Taking the Stand

Watch Taking the Stand

  • 2022
  • 4 Seasons
  • 0.0  (88)

Taking the Stand is a gripping unscripted series that gives viewers an inside look into some of the most dramatic and memorable courtroom testimonies from high-profile trials and cases. Premiering on A&E in 2022, this show brings viewers into the courtroom to experience firsthand the suspense and emotion of pivotal testimonies that shaped the outcome of each case.

In each episode, Taking the Stand focuses on a different high-stakes trial or hearing, whether it be celebrity, political, or based on a notorious crime. Real courtroom footage, evidence photos, and archival material lay the groundwork and provide context. Then key witnesses are brought in to walk viewers through their testimony step-by-step, transporting the audience right alongside them on the stand. Their gripping accounts and explanations of what transpired pull back the curtain on mysteries, scandals, and sensations that captivated the public imagination.

Some of the most famous and influential trials in recent history are spotlighted. For instance, an episode centers on the 2005 trial of music icon Michael Jackson. Viewers get to hear firsthand from those close to Jackson who took the stand, like his head of security who described what happened at Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Other standout episodes highlight the controversial convictions of Adnan Syed and Steven Avery, reexamining their cases through fresh eyes.

Taking the Stand sets itself apart by putting viewers in the shoes of the witness, allowing them to weigh the implications of the testimony for themselves. They get to parse through words and body language in search of truth, lies, or omissions. The series captures the high tensions and stealth strategies at play during pivotal testimony that aimed to make or break each case.

Without giving away verdicts or spoiling outcomes, Taking the Stand offers an immersive look back at how key witnesses held up under pressure and scrutiny on the stand. Their recollections and responses under questioning provide intense fly-on-the-wall access to some of the most famous court showdowns and scandals in our recent collective history. Taking the Stand brings viewers to the heart of the courtroom action.

Taking the Stand is a series that ran for 4 seasons (51 episodes) between January 13, 2022 and on A&E

Taking the Stand
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Seasons
Mauricio Guerrero
11. Mauricio Guerrero
August 1, 2025
An online fantasy romance turns into a nightmare when Mauricio Guerrero breaks into the home of an OnlyFans content creator. Guerrero is taking the stand in an effort to convince the jury it was all an act of sexual role play. Will his sordid testimony be enough to keep him out of prison?
Demarcus Little
10. Demarcus Little
July 25, 2025
Active-duty Army Sergeant Demarcus Little is on trial for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Anitra Gunn. Little has decided to testify in his own defense to tell the jury he would never harm his "soulmate." Will the jury see Demarcus as an innocent upstanding soldier or send him to prison for life?
Steve Pankey
9. Steve Pankey
July 18, 2025
35 years after 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews disappeared from her home in Greeley, CO, her remains are recovered. Investigators charge former Idaho Gubernatorial candidate Steve Pankey with murder. Maintaining his innocence, Pankey will take the stand to illustrate the circumstantial aspects of the case. But will it be enough to warrant an acquittal?
Richard Merritt
8. Richard Merritt
July 16, 2025
After eight months on the run, disgraced personal-injury attorney Richard Merritt faces trial for the brutal murder of his 77-year-old mother, Shirley. The prosecution paints Richard as a narcissistic manipulator who murdered his mother and disappeared, but the defense claims Shirley was murdered in an act of revenge by Richard's previous fraud victims. Will jurors believe Merritt's story, or will he spend the rest of his life in prison?
Steven Jones
7. Steven Jones
July 9, 2025
After being sucker-punched during a campus gathering, Northern Arizona University freshman Steven Jones shoots four fellow students, injuring three and killing one. Facing life in prison, Jones has decided to take the stand to convince the jury the shooting was an act of self defense. Will the jury see a helpless student scared for his life? Or a cold-blooded killer, deserving of life behind bars?
Sasha Skare
6. Sasha Skare
July 2, 2025
Sasha Skare, 23, is on trial for the murder of her music producer and lover Martell DeRouen. She has turned down a plea deal and decided to take the stand to tell her side of the story--that she was abused, and the shooting was unintentional.
Charlie Adelson
5. Charlie Adelson
June 25, 2025
Florida periodontist Charlie Adelson stands accused of hiring two hitmen to murder his ex-brother-in-law, Dan Markel, in order to free his sister from a nasty child custody dispute.
Lori Phillips
4. Lori Phillips
June 18, 2025
A year after discovering her husband's frozen body in the driveway, Lori Phillips faces charges of 2nd Degree Reckless Homicide for his death. Prosecutors allege she ran over her husband, Mark Phillips, and tried to conceal her actions.
Darrin Lopez
3. Darrin Lopez
June 11, 2025
Investigators discover there's much more to a shooting than a simple love triangle gone wrong.
Hannah Payne
2. Hannah Payne
June 4, 2025
Hannah Payne is on trial for the murder of Kenneth Herring, a motorist who fled the scene of an accident. She claims after a brief pursuit and an ensuing confrontation, Herring accidentally shot himself with her gun. However, eyewitness cell phone videos tell a different story. Will the jury decide Payne's actions were those of a good Samaritan or a cold-blooded killer?
Richard Acosta
1. Richard Acosta
May 28, 2025
Richard Acosta, Jr. is being tried for murder, accused of being the getaway driver for his son.
Description

Taking the Stand is a gripping unscripted series that gives viewers an inside look into some of the most dramatic and memorable courtroom testimonies from high-profile trials and cases. Premiering on A&E in 2022, this show brings viewers into the courtroom to experience firsthand the suspense and emotion of pivotal testimonies that shaped the outcome of each case.

In each episode, Taking the Stand focuses on a different high-stakes trial or hearing, whether it be celebrity, political, or based on a notorious crime. Real courtroom footage, evidence photos, and archival material lay the groundwork and provide context. Then key witnesses are brought in to walk viewers through their testimony step-by-step, transporting the audience right alongside them on the stand. Their gripping accounts and explanations of what transpired pull back the curtain on mysteries, scandals, and sensations that captivated the public imagination.

Some of the most famous and influential trials in recent history are spotlighted. For instance, an episode centers on the 2005 trial of music icon Michael Jackson. Viewers get to hear firsthand from those close to Jackson who took the stand, like his head of security who described what happened at Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Other standout episodes highlight the controversial convictions of Adnan Syed and Steven Avery, reexamining their cases through fresh eyes.

Taking the Stand sets itself apart by putting viewers in the shoes of the witness, allowing them to weigh the implications of the testimony for themselves. They get to parse through words and body language in search of truth, lies, or omissions. The series captures the high tensions and stealth strategies at play during pivotal testimony that aimed to make or break each case.

Without giving away verdicts or spoiling outcomes, Taking the Stand offers an immersive look back at how key witnesses held up under pressure and scrutiny on the stand. Their recollections and responses under questioning provide intense fly-on-the-wall access to some of the most famous court showdowns and scandals in our recent collective history. Taking the Stand brings viewers to the heart of the courtroom action.

Taking the Stand is a series that ran for 4 seasons (51 episodes) between January 13, 2022 and on A&E

Where to Watch Taking the Stand
Taking the Stand is available for streaming on the A&E website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Taking the Stand on demand at Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime, Philo, Amazon, Hulu, Fandango at Home, Sling, Google Play, Apple TV and A&E.
  • Premiere Date
    January 13, 2022
  • IMDB Rating
    0.0  (88)