During the trial, young defendant seated at the defense table could be seen covering his face with one of his hands.

Perhaps he knew he was doomed.

19-year-old CJ Rice's defense attorney didn't seem to be helping but rather sinking his case.

His court appointed defense attorney was Sanjay Weaver, who would later be referred to in news

articles as an underpaid and overworked defense attorney.

Records would later show that she had been MIA for months.

CJ only met with her for less than 30 minutes between his preliminary hearing and the first day of his trial.

At trial, she was reportedly unprepared and sometimes confused. She once even

called CJ by the wrong name in front of the judge. It was said that she didn't know the crime scene or aggressively cross-examine the witnesses.

At 19 years old, CJ Rice was convicted and was ordered to serve a lengthy prison sentence, despite no physical

evidence linking him to the crime and a sole witness whose story evolved the more she spoke

to police.

You know, I think probably there are hundreds, if not thousands of CJ Rice is in prison right now,

because once you see the depths to which the system failed him, it's hard not to imagine that that happens all the time.

So how did CJ get here?

This episode starts in Philadelphia

as 17-year-old CJ Rice and his friend,

Tyler Linder, were out riding their bikes.

It was around 7 PM onm. on September 3rd 2011.

C.J. would later recall seeing a car he didn't recognize

with tinted windows coming up behind them. A hand with a gun stretched out the window. Then gunfire.

CJ survived, although he was seriously hurt. He had been shot three times. His pelvis was fractured.

...