson methodically shoots passengers aboard a Long Island Railroad commuter
7. Bounty Hunters
May 11, 1996
Bail bondsmen hire bounty hunters to capture fugitives.
8. The Pamela Smart Story
May 25, 1996
Schoolteacher Pamela Smart enlists a student to kill her husband.
9. John Wayne Gacy: Buried Secrets
June 5, 1996
John Wayne Gacy's lawyers discuss the man, the crimes and the case now that his execution has lifted the constraints of their attorney-client privilege.
10. When Cops Kill
June 19, 1996
Technology creates police weapons designed to stun rather than kill.
11. Hot Pursuit
July 17, 1996
Strict departmental policies govern high-speed police chases.
12. Great Crimes & Trials: John Christie of Rillington Place
July 28, 1996
In the 1950s, England reels over the case of serial killer John Christie.
13. Denis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer
August 18, 1996
A British serial killer lures young men to his apartment and dismembers them.
14. Mob Hit Men
August 21, 1996
Interviews with Nicholas "The Crow" Caramandi, former hit men and other experts highlight an examination of the mob hit man. Host: Bill Kurtis.
15. Bamber Family Murders
August 25, 1996
Recalling the Bamber family murder case, considered by some to be almost the perfect crime.
16. Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker
September 1, 1996
Richard Ramirez rapes, mutilates and tortures more than 25 California victims.
17. The Menendez Murders
September 4, 1996
Three juries consider the murder cases against Erik and Lyle Menendez.
18. Hammersmith Murders: Jack the Stripper
September 22, 1996
The murders of six prostitutes end with a man's suicide.
19. I Confess
September 25, 1996
Confessions play a part in three unique criminal cases; coercion; admissibility.
20. James Hanratty: A6 Murder
September 29, 1996
After James Hanratty is hanged for a murder, a man confesses to the crime.
21. To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives
October 2, 1996
Profiling the lives of men and women who choose to work as homicide detectives.
22. Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
October 6, 1996
The twisted career and mysterious disappearance of the union boss.
23. Caryl Chessman
October 13, 1996
Clever criminal who spent the last 12 years of his crusading against execution.
24. The McKay Kidnapping
October 20, 1996
The cruel story of mistaken identity in the Muriel McKay kidnapping case.
25. Black Panther
October 20, 1996
A woman is kidnapped and murdered after inheriting a fortune.
26. Free to Kill: The Polly Klaas Murder
October 23, 1996
The case of Polly Klaas highlights an examination of repeat offenders who are set loose upon society.
27. Kennedy Assassination
November 17, 1996
Theories abound concerning President Kennedy's death.
28. Massacre of the Tsar
November 17, 1996
The controversial story of the 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family
29. Death Row Women
November 20, 1996
How society ultimately copes with the prospect of executing a woman.
30. Neville Heath: The Lady Killer
November 24, 1996
Englishman Neville Heath was hanged for murder.
31. The Defenders
December 4, 1996
The United States is the only country to provide free legal counsel for poor defendants.
32. Rise of the Mafia
December 8, 1996
An examination of the Gambino crime family and its bloody 30-year war with the other gangland families of New York.
101. The Great Midwest Gangs
February 10, 1996
In the Depression-torn dust bowl of the 1930s, a new kind of desperado is born. Pretty Boy Floyd, John Dillinger, and Bonnie & Clyde become as well-known and admired as movie stars.
102. The Kidnappers
March 9, 1996
For bigger payoffs, criminals turn from bank robbery to kidnapping.