Inside the Bar Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

As if the Georgia Supreme Court's decision to overlook the evidence of Jerry Chambers' guilt was not enough, the Court chose to reverse decades of law to favor this killer. Trail prosecutor Matt Breedon tries to figure out why.

The recent Georgia Supreme Court opinion reversing the felony murder convictions of Jerry Chambers ignores the mountain of evidence against him.  The detectives who worked this case have something to say about it.

Inside the Bar begins to look at where the criminal justice system fails, beginning with the Georgia Supreme Court's reversal of the felony murder convictions of Jerry Chambers. How could this happen? Tune is to this upcoming series to find out.

The catch and release practices of the present DA directly led to 11 people being injured in the heart of Savannah this year. You can stop it. Vote for Andre!

Drug overdoses kill more of our citizens than guns, but the present DA does not take them seriously. Vote Andre to protect our community!

The Chatham County DA has a financial duty to use your tax dollars legally and responsibly. She isn't. In fact, she is using them for her own personal expenses. Vote for change. Vote for Andre.

Fifty experienced prosecutors have left the Chatham County DA's Office due to DA Jones mismanagement. The decimated office is failing to serve our community, but a vote for Andre Pretorius can bring experience back. Get out and vote!

The present Chatham County DA has failed in her duty to convict murderers, leading to a 60% drop in the murder conviction rate. Vote for change in November. Vote for Andre!

Despite the claims of the current DA about her focus on serious violent felonies, her office continues fail to keep Savannah safe. To truly protect our community, vote for Andre Pretorious for DA!

Can Andre Pretorious create an office that actually works for our community after the incompetence of the last 4 years? There is only one way: vote for Andre in November!

The current Chatham DA claims she needs money to fix her staffing problems. Money can't fix what she has broken.

The current Chatham County DA has been dismissing retail thefts and other thefts in bulk. This hurts our local businesses and consumers alike. Make a difference: Vote for Andre in November!

It takes more than a soundbite to understand how badly the elected DA is failing crime victims in Chatham County, but it only takes your vote for Andre to change it.

The current Chatham DA destroyed the Special Victims Prosecution Unit leaving our most vulnerable victims without resources or representation. Vote for Andre Pretorious to bring this vital unit back.

DA candidate Andre Pretorious unearthed a disturbing cover up in the recent dismissal of murder cases in Chatham County. Vote for Andre Pretorious in November!

Inside the Bar takes a stand against violent criminals and encourages Chatham County to get out and vote for Andre Pretorious for DA this November.

Inside the Bar is looking forward to sitting down with Savannah DA candidate Andre Pretorious to discuss the issues facing the office. Do you have questions for the candidate? Submit them now!

How much work goes into investigations, particularly investigations of violent crimes, that never sees the light of day? Join Firearms and Toolmark expert Brian Leppard and Agt. Rob Santoro as we re-visit the murder of Lawrence Bryan IV to highlight the constant labor we all take for granted.

How does the prosecution ensure that all of the critical evidence is presented to the jury to ensure that they understand what happened? Sometimes it gets messy, but the State must always be ready!

When the body of a young girl is found in a burning car near a Savannah hot spot, first responders and the media began to shine a light on all of the things people try to hide on a typical weekend night downtown. While this was Agt. Rob Santoro's first high profile case, the bar he set in this investigation would be hard to match.

How can crime victims have a voice in a justice system designed for criminals? Join a pioneer in the field of victim advocacy, Helen Bradley, as she talks about her journey from a closet in the DA's Office in Savannah to the events that inspired her new novel, Breach of Trust, and the empathy she shared along the way.

See how the long and winding road to justice can frustrate even those people who work every day in the criminal justice system. The end result in this case made up for a lot, but it took a persistent detective and three prosecutors to get the job done. Take a listen!

Firearms and Toolmark Examiner Kevin Rippman shows how even when the science of ballistics comparison comes under fire, hard work can answer even the toughest of jury questions. Listen in to how in the case of this murder, his diligence helped to rule out everyone but Maurice Bentley as the killer.

Career prosecutor Jenny Parker is FINALLY able to talk about how her experience and philosophy brought the fourth re-trial of Maurice Bentley for the murder of Michael Polite to a just conclusion. Take a listen to her insights on what made the fourth time a charm.

Even the most straightforward of murders can prove difficult in the courtroom. When Agt. Rob Santoro investigated the murder of Michael Polite by Maurice Bentley on Christmas Eve, 2014, a conviction seemed inevitable. Find out why a jury hung after the first trial of this case, and the twists and turns it took to get justice for Michael's family.

