Cracking Open Cold Cases with Jerry Mitchell

Join MuckRock's Sunlight Research Center and award-winning investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell for a practical workshop on reopening and reporting on cold cases, and finding the truth buried in decades-old evidence. Drawing on his experience helping solve cold cases, Mitchell will walk through how to piece together investigations that law enforcement left unresolved and how to turn fragments of old records into new leads.

We’ll explore how to:

• Gather and analyze law enforcement files, court documents, and investigative records.

• Reconnect with victims’ families, friends, and witnesses — and earn their trust to uncover new details.

• Request and organize personal materials like photographs, journals, and letters that can shed new light on old crimes.

• Approach and interview suspects or persons of interest ethically and effectively.