Summary
Overview
This is a promotional trailer for 'The Last Twelve Weeks,' a new investigative podcast series from Serial Productions, The Marshall Project, and The New York Times. Sarah Koenig introduces the show, which follows capital defense lawyers racing against time during the final weeks before a scheduled execution in Texas, as they work to prove their client—a convicted serial killer—is actually innocent.
Introduction and Sarah Koenig's Criminal Justice Background
Sarah Koenig opens by establishing her credentials in criminal justice reporting through her work on Serial. She describes her extensive experience covering the criminal justice system, from courtrooms to prisons, to set up the gravity and authenticity of the story she's about to introduce. This introduction serves as a bridge to reveal that even with all her experience, nothing prepared her for the access she gained in this new project.
- Sarah Koenig has extensive experience in criminal justice reporting through Serial
- Her background includes countless hours in courtrooms, following attorneys, and interviewing judges and inmates
- The new show provides an unprecedented front row seat to the criminal justice system
" Never have I gotten close to the stunning front row seat that awaited me when I listened to our new show. "
The Premise: A Death Row Countdown
The show's central premise is revealed as following the final twelve weeks before a scheduled execution in Texas. The format establishes a ticking clock narrative as capital defense lawyers race to prove their client's innocence. The convicted man acknowledges the uphill battle he faces in convincing people of his innocence, given his status as a prisoner and his notorious background as one of Texas' most well-known serial killers.
- When Texas sets an execution date, a countdown begins with a brief window for legal action
- The defendant is described as one of Texas' most notorious serial killers who claims innocence
- The convicted man understands public skepticism about his innocence claims
" I'm just a convict in prison saying I'm innocent. And they're going, yeah, right, you lying piece of crap. "
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