Ep 7. Timothy Hennis: Double Jeopardy

Timothy Hennis: Double Jeopardy is the seventh episode of the first season of the true crime documentary series Death Row Stories. In this episode, the viewers are taken through the controversial case of Timothy Hennis, a former Army Sergeant who was accused of the brutal triple murder of Kathryn Eastburn and her two daughters in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1985.

The episode starts by introducing viewers to the crime scene and the testimonies of the investigators involved in the case. The bodies of Kathryn Eastburn and her two daughters had been discovered in their home, and all three had been brutally murdered. The community was in shock, and the police were under immense pressure to solve the case and bring the perpetrator to justice.

The investigators initially had no substantial leads, but a few weeks after the murders, a neighbor reported seeing a man knocking on the Eastburns' door in the evening before the murder took place. A composite sketch was created based on the neighbor's description, and the police began a widespread search for the suspect.

The investigation took an unexpected turn when Timothy Hennis, who was stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville at the time, was identified as a possible suspect. Hennis and his family had gone to the Eastburns' yard sale a few days before the murder, and he had purchased a rug from them. Hennis later returned to the house to return the rug because it did not fit in his living room.

The investigators discovered that Hennis had a history of sexual assault and other violent offenses and brought him in for questioning. Hennis initially denied any involvement in the murders, but eventually, he was charged with all three homicides. Hennis' trial was highly publicized, and the prosecution relied heavily on his motive to commit the crime.

The episode explores the trial in detail, including the testimonies of Hennis and other witnesses, and the evidence presented. Hennis argued that he was not involved in the murders and suggested that the real killer was the person seen knocking on the Eastburns' door on the night of the murders. However, the prosecution argued that Hennis had a major motive for committing the crimes - namely, to eliminate any evidence of his sexual assault on Kathryn Eastburn.

Hennis was eventually found guilty, and he was sentenced to death. However, the case was far from over. Years later, Hennis' case was heard by the North Carolina Supreme Court, which ruled that the trial had been unfair due to the prosecution's handling of certain evidence. Hennis was retried, and this time he was found not guilty.

The episode highlights the controversial nature of Hennis' case, including the use of DNA evidence, eyewitness identification, and the concept of double jeopardy (being tried twice for the same crime). The viewers are left to question whether Hennis was truly innocent, or whether he was able to manipulate the system to get away with murder.

In conclusion, Timothy Hennis: Double Jeopardy is a thought-provoking episode that dives deep into the complexities of the criminal justice system. The episode is engaging, informative, and raises important questions about the nature of justice and the implications of wrongful convictions.