48 Hours
Specials
TV-14
This newsmagazine series investigates intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all aspects of the human experience. Over its long run, the show has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, driven the reopening — and resolution — of cold cases, and changed numerous lives. CBS News correspondents offer an in-depth look into each story, with the emphasis on solving the mystery at its heart.
Where to Watch Specials
46 Episodes
- Cure For the Common Snore?E1
Cure For the Common Snore?A 48 Hours special report looks at snoring, and a new treatment that's helping sufferers to get a good night's sleep. It was bedtime at the White residence in Chandler, Arizona, but that doesn't mean the family got much sleep. The Whites had a snorer in the house. And while that may sound funny to some, for the Whites, it was very serious. It meant lethargic days brought on by sleepless nights. - History On HoldE7
History On HoldWill the next winner of the White House be a matter for the courts? And when will the countdown be complete? It may be the greatest political mystery of all time. Two men - but only one will lead. 48 Hours covers the wait for a president. The race to decide the presidency is venturing further into uncharted territory, leaving the outcome, and history itself, on hold. In Palm Beach County, Fla., there will be a hand-counting of the ballots beginning Saturday, so this recount is sure to go until at least next week. And the outcome could be a long way from settled - overseas absentee ballots are still uncounted. The level of acrimony between the two camps is escalating with voter protests building, and lawsuits looming. Both the Bush and Gore campaigns are searching for any small opening, any angle to work that would pull the vote in their direction. In the annals of presidential races, is there anything that can compare with these last 48 hours? 48 Hours looks at the highs and lows, all the twists and turns for two candidates and two campaigns, on a wild election ride. - 48 Hours: Latest on Terror AttacksE9
48 Hours: Latest on Terror AttacksIn Hamburg, Germany, it’s 2:48 pm. on Tuesday; that’s 8:48 a.m. in New York, exactly two weeks after terrorists hijacked four jetliners and crashed the first of them into the World TradeCenter. It may seem like a odd place to look for terrorists, but that’s exactly what investigators are doing. The hijackers, who piloted the planes into crashes , may have met their end in New York and Washington, but some of them started out in Hamburg. Today, reports 48 Hours, Correspondent Erin Moriarty , the investigation centers not only on the terrorists who died but on the ones who might have gotten away. Next to Osama bin Laden, 26- year-old Said Bahaji and 29-year-old Ramzi Bin Al Shibh may be the most wanted men in the world. Last seen in Hamburg, these fugitives are the first to be charged with more than 5,000 counts of murder. - The Road To OscarE10
The Road To Oscar48 Hours examines what it takes to make an "Oscar-worthy" film, from both the stars in front of the camera and the people behind the scenes. Mark Harris, Entertainment Weekly's editor-at-large, also contributes to the broadcast. The story behind the making of "House of Sand and Fog," the recipient of three Oscar nominations, is perhaps more dramatic than the film itself. It is the debut feature for director Vadim Perelman. Correspondent Peter Van Sant goes back with Perelman to his roots in Kiev, where he lived in squalor as a child after his father was killed in a car accident. - Extremely Perfect: Bypass ManiaE11
Extremely Perfect: Bypass ManiaHow's this for a diet: low-carb bagels, bread, chips and cookies. These days, if you can take a carb out of it, dieters will buy it. And they're thrilled with the idea that they can eat steak, cheese and other high-fat foods and still lose weight –- if they avoid carbohydrates. Correspondent Susan Spencer talked to the Stella family of Norwalk, Conn., who decided to try out the low-carb diet. Jared Fogle, 26, is best known as "The Subway Guy," after the brand of sandwiches that he says helped him lose 245 pounds in a year. "I never expected any of this. I never expected to be well known. I never expected anyone to ever know what I did," says Jared. Six years ago, as a junior at Indiana University, Jared weighed a staggering 425 pounds. But now, as Correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports, he's a celebrity because he's lost weight. Actor Wayne Knight says people often act shocked when they see him. He is, after all, now a far cry from his former chubby self, and his most famous role as Jerry Seinfeld's hefty nemesis, Newman. "He's the guy who's always trying to slip in the door and nobody wants him to come in," says Knight. Since Seinfeld closed the door on Newman for the last time in 1998, Knight has shed nearly 100 pounds, not through gastric bypass, but the old-fashioned way. He decided to exercise more and eat less. And he's had lots of help along the way. Correspondent Susan Spencer talked to Knight. "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson lost more than 100 pounds after weight loss surgery. So did singer Carnie Wilson, weatherman Al Roker and MTV's Sharon Osbourne. It's the kind of advertising money can't buy. But are unskilled doctors costing some patients their lives? Correspondent Harold Dow reports. - The Kennedys: Privilege and Pressure aka Sons of CamelotE12
