Hey, Prime members, you can listen to American Scandal add-free on Amazon music, download the app today.

It's November 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Inside a courthouse near the waterfront, a crowd of defendants and lawyers files into a courtroom waiting for their cases to be heard.

One of the defendants, Leonardo Johnson, takes a seat in the gallery.

Johnson is a middle-aged man and wears a thin mustache above his lip.

And although he used to be poor and addicted to drugs, today he's dressed in his nicest outfit, ready to make a good impression on the judge and jury.

Johnson knows that that shouldn't be an issue.

All he has to do is sit in the witness box and tell the truth.

After that, there's no way a jury will find him guilty.

You'll finally be exonerated and Johnson will walk out of the court of free man.

Soon the judge raps for a gavill and calls for the next case.

Johnson hears his name and together with his lawyer, he heads forward to the defense table.

It's time to put this nightmare behind him.

After Johnson is sworn in, his lawyer turns to address the court.

Your honor, members of the jury.

We have a rather unusual case here.

And if we want to understand what happened and why Leonardo Johnson should leave this court room of free man, we need to go back to the beginning.

So, Mr. Johnson, if you would, please tell the court your story.

Johnson leans forward as he looks out at the jury.

Of course.

Well, it was a few months ago.

I'd fallen on some hard times and I needed money badly.

...