06x03 - Man's Best Friend?

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: after spending


For the m*rder of their
daughter april,

John miller and debbie loveless
finally had forensic evidence

To corroborate their story:

That one of the dogs
on their property had
att*cked and k*lled april.

Their new attorney,
robert ardis,

Also uncovered a written
deposition from a woman

Who had witnessed the dogs
on john and debbie's farm

Attack 3 different people
on 3 separate occasions.

She pointed this out
to the sheriff,

So the sheriff said,
"oh, they were just playing."

Narrator: but the woman
wasn't called to testify
at the original trial.

Armed with this new evidence,
ardis requested a new trial.

His argument: that john miller
and debbie loveless did not have
adequate counsel

At their original trial.

Ironically, john miller's
original defense attorney,
paul chitwood, agreed.

Well, he was pissed off.

Nobody likes to be told that
they did a bad job, officially,

And ineffectiveness of counsel
basically says that.

Narrator: although
paul chitwood is now deceased,

He testified on behalf
of john and debbie
at a pretrail hearing,

Reminding the court
he requested and was
denied access

To the prosecution witnesses
before the trial,

And was denied funds to hire
an independent forensic expert

To analyze the evidence.

Chitwood: he had always felt
that they were not guilty

Of the crime
they were charged with.

Narrator: the prosecutor's
office would not comment
on the allegation

That some of
the photographs in this case
might have been withheld

From the original defense team.

In 1993, a judge
dismissed the case

Against john miller
and debbie loveless,

Citing overwhelming evidence
in the couple's favor.

After 5 long years, they were
finally released from prison.

Hanners: it was
a very poor investigation
by law enforcement.

They didn't buy
the dog attack theory,

They didn't look into it.

I couldn't believe it. I just--
it was just--it was scary,

Because I had been in this place
for almost 5 years, you know,

And...i just--
I can't even explain it.

I don't think there's words.

Happiness that I was going home,
and I was going to see amy.

Narrator: the stress and
strains of incarceration
took its toll.

After they were released
from prison, debbie
and john separated.

Miller: I lost 5 years
with my son, and with amy,
and with debbie.

You know, they were gone.

Debbie was gone. She'd found
somebody else, you know,

Because of trying to get help,

And she was gone.

So, yes, I was
walking out of prison,

But my life had basically
been destroyed already.

Hanners: a bad investigation
aided by bad science

Really was kind of
frightening to me.

This could have happened
to, you know, any of us.

Just the injustice of
everything that was done.

You know, how they crucified us
for something that we didn't do.

And, uh...

I just...

And I don't understand
why they did it.