ITN Productions to examine Londoner Paul Denham’s conviction for murdering his wife’s lover in Los Angeles…
In 1998, British born Paul Denham was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in a maximum-security prison in southern California. The man who authorities say he murdered was Edward Weinmann, Paul’s wife’s lover. Eddie was shot while driving on the busy 405 freeway in Los Angeles, apparently fired at from another moving vehicle. Once police knew Paul was caught up in a love triangle, they saw jealousy as an obvious motive for murder.
“For the first time on TV, ITN Productions’ Channel 5 true crime documentary The Wrong Man? 20 Years Behind Bars examines Londoner Paul Denham’s conviction for the murder of his wife’s lover in Los Angeles in 1998.” – ITN
Paul met his wife, Dolores Legaspi, when he moved to California in 1993. They married a year later, but Dolores was still seeing on/off boyfriend Eddie. Not long after the wedding, Paul and Dolores’ LA home was burgled. In the aftermath, Paul bought a handgun for protection, so he had the means for murder. But did Paul have the opportunity?
The heart of this story examines Paul’s alibi, that he was in San Francisco, 350 miles away from Los Angeles, when Eddie was killed. If you believe that, he couldn’t have done it, could he? The police have their own explanation for Paul’s whereabouts, claiming there was an eleven-hour window in which Paul could have flown back to LA, carried out the murder, then flown back to San Francisco.
There are inconsistencies in both the prosecution and the defence stories, not least an allegedly forged piece of crucial evidence. This film lays out both cases and invites viewers to decide who they believe. Having served more than 25 years behind bars, Paul is still resolute about his innocence and working tirelessly to clear his name.
“The 90 minute documentary involved an intense period of research to gather the facts in this little-known murder investigation that saw Paul Denham from Eltham in South London, convicted of murdering Edward Weinmann, his wife’s lover, in Los Angeles in 1998. “ – ITN
The documentary features exclusive audio interviews with Denham inside a maximum-security prison in California where he is serving a life sentence for the crime without parole. Denham has always maintained his innocence. He says he was in San Francisco, 350 miles away from Los Angeles, when Weinmann was killed.
Testimonies from Denham and his friends and lawyers as well as US police and judiciary are presented in the film, which focusses on the key issue of Denham’s alibi at the time of the crime. It asks viewers to consider the inconsistences in both the defence and prosecution’s stories to make their own mind up whether Denham is innocent or guilty as the jury found.
Andy Dunn, executive producer at ITN Productions:
“It’s rare that you come across a case like Paul Denham’s which ignites so much passion but has had so little media coverage. Getting exclusive phone access to Paul Denham inside the maximum security US prison was a cornerstone of the film. Alongside a detailed research process and access to Denham’s friends and the US police and judiciary, hearing from Denham himself was crucial as we pieced together the facts.”
Since his conviction in 1998, Paul Denham filed numerous petitions with the courts, seeking the opportunity to prove his innocence. His latest petition, filed in 2018, has been frozen in the court in a suspended status despite the mandated 60-day review period. In the past two years, he has found pro bono counsel who got access to the evidence for review. US attorney, Jennifer Sheetz, one of the contributors in the documentary, is now fighting for a fair and impartial review of the new evidence of alleged police misconduct and false evidence in this case.
Daniel Smith, executive producer at ITN Productions:
“Paul Denham’s story is high-stakes and complex, from the contested evidence around the crime itself to the prolonged appeal to clear his name. In this documentary, we present the facts and the disputes on both sides and leave the audience to draw their own conclusions.”
The Channel 5 documentary The Wrong Man? 20 Years Behind Bars airs on Tuesday 21st January at 10pm on Channel 5 is the first time Paul Denham’s case has been covered on TV since his conviction in 1998.
