Investigation Discovery (ID) has ordered a JonBenet Ramsey cold case series, as well as a law enforcement race-relations documentary. Additionally, the cable channel inked a deal with prolific author James Patterson.
“JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery” (working title) will feature police interrogation tapes, unsealed documents and more than 500 family photos. Exclusive interviewees include Gordon Coombes, a former investigator for the Boulder County District Attorney’s office; Diane Dimond, an investigative journalist for “Hard Copy” who covered the case on the ground in Boulder from the very beginning; Bobby Brown and Steve Pease, both former Colorado Springs Detectives and protégés of Lou Smit’s famed Apple Dumpling Gang — a group of retired law enforcement officials famous for solving some of the nation’s toughest cold cases.
The series is produced by Weinstein Television, American Media, Inc., and Jupiter Entertainment. Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Patrick Reardon, Stephen Land, Allison Wallach, Matt Sprouse, David Pecker and Dylan Howard are executive producers. Pamela Deutsch is senior executive producer.
The Ramsey case will be reopened via a three-night event starting Sept. 12. The six-year-old child beauty queen was found murdered in her home in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996. The case remains unsolved, even after several grand jury hearings, and continues to generate public and media interest.
“Black and Blue” will follow Tony Harris as he travels across the country to reveal how the recent strand of police shootings impact African-American families in their communities across the U.S., while also giving viewers a first-hand look into what it’s like to be a cop during these trying times.
The documentary, which is set to debut this fall on ID, is produced by NBC News’ Peacock Productions. Elizabeth Fischer, Knute Walker and Lorna Thomas are executive producers.
As for Patterson, he’ll write and executive produce a six-part scripted series based on new true crime stories in his coming line of novella-length stories, “BookShots.” Bill Robinson and Leopoldo Gout will executive produce the 2017 series for James Patterson Entertainment.
The announcements came Monday afternoon at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.