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Docuseries team questions murder convictions of Dana Chandler

Creators of a new docuseries told The Hollywood Reporter that prosecutors failed to prove Dana Chandler's guilt.

The short version

  • Creators of the docuseries 'A Killer Story' stated they would not have voted to convict Dana Chandler in the 2002 murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Chandler underwent three separate trials for the double murder, which produced two guilty verdicts alongside one hung jury.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • The filmmakers spent nearly seven years examining the case and cited a lack of physical evidence, though journalist Joe Sexton noted he would not declare her innocent.[The Hollywood Reporter]

Key facts

  • Dana Chandler was tried three times for the 2002 double murder of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness, which resulted in two convictions and one hung jury.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Director Matthew Galkin stated that a complete lack of physical evidence would have prevented him from finding Chandler guilty as a juror.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Producer Joshua Levine argued that prosecutors failed to clear the reasonable doubt standard without hard evidence.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Journalist Joe Sexton indicated he would not have convicted Chandler due to the prosecution failing to meet its burden, but added he would not pronounce her innocent.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Production and reporting on the documentary series spanned almost seven years, starting before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States.[The Hollywood Reporter]

What remains uncertain

  • Despite arguing the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, the docuseries creators do not declare whether Chandler is actually innocent.[The Hollywood Reporter]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.