True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here is a powerful documentary series hosted and created by advocate and actress Hilarie Burton Morgan. Airing on SundanceTV and streaming on AMC+ and All Reality, the series travels to small towns across America to spotlight murder cases shrouded in uncertainty. Unlike many entries in the "predatory" true crime genre, this show is deeply rooted in advocacy, seeking to give a voice to marginalized groups and families who have been silenced by the criminal justice system.
Core Mission and Themes
The series is built on the premise that in many small-town homicide cases, there are "two bad guys": the individual who committed the crime and the system itself. Burton Morgan and her team examine how the "tight-knit fabric" of a small community can lead to systemic flaws, where local officials—such as judges, prosecutors, and sheriffs—may be hesitant to admit mistakes or re-examine evidence due to the social and political pressures of small-town life.
Key themes of the show include:
• Systemic Corruption: Highlighting cases where evidence, such as DNA, has been ignored or where officials have engaged in witness coercion or had conflicts of interest.
• Small-Town Mythology: Challenging the idea that small towns are the safest places by showing how corruption can be "swept under the rug" when everyone knows everyone.
• Advocacy and Accountability: Using the show’s platform to prompt legal action, find new witnesses, and encourage viewers to contact local officials to demand justice.
Host and Production
Hilarie Burton Morgan brings a unique perspective to the series; she studied psychological forensics in college and initially planned to attend law school before her acting career took off. Her interest in small-town justice was sparked by a local case in her own community in the Hudson Valley, where she witnessed how easily power could be abused. Her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, serves as her producing partner and has appeared behind the scenes in several episodes. The series is produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment.
Impact and Results
The series has driven real-world results since its 2021 premiere. Most notably, the show's first episode focused on the case of Devonia Inman, who had served 23 years of a life sentence despite available DNA evidence of his innocence. Following the episode and an effort by the Georgia Innocence Project supported by the show's viewers, Inman's conviction was vacated, and he was freed in December 2021.
Case Study: The Death of Heather Turner
One notable case covered in the series is the "undetermined" death of Heather Turner in Dallas, Georgia. While her death was initially reported as a suicide, the series uncovers numerous red flags, including:
• The absence of muzzle blast burns typically found in close-range self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
• A missing bullet that was never recovered from the scene.
• Allegations of prior domestic abuse by her husband, Andy Turner, and a "cleaned" crime scene.
• Conflicting accounts regarding whether their daughter witnessed the event.
Expanded Content
In addition to the television series, there is a companion podcast where Burton Morgan and her crew dive deeper into archive material and behind-the-scenes details of how they tackle these "head-scratching" stories. The show encourages viewers to get involved by working with State Innocence Projects and using their vote to hold local officials accountable.
The new six-episode season continues this pursuit of justice, traveling to states including Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.
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