Ep 6. Evil Comes to Jasper

In season 6 episode 6 of People Magazine Investigates, titled "Evil Comes to Jasper," the true-crime series delves into a horrifying hate crime that shook a small Texas town.

On June 7, 1998, James Byrd Jr., a 49-year-old black man, was walking home from a party in Jasper, Texas, when he was offered a ride by three white men: John William King, Lawrence Russell Brewer, and Shawn Allen Berry. However, instead of taking Byrd home safely, the men brutally attacked him, beat him unconscious, and then chained him to their truck. They drove at high speeds for over three miles, dragging Byrd behind them until he was decapitated by a culvert.

The murder of James Byrd Jr. garnered national attention and sparked outrage and fear in the African American community. This People Magazine Investigates episode explores the horrific crime and the racial tensions that led to it, including interviews with Byrd's family, friends, and community members, as well as law enforcement officials involved in the investigation and trial.

The episode also examines the backgrounds and motivations of the three men responsible for Byrd's death. John William King, the ringleader of the group and a known white supremacist, had a history of racist violence and had even been involved in a previous murder. Lawrence Russell Brewer, who was also a member of a white supremacist gang, had a troubled childhood marked by physical and sexual abuse. Shawn Allen Berry, who was dating King's sister at the time, claimed to have no knowledge of the plan to kill Byrd and would eventually testify against his co-defendants.

"People Magazine Investigates" further explores the impact of Byrd's murder on the town of Jasper and the nation as a whole. The case became a rallying cry for civil rights activists and led to the passage of the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act in 2001, which expanded federal hate crimes legislation to include crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

This episode of "People Magazine Investigates" offers a chilling look at the evil that can exist in the world and the need for justice and equality. It is a sobering reminder of the importance of fighting hate and standing up for those who are marginalized and oppressed.