It’s 1989. James Gibson is back in Chicago for Christmas when he’s picked up by police on suspicion of murder. He will end up spending nearly 30 years in prison, convicted of a crime he’d one day be cleared of. That cold December night would spark a decades-long fight for justice — one that’s entwined in a dark legacy of torture perpetrated by Chicago police commander Jon Burge and his “Midnight Crew.”  

This is part one of a three-part series. This episode contains descriptions of violence.

Host: Omar Jimenez

Producers: Graelyn Brashear, Madeleine Thompson, Emily Williams, Kyra Dahring, Sofia Sanchez, and Lauren Kim  

Editor: Lacy Roberts 

Technical director: Dan Dzula  

Executive producer of CNN Podcasts: Steve Lickteig  

Production help from: Jake Sorgen, Joe DeCeault, David Guggenheim, and Jessica Pupovac

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices