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See the trials that captivated the world and made history! Join your favorite Court TV hosts, Vinnie Politan, Julie Grant, Michael Ayala, Ted Rowlands and Ashley Willcott, and witness all the dramatic moments streaming on Court TV Legendary Trials.
Judgment With Ashleigh Banfield
S1, EP45 "Michigan v. Kevorkian"Dr. Jack Kevorkian thought it was an act of mercy to help over 130 terminally ill patients die a peaceful, pain-free death; Michigan prosecutors said it was murder and spent years trying to get a jury to agree with them.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP23 "Detectives At Work"For the first time cellphone data made its way to the jury. On the stand was a digital forensics examiner who extracted Jade Janks phone at the time prosecutors alleged she killed Tom Merriman. A detective in the district attorney's office took the stand. He was involved in the interviewing one of three men Janks allegeldy tried to get to help her kill her stepfather, who lived next door to her.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP24 "Following The Deadly Clues"In her murder trial, Jade Janks's lead attorney had questions for the detective who conducted interviews during the murder investigation of Tom Merriman. Detective Scott Stallman interviewed one of the guys Janks allegedly recruited to help her kill her stepfather. Next, the lead detective, Matthew Gibson, testified to his work in this case. This would be the state's final witness to jurors in their case-in-chief.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP25 "The Work Of The Lead Detective"The prescription medication that Tom Merriman was taking was on display for jurors. On the stand was lead detective, Matthew Gibson. His team collected numerous items in Merriman's home during their search warrant conducted after he died. Jurors were then shown crime scene photos and cellphone data revealing incriminating text messages.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP26 "Revealing Texts"Jurors were presented text messages of Jade Janks in the hours leading up to Tom Merriman's death. Prosecutors were using these texts as circumstantial evidence proving that she plotted the murder of her stepdad. These incriminating text messages dominated the courtroom Elmo. The State was using her communication with people she tried to hire as Hitman to take out her ailing stepfather.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP27 "The Alleged Fixer"What began as inquiries in Facebook messages led to incriminating texts. The state alleged that Jade Janks reached out to a so-called fixer to help kill her stepdad, Tom Merriman, and make it look like he died of an overdose. Finally, the state of California rested their case against her after stipulating to the jury that both the prosecution and defense teams tried to locate Jade Janks fixer in this murder plot.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP28 "Defense Begins Their Case"The first witness for Jade Janks defense was a medical toxicologist. Emergency room physician Dr. Charles O'Connell reviewed both the autopsy and toxicology reports of Tom Merriman. Here's where the jury learned more about his poor health and the different kinds of medications he was on at the time he died. As a medical toxicologist Dr. Connell explained to the jury on why Merriman shouldn't have been on the drugs.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP29 "Defendant Takes The Stand"Medical toxicologist, Dr. Charles O'Connell gave a summary on Tom Merriman's poor health in the lead up to his death. It included an enlarged liver, congestive heart failure and underlying lung problems. This was in conjuction to his alleged alcohol and prescription drug abuse. Next up, Jade Janks took the stand in her own murder trial. It was her attempt to clear herself from the first-degree murder in the death of her stepfather.
Judgment With Ashleigh Banfield
S1, EP24 "California v. Powell"For the four LAPD cops who beat Rodney King with batons, it may have been business as usual; but then the world learned that it had been captured on video, and those 81 seconds changed everything.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP17 "Autopsy Photos"The how and why Tom Merriman died was brought up for jurors. On the stand was the Dr. Greg Pizarro who performed his autopsy to find the cause and manner of his death. Autopsy photos that were too graphic for television cameras were presented to jurors. They listened to the Dr. Pizarro describing in detail the injuries Merriman sustained at the time of his death. Prosecutors argued that Merriman's overdose was not his own doing claiming that instead that he was drugged.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP18 "Two Forensic Pathologists Testify"The cause of death in this case was a drug overdose but the manner of death was homicide. According to deputy medical examiner, Dr. Greg Pizarro was on the stand breaking down the conclusions he made in his autopsy report. Prosecutors then brought in another forensic pathologist to testify. This time it was about the explanation of a strangulation. Dr. Steven Campman testified: Fatal strangulation can be caused and not leave an injury that we can see.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP19 "Claims Of Strangulation"Prosecutors brought in two different medical examiners to help explain to the jury how Tom Merriman lost his life. The first doctor claimed he overdosed on a drug. The second doctor said he was strangled. Prosecutors claimed that Merriman died of a drug overdose and strangulation. Under cross examination, her defense pushed back claiming there was no physical or medical evidence of him being strangled.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP20 "Possibility Of Death By Asphyxiation"The defense kept reminding jurors that there was no evidence of Tom Merriman dying of asphyxiation. Jade Janks was accused of killing him after she found nude photos of herself on his computer. Back on the stand was the medical examiner who concluded that the manner of death was homicide. The cross examination began Dr. Greg Pizarro. He already told the jury that even though Merriman died of a drug overdose, it is still possible he could have been strangled to death.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP21 "No Proof Of Suffocation"Under cross-examination Dr. Greg Pizarro answered questions about exactly how Tom Merriman died - a drug overdose but by homicide. However, this deputy medical examiner concluded that there is no proof of strangulation nor suffocation. A pivotal question that would most likely be raised with these jurors would be how exactly did Merriman lose his life? The cause of his death was a drug overdose but the state alleged he was suffocated by a plastic bag and strangled with a rope.
Taboo Photos Murder Trial
S1, EP22 "The Toxicology Report"The State's toxicologist took the stand. Ray Gary explained in more detail the medication Tom Merriman was on at the time of his death and whether they contributed to his demise. Gary performed the toxicology exam on the victim. He told jurors that high levels of a sleeping drug was found in Merriman's system when he died. It was central for Jade Janks' legal team to challenge the autopsy and toxicology reports in this case. Her defense team argued that she did not kill her stepdad.
Accomplice to Murder, With Vinnie Politan
S1, EP3 "MS v. Edmonds"Tyler Edmonds was just thirteen when he confessed to helping his half-sister Kristi Fulgham kill her husband, Joey; did he really commit murder, or was he just one more in a long line of men that Kristi had manipulated to do her bidding?