Kalief Browder’s story is a tragic one. Falsely accused of stealing a backpack at the age of 16, Browder ended up stuck at New York’s infamous Riker’s Island for three years without ever being convicted of a crime. Two of those three years were spent in solitary confinement. Crowder hung himself after being release from jail in the summer of 2015, and now Jay Z has linked up with Spike TV and The Weinstein Company to produce a documentary on awful tale.
In the trailer, we see clips of Kalief’s initial interview interspersed with security footage from Riker’s Island. It’s hard to watch the trailer knowing the fate of its subject, but the story continues to be an important moment in the fight for prison reform. The documentary can be seen on Spike in January, when it will air in a six part series.