Lion brings true crime book to TV

Lion Television USA is developing a TV adaptation of true crime book Burned: A Story of Murder & the Crime That Wasn’t from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes.

Tony Tackaberry

Burned uncovers the story behind a 1989 house fire that claimed the lives of Jo Ann Parks’ three young children. Though the fire at first seemed accidental, investigators soon discovered evidence implicating Parks, who received a life sentence with no parole.

Over 25 years later, developments in forensic science allowed investigators to take a deeper look into the case, and the California Innocence Project subsequently challenged the original conviction, claiming Parks – who has always protested her innocence – had been wrongfully charged.

The TV adaptation will be executive produced by Lion Television USA CEO Tony Tackaberry and senior VP of development Stan Hsue alongside Humes. Lion TV is a unit within Discovery-backed All3Media.

Burned is part of Lion’s push to develop more original IP, with the company recently premiering the reboot of Cash Cab and lining up the premieres Diabolical season three and Hometown Homicide S2. Lion currently has almost half-a-dozen true crime projects in production.