The Kennedys: Privilege and Pressure aka Sons of CamelotThey are an American family like none other. Their accomplishments have made history, and their tragedies have left scars on the nation's soul. They are the Kennedys, and while their family history would have inspired Shakespeare, it has instead become the life's labor of author Laurence Leamer. "It's finally time to see the Kennedys in perspective. And it's time for the Kennedys to stand up and dare to speak truthfully, and with depth, about their lives," says Leamer. Correspondent Lesley Stahl talks to six members of the Kennedy family in this special 48 Hours report. - A Nation's FarewellE13
A Nation's FarewellEven by the standards of a legendary political showman, former President Ronald Reagan's funeral was a masterful curtain call. With more solemn pageantry than the Capitol has seen in 30 years, the nation's 40th president bid goodbye to a city he changed profoundly. Correspondent Lesley Stahl has this special 48 Hours report. - Katrina's FuryE15
Katrina's Fury48 HOURS: "Katrina's Fury," a CBS News special on the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, will be broadcast tonight (31) from 8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT, on the CBS Television Network. The program will be anchored from New Orleans by CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts, who has been covering the story there since Sunday (28). - Nightmare in NapaE17
Nightmare in Napa48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Nightmare in Napa," which inspired the first book, is to be broadcast Tuesday, April 17, 2007. The book will expand on the 48 HOURS content and characters, including a behind-the-scenes look at the television storytelling process, the latest court action and the stunning crime scene breakthroughs that turn cases around. The debut title in the book series, Nightmare in Napa, written by 48 HOURS producer Paul LaRosa, will be published on April 24, 2007. The book has already received praise from Publishers Weekly, which said it was a "...riveting account....LaRosa's clear chronology and thorough research give the tale the weight of reality, while his skillful winnowing of details and novel-like prose keep the pace up and the pages turning; anyone with a taste for true-crime will happily gulp down this sharp, satisfying narrative." The gruesome mystery told in both the broadcast and book versions of Nightmare in Napa began on Halloween night 2004 in idyllic Napa, Calif., a beautiful place with a strong community of neighbors and friends. Two young female roommates-a transplanted southern beauty queen and a popular engineering graduate from the Napa area-were brutally stabbed by an intruder who entered their home through a first-floor window. A third roommate heard the horrific commotion but never saw the killer. News of the tragedy sent shock waves throughout the region as well as the nation, but while investigators pursued every angle from a satanic cult to a disgruntled suitor, the murders of Leslie Mazzara and Adriane Insogna remained unsolved-until someone close enough to the women to escape suspicion came forward with a shocking confession. - Perfectly ExecutedE18
Perfectly ExecutedEarly on a serene summer evening in Bellevue, Wash., neighbors heard a muffled commotion from inside the home of a quiet family, newcomers to the wealthy Seattle suburb. It wasn't until well after midnight that Atif Rafay and his best friend, Sebastian Burns, entered the Rafay house to find Atif's parents fatally bludgeoned and his sister clinging to life. Despite airtight alibis and a dearth of evidence, the boys quickly emerged as suspects. But the police didn't have enough to charge the boys with murder, so the friends headed to Canada. After a six-year extradition battle that went all the way to Canada's Supreme Court, Rafay and Burns were returned to the U.S. The case involved an elaborate sting operation, a damaging screenplay, a shattering surprise witness, and the shocking discovery of one of the boys having sex with his female attorney in prison. Were Rafay and Burns falsely accused? Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Perfectly Executed," which will be broadcast in a special two-hour presentation. Now an original paperback, Perfectly Executed (Pocket Star Books; 2007; $7.99) is the riveting true-crime account of this case from behind the scenes of the broadcast written by Van Sant and CBS News' 48 HOURS MYSTERY producer Jenna Jackson. Van Sant and Jackson draw on penetrating interviews and extensive research to unravel a controversial case from the broadcast files of 48 HOURS MYSTERY. Perfectly Executed is the second in a series of true-crime books based on 48 HOURS MYSTERY broadcasts launched earlier this year. - Love and Death in Alaska
E19Love and Death in AlaskaIn 2006, Mechele Linehan, a suburban Washington state wife and mother with a master's degree, found herself charged in a decade-old Alaska murder case. In the mid-1990s, Mechele was making ends meet as an exotic dancer at "The Great Alaskan Bush Company," where she not only made lots of money, but also attracted the attention of several men who wanted to marry her. Prosecutors charge a million dollar life insurance policy was motive for Mechele to have one of those men killed. - The Lord's BootcampE20