Are there gangs in Savannah? If so, are they actually dangerous? Bekah Parker tells us about the murder of Brittany Brown by Blood gang members in a Savannah neighborhood that is consistently the target of violent crime, some of which is gang related. While this case was solved, it begs the question: can the city continue to fight a violent crimewave with fewer officers and less institutional k...

Join Det. Michele Schiro and Agt. Rob Santoro as they discuss the expert forensic work Det. Schiro did in the murder investigation of Darin Manigo's killer, and the tenuous future of forensics in Chatham County. Will forensics investigators and detectives continue to work together? As you will see, the results are always better when they do.

Cases go cold for many reasons, but in the case of the murder of Darin Manigo, internal toxicity at the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department let this languish. Agt. Rob Santoro tears off the bandaid and talks about the work environment that eventually led to his leaving the city, but not before solving this murder.

What does it mean to be accountable? In a case with little fanfare, the criminal justice system, from the police to the attorneys to the judges, all diligently did their jobs. When the system works murderers like Laquan Brown and Rashard Mosley can be held (as they should be) accountable for their crimes.

The complex and unusual legal issues posed by the tons of evidence the detectives uncovered required more than one legal mind: enter Isabel Pauley. A staunch advocate and champion of victims, Isabel brought multiple levels of legal acumen to this complex case. Hear how she helped develop great case law for all of Georgia.

Join Det. Alli Nichols on the hunt for Savannah's Bonnie and Clyde: Laquan Brown and Rashard Mosley. Learn how forming a team to nail down every detail made the case against these murderers rock solid.

As we head into Season 5, get ready to hear about a crime spree that rocked the Savannah area in 2014 and hear from the team that brought them to justice.

The lead up to the trial of Timone Hooper was marred by extraordinary actions by the Court that nearly derailed the whole case. Hard to describe it as anything other than f***s***

Agt. Rob Santoro uncovers Timone Hooper's connections to other robberies, shootings, and murders. As the evidence mounts for trial, Hooper's threats cause a new indictment.

Savannah City Alderwoman Linda Wilder Bryan shares the dehumanizing experience of losing her son to gun violence and how her experience pushed her to fight for change on every level, leading her to a seat on the City Council.

Agt. Santoro responded to Duane Court in Savannah to find a lot of ballistic evidence, and a lot of resistance from witnesses. Tune in to hear how this little pieces started to come together.

Join the roundtable discussion of how Jame s Hampton and Dwayne Abney were brought to trial for and convicted of the murders of Kiana Marshall, her brother Korey, and their friend Alexis, and how they got some fraction of what they deserved.

Tune in to hear Agt. Rob Santoro explore how the investigation of the murders of Kiana Marshall, Korey Marshall, and Alexis Kitchens overlapped with the investigation of the murder of Jimmy Temple and other murders and shootings in Savannah. Hear, too, how this culture of violence tears this community apart creating fear for witnesses and victims.

Det. Alli Nichols talks about what it was like to interview people who are comfortable killing others like animals, and how important it was to find some humanity in Diamond Butler.

Mstt  Breedon, a career prosecutor and creative thinker delves into the investigation of the murders of Kiana Marshall, her brother Korey and Alexis Kitchens and describes the search for a motive for this senseless slaughter.

The domestic violence cycle that led to Lauren Brown's murder at the hands of her husband is a familiar one. As we explore the hours leading to her murder, we can experience her fear that leaving would only make things worse.

Lauren Brown's father  shares the tragedy of losing his daughter, and the challenges the family faces in  protecting her children.

Dr. Jamie Downs shows us how he was able to see how horrifically Lauren Brown was killed, and how meticulously he verified that Norman Smart's shoes were critical evidence in this case.

Forensics expert Det. Michelle Schiro walks us through the murder or Lauren Brown through her lens, and pieces together Lauren's inmost thoughts in the hours leading up to her death.

On June 7, 2014 Detective Chris Ross of the Savannah Chatham County Police Department embarked on a twisted, dark journey into the heart of a killer: Norman Smart.

Another preview of our upcoming journey into the murder of Lauren Brown Smart

Listen in for a preview of our journey into the murder of Lauren Brown Smart.

Not all murders get news coverage. Not all murders get complete investigations up front. Some cases look like they are falling apart before your eyes. When it all hit the fan in the case of Theron Robbins, Det. Sgt. Robert Santoro restored my faith in a case that had a lot of hurdles. Tune into this episode of Inside the Bar Beyond a Reasonable Doubt to hear how we got justice for Theron Robbin...