Netflix has set a December launch for its new six-part true crime docuseries “The Innocent Man,” the streamer announced on Monday.
Premiering Dec. 14, the series is based on John Grisham’s best-selling non-fiction book, “The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town.” The book tells the story of Ronald Keith Williamson, a man wrongfully convicted of rape and murder who spent 11 years on death row before he was exonerated.
Directed by Clay Tweel, the project features interviews with the victims’ friends and families, residents of the Oklahoma town where the crimes were committed, attorneys, journalists, and others involved in the cases. Grisham will also appear.
Tweel and Ross Dinerstein developed and executive produced the series. It is produced by Maura Anderson and Shannon Riggs, with Grisham and David Gernert also executive producing.
“As a filmmaker I often find that the best stories are the ones we tell ourselves, but what surprised me was the extent to which that idea also permeates the criminal justice system,” said Tweel. “By re-examining these old cases I hope that viewers will identify the biases involved, even their own.”
“The documentary series of The Innocent Man is gripping, compelling, and ultimately just as heartbreaking as the book. Though I know the story well, I can’t wait to watch it again,” added Grisham.