By Kathryn O’Kane
Season 5 of Death Row Stories premieres this Sunday, April 19 at 9 PM ET/CT on HLN. The series features work by six NYWIFT members including board member Kathryn O’Kane and members Bari Pearlman and Marcella Steingart who directed episodes; Cindy Kaplan Rooney and Yvette Wojciechowski who edited; and researcher Dana Brandes-Simon.
Told by current and former death row inmates, each episode of Death Row Stories seeks to unravel the truth behind a different capital murder case and poses tough questions about the U.S. capital punishment system. The popular documentary crime series is produced in conjunction with Jigsaw Productions and Sundance Productions.
Steingart’s episode “Tale of the Tape” airs Sunday, April 19 at 10 PM. 19-year-old Jermaine Wright confesses to a murder and is sentenced to die. His lawyers work desperately to destroy the validity of the taped confession.
Pearlman’s episode “Predator or Prey” airs Sunday, April 26 at 9 PM. In the shadow of his impending execution, a Philadelphia man finally reveals the years of sexual abuse that led him to extreme measures when he was only 18.
O’Kane and Wojciechowski’s episode about the wrongful conviction of Corey Williams airs on Sunday, May 10 at 9 PM. When a Louisiana house party ends in murder, a teenager goes on trial. As evidence emerges, so does the truth.
And Kaplan Rooney and Brandes-Simon’s episode “The Wrong Gun” airs on Sunday, May 17 at 9 PM. After a drug deal in TX turns deadly, Nanon Williams receives the ultimate punishment. Fateful mistakes are revealed in his case.
Learn more about Death Row Stories.
busyk
Related Posts
NYWIFT Member Susan Margolin Brings “Time Warp” to Tribeca’s 25th Anniversary Documentary Competition
For more than three decades, NYWIFT member Susan Margolin has championed independent storytelling that sparks conversation, challenges perspectives, and amplifies voices that deserve to be heard. As an award-winning producer and trailblazer in documentary distribution, she has helped bring hundreds of impactful films to audiences worldwide. Now, she returns to the festival circuit as one of the producers of Time Warp, a powerful new documentary making its world premiere in the Documentary Competition at the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. Directed by Allison Berg and produced alongside an accomplished creative team, Time Warp follows a drag theater company in Rock Springs, Wyoming, as they stage a shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50 years after the cult classic first captivated audiences. For Susan, whose career has been defined by elevating meaningful stories and underrepresented voices, the film arrives at a pivotal cultural moment.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Seohee Lee
Welcome to NYWIFT, Seohee Lee! Seohee is a filmmaker, content curator, and marketer working at the intersection of storytelling, cultural exchange, and audience engagement. Based in New York, she works at the Korea Creative Content Agency New York Center, where she leads international marketing strategies and content-driven programs connecting Korean creative industries with global audiences. Her work spans promotional video direction, film program curation, and large-scale cultural collaborations with institutions such as the Korean Cultural Center New York and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea. Seohee holds an M.F.A. in Film Directing and an M.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Drawing on both creative and strategic experience, she focuses on enhancing the global reach of cultural storytelling and fostering cross-border dialogue through media and programming. In our interview, Seohee Lee discusses her journey as a filmmaker and content curator, her work in international cultural programming, and the projects she hopes to explore next.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Violet Du Feng Brings Two Powerful Projects to the 25th Anniversary of the Tribeca Festival
As the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival shines a spotlight on bold storytelling and groundbreaking filmmakers, Violet Du Feng is arriving with not one, but two standout projects that are already generating conversation. The Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker and NYWIFT member serves as producer on TikTok Never Dies, featured in the festival’s Spotlight Documentary category, while Only the Lonely has been selected for the prestigious New York Times Op-Docs Showcase. For Violet, whose work consistently explores the intersection of personal identity and larger societal shifts, the moment represents both creative growth and artistic alignment. Known for acclaimed projects including The Dating Game and the Oscar®-shortlisted Hidden Letters, Violet has built a reputation for crafting emotionally layered documentaries that connect intimate human experiences to broader cultural conversations.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Juleyka Lantigua Brings The Lorraine to Tribeca Festival’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
For filmmaker, writer, and producer Juleyka Lantigua, storytelling has always been rooted in truth, history, and the voices too often left out of the conversation. Now, the award-winning creative and proud member of New York Women in Film & Television is bringing one of those powerful stories to the forefront as an Executive Producer and Co-Writer of The Lorraine, which will have its World Premiere during the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. Through the lens of The Lorraine, Juleyka helps illuminate the legacy of the Lorraine Motel and the Bailey family, whose impact stretched far beyond the historic events forever tied to the Memphis landmark. The documentary explores Black excellence, resilience, entrepreneurship, music history, and the enduring fight for justice during one of America’s most turbulent eras.
READ MORE
Comments are closed