[Ammi]

...I’ve just watched the first episode of this...(...it’s a 4 episode documentary...)...and it’s a pretty gripping true life story of ‘The most hated woman in Alaska’...



If you're looking for a gripping true-crime documentary to watch, then BBC Three is the place to go as brand new series Accused: A Mother On Trial lands on the iPlayer this weekend.

The four-part docu-series, available from Sunday, details the harrowing story of Ashley Ard, a mother who was arrested and charged for the murder of her newborn baby.

In October 2013, Ashley gave birth to her baby girl in a bath tub and just hours later was arrested after the body was discovered in a nearby forest. Each episode in the series will hear from various people close to Ashley including her former partner, best friend and her defense attorney, discussing the circumstances around the case that shocked the nation as they search for the truth.

The official synopsis reads: "In the small Alaskan town of Eagle River, a man walking his dog discovers the body of a newborn baby, wrapped in a towel, below a tree. Hours later, 24-year-old Ashley Ard is admitted to hospital suffering from substantial blood loss and complications consistent with giving birth. She is soon charged with second-degree murder.

"The public are quick to condemn her, branding her 'The Most Hated Woman in Alaska'. Despite their calls for her to face the death penalty, there is one person on her side. Veteran lawyer and local celebrity, Rex Lamont-Butler, believes she is innocent. With a reputation for taking the most gruesome cases, he decides to represent her. And under his advice, Ashley pleads not guilty."

The BBC show details Ashley, who faces up to 99 years in prison for the crimes of which she is accused, and her defense attorney's quest for the truth. The four episodes document the case unravelling over the course five of years as Ashely's fate is decided.

[arista]

BBC3 online only
can not fit them in.


Later it will go on BBC2HD