The Lord's Bootcamp48 Hours presents a special broadcast of "The Lord's Boot Camp." Through a unique collaboration Loki Films, producers of the Academy Award-nominated documentary Jesus Camp, the program takes an unprecedented look at three teenagers training to become Christian missionaries while also dealing with the pressures that teens face daily. This marked the first time a camera crew had been allowed to document the teens' experiences at camp, their missions and their returns home. In the summer of 2007, Tabitha Taylor of Bellwood, Pa., Nicole Scrivener of Tallahassee, Fla., and Valerie Smith of Las Vegas, Nev. were among the 700 kids who gave up the luxuries of ipods and cell phones to attend The Lord's Boot Camp. At the two-week, no-frills training camp in central Florida, the girls face physical and mental challenges as they prepare to embark on evangelical missions in the U.S. and Africa and spread the word of God. Taylor, 13, is passionate about her religion and a natural-born leader who excels at camp, but struggles to fit in among her peers. Scrivener, 15, grapples with drug and alcohol abuse, straining her relationship with her family. Her rebellious attitude creates tension at camp, too. Smith, 17, is dedicated to her religious beliefs but finds it difficult to be away from her boyfriend as she faces the physical challenges of camp. - Polygamy: a World ApartE21
Polygamy: a World ApartCBS News delves into the clandestine world of polygamy and the FLDS in a 48 Hours special with insider accounts, harrowing escape stories, interviews with law enforcement officials and an explosive interview with high-ranking FLDS member Willie Jessop. - Michael Jackson - Picking Up The PiecesE25
Michael Jackson - Picking Up The PiecesWith the sudden passing of Michael Jackson, millions of people around the world payed their respects to the King of Pop, yet the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery and raise even more questions about his life. CBS News will take a look at both his legacy and the investigation into his death as part of the 48 HOURS special MICHAEL JACKSON: PICKING UP THE PIECES, anchored by Katie Couric - American Girl, Italian Murder: The VerdictE28
American Girl, Italian Murder: The VerdictThe Perugia murder trial of American student Amanda Knox has come to an end, Knox has been found guilty on all counts. Correspondent Peter Van Sant, examining the case - from the crime to the conclusion. Knox was on trial for the Nov. 2007 murder of her roommate, British student Meredith Kercher, who was found in her bedroom, semi-naked with her throat slashed. Within days, Knox, who was enrolled for six months of study at the University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy, became a suspect in what prosecutor Giuliano Mignini described as a drug-induced sex orgy gone wrong. - Bullying Words Can KillE34
Bullying Words Can KillMiddle school can be a place for learning, discovery and friendships. But for some kids, it can also be a place of cruelty, loneliness and fear. Aislyn Doeur: "You're supposed to feel comfortable. And like you're scared to walk in the hallways. ...I was scared that I wasn't going to have any friends." Jacob Kaufman: "It just got to that feeling of desperation, and pretty much hopelessness." Genesis Johnson: "I was so scared I didn't know what to do. I didn't know who to go to." Johnny Cagno: I wasn't accepted at school. I couldn't be who I am. ...I was very, very scared to go to school every day. Johnny Cagno is an eighth grader at Birchwood Middle School in North Providence, Rhode Island. The school opened its doors last winter and gave "48 Hours" unprecedented access. "48 Hours" spent six months at Johnny's school because middle school is often ground zero for bullying. Tracy Smith reports. - Casey Anthony - Judgement DayE35
Casey Anthony - Judgement DayIt began three years ago with a mystery that turned into an unthinkable crime. A community outraged, a family torn apart, and a nation's attention focused on one woman. After 91 witnesses and 30 days of testimony - stunning revelations, a family accused, disturbing evidence and even more disturbing behavior - finally a shocking verdict. "48 Hours" takes you inside one of the most dramatic murder trials in recent memory. - Vanity Fair - Hollywood ScandalE37
Vanity Fair - Hollywood ScandalAt the corner of Hollywood and noir... three of Vanity Fair's most celebrated writers share their stories of intrigue, obsession and scandal. How did Natalie Wood, while anchored off the coast of Catalina Island, end up drowning one dark, drunken, volatile night in 1981? "48 Hours" has the latest on the just re-opened case, plus the latest on these famous mysteries: Who killed Lana Turner's gangster boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato? Was it really her 14-year-old daughter? And, how did the entertainment industry's most famous -- Warren Beatty, Robert DeNiro, Bono, and Billy Joel to name a few -- fall madly in love with a mystery woman named Miranda over the phone? "48 Hours" Presents Vanity Fair: Hollywood Scandal explores Hollywood's most enduring mysteries. - Live to Tell: An Officer and a HeroE39
Live to Tell: An Officer and a HeroOff-duty St. Louis police officer Isabella Lovadina put her bulletproof vest and pistol in her car and turned to give her then-boyfriend, Nick Koenig, a goodnight hug. A heartbeat later, two men approached with guns, intending to rob them. Lovadina couldn't stop it. The botched robbery and home invasion left her grievously wounded, Koenig with a bullet in his throat and one woman dead. Lovadina relives the harrowing night in a powerful edition of 48 HOURS MYSTERY entitled "LIVE TO TELL: An Officer and a Hero,". - Live to Tell: My Name is VictoriaE44
Live to Tell: My Name is Victoria48 Hours talks to the survivor of a brutal December 1990 gang rape in California. She speaks about her abduction, assault, and eventual release by her to attackers. Eighteen years later a DNA match eventually links actor and former MMA fighter Joe Son to the attack. Police also arrest one of Son's former associates Santiago Gaitan who pleads guilty to the crime.
