Sneak peek: Was Kevin Cooper Framed? | Forensic Files

[Music] it was nearly 20 years ago that I started getting letters from San Quenton
I'm Kevin Cooper I'm on death Road Cooper claimed he had been framed for the murder of four
people I live under the threat of death 24 hours a day after all this time there's now
compelling evidence that could finally settle this case once and for all there was a terrible home invasion
in Chino Hills California One Night in 1983 there was a family of four with a young boy who is overnight
guest four of them died one survived even though his throat had been cut did you have some injuries
yeah oh my throat was slashed got stabbed here hit by an ax here screwdriver punctured my back my lung
broke three ribs authorities say more than one weapon was used in the brutal murders the authorities then arrested
and sentenced to death a young black man named Kevin Cooper for the [Music] crime this occurred in in a upper middle
class neighborhood a horse country when you have such a gruesome crime in a neighborhood like that finding somebody
to pin it on was very important and Kevin Cooper was a convenient person to pin it on the
problem was they didn't have the evidence I believe the evidence was planted against them because they were
under great pressure to solve a brutal horrible crime against a white family I am very confident no more than confident
100% certain Kevin Cooper committed these murders those people said that I killed
four people and attempted to kill a fifth person in four minutes how the hell was that
possible I've always heard that maybe Kevin Cooper didn't do it and that there might be someone else out there I need
to know cuz I lost four people that night there is abundant evidence suggesting three or four white
perpetrators we have the person who we think killed the Ryan and can I ask you point blank did you kill the Ryan family
no I did not or Christopher Hughes no I did not I have nothing to do with [Music]
this I'm Tom Parker I'm a retired FBI agent I was brought into this case at the request of the lead attorney who
wanted me to come in and just go through this case e to Z the more I dug into it I began to
realize that there was something seriously wrong with the case I think Kevin is innocent I also
think that he was the victim of a horribly racist prosecution the criminal justice system
isn't good at reversing chorus once somebody has been convicted there's a momentum that tends to take them to the
execution chamber he's very determined he's got a lot of people pulling for him not only within
the prison but outside it was thrilling to see the reaction from everybody from the pope to
Kim Kardashian and a lot of others in between I think they got the wrong eye Ango
[Music]

Twenty years ago a death row inmate wrote to "48 Hours" that he was framed for the murder of four people. Was evidence planted? New DNA tests may finally answer that question. Correspondent Erin Moriarty investigates in a two-hour "48 Hours" airing Saturday, Jan 26 from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

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--- "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. For 27 seasons, "48 Hours" has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives. Check local listings for "48 Hours" broadcast times.

Brief Summary

Kevin Cooper, on death row for 40 years, claims innocence in a racially charged murder case with new evidence suggesting wrongful conviction.

Key points

Kevin Cooper's Death Row Fight. Kevin Cooper, sentenced to death, claims he was framed for a brutal family murder.
Evidence of Innocence. New evidence suggests multiple perpetrators in the Ryan family murder case.
Racist Prosecution Claims. A retired FBI agent believes Cooper was a victim of a racist prosecution.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

How the hell was that possible?

Kevin Cooper questions the accusations against him.

2:15WatchJan 24, 2019

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