Soledad O'Brien

Now he was putting it together for the jury. He pointed to Ray and asked Henry if that was the man he saw standing over Mary's crumpled body. Yes, sir, Henry said. This is Murder on the Towpath, a story of two incredible women who never met but whose lives became forever intertwined by tragedy. I'm your host, Soledad O'Brien.

Now he was putting it together for the jury. He pointed to Ray and asked Henry if that was the man he saw standing over Mary's crumpled body. Yes, sir, Henry said. This is Murder on the Towpath, a story of two incredible women who never met but whose lives became forever intertwined by tragedy. I'm your host, Soledad O'Brien.

This episode, we take you back into the courtroom, where we finally hear the verdict of Ray Crump's trial. Dovey approached the wooden bench. It was her turn to cross-examine the star witness. She seized on a phrase Henry just said to the courtroom, that he only got a glimpse of the killer. She asked him if he remembered saying that. Yes, he did. Dovey spotted a weakness in Henry's testimony.

This episode, we take you back into the courtroom, where we finally hear the verdict of Ray Crump's trial. Dovey approached the wooden bench. It was her turn to cross-examine the star witness. She seized on a phrase Henry just said to the courtroom, that he only got a glimpse of the killer. She asked him if he remembered saying that. Yes, he did. Dovey spotted a weakness in Henry's testimony.

Because earlier that day, Henry told Hantman he was sure the clothes the officer brought out in front of the courtroom were Ray's. Here's Bob Bennett again. You'll recall he was the clerk to the judge.

Because earlier that day, Henry told Hantman he was sure the clothes the officer brought out in front of the courtroom were Ray's. Here's Bob Bennett again. You'll recall he was the clerk to the judge.

And Henry had just said he only got a glance of the killer. She brought on the questions. If Henry was looking at the murder scene, 120 feet away behind a stone wall, could he really know he was looking at the exact same clothes? She went one by one with each article of clothing. She held up the pants. Was he positive these were Ray's dark corduroy slacks? Yes, Henry answered, he was positive.

And Henry had just said he only got a glance of the killer. She brought on the questions. If Henry was looking at the murder scene, 120 feet away behind a stone wall, could he really know he was looking at the exact same clothes? She went one by one with each article of clothing. She held up the pants. Was he positive these were Ray's dark corduroy slacks? Yes, Henry answered, he was positive.

What about the cap? Was this the cap Ray wore? Yes. How about these black shoes? Yep, that's correct. Dovey zeroed in on the shoes, because lots of men wear black shoes, it's pretty hard to tell the difference unless you look closely at the details. Henry admitted he couldn't tell what kind of design the black shoe had from where he was standing. Dovey emphasized this to the jury.

What about the cap? Was this the cap Ray wore? Yes. How about these black shoes? Yep, that's correct. Dovey zeroed in on the shoes, because lots of men wear black shoes, it's pretty hard to tell the difference unless you look closely at the details. Henry admitted he couldn't tell what kind of design the black shoe had from where he was standing. Dovey emphasized this to the jury.

You can't tell the design, she said. No, he knew the shoe was black, but he couldn't tell the style. Henry was contradicting himself. He had just said he was positive that the killer wore the same black shoes Ray wore when arrested. But now, he was saying, it's too hard to decipher shoe details from a distance. His fragile argument was resembling Ray's dark, frayed corduroy pants.

You can't tell the design, she said. No, he knew the shoe was black, but he couldn't tell the style. Henry was contradicting himself. He had just said he was positive that the killer wore the same black shoes Ray wore when arrested. But now, he was saying, it's too hard to decipher shoe details from a distance. His fragile argument was resembling Ray's dark, frayed corduroy pants.

Dovey merely tugged one of its loose threads, and Henry's testimony slowly unraveled before the courtroom. She went in for the kill. Dovey asked Henry if he remembered testifying earlier that Ray was 5'8 and weighed 185 pounds. Sure, of course he did. The whole courtroom had just heard him testify that to Hantman. It was really a bit of a trap.

Dovey merely tugged one of its loose threads, and Henry's testimony slowly unraveled before the courtroom. She went in for the kill. Dovey asked Henry if he remembered testifying earlier that Ray was 5'8 and weighed 185 pounds. Sure, of course he did. The whole courtroom had just heard him testify that to Hantman. It was really a bit of a trap.

She asked Henry to look at Ray now. Ray was the thin, small man sitting at the defense table. Henry admitted it. He wouldn't describe Ray as he had described the killer. Here's Bob Bennett.

She asked Henry to look at Ray now. Ray was the thin, small man sitting at the defense table. Henry admitted it. He wouldn't describe Ray as he had described the killer. Here's Bob Bennett.

If it wasn't an accurate statement, did Henry lie in the court of law? He said he tried as best he could to remember. Debbie thought he had a clear view of the killing. She asked Henry what Ray was wearing that day. He responded, I didn't look at him that hard. The courtroom went still. She held the room, and then she asked Henry one final question.

If it wasn't an accurate statement, did Henry lie in the court of law? He said he tried as best he could to remember. Debbie thought he had a clear view of the killing. She asked Henry what Ray was wearing that day. He responded, I didn't look at him that hard. The courtroom went still. She held the room, and then she asked Henry one final question.

She asked him if he had ever looked at the murderer hard. Just like that, the star witness flopped. His certainty, it all sort of fell apart on the stand. Pantman's last hope was to dispute Ray's height. He said there was a reason that Ray appeared taller that day. His shoes had an unusually tall heel. That gave him a good two inches more to his 5'5".

She asked him if he had ever looked at the murderer hard. Just like that, the star witness flopped. His certainty, it all sort of fell apart on the stand. Pantman's last hope was to dispute Ray's height. He said there was a reason that Ray appeared taller that day. His shoes had an unusually tall heel. That gave him a good two inches more to his 5'5".