'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This week's episode of ID's brand new season of Reasonable Doubt will take a closer look at the 2009 case of Joel Atkin's killing of Jayson Sack over a minor traffic dispute.
The show revolves around two investigators, defense attorney Fatima Silva and retired homicide detective Chris Anderson, who re-examine controversial murder cases in an attempt to help the families of the people convicted of the crimes. The two then decide if they should appeal or accept the verdict once and for all.
The upcoming episode will feature Joel Atkin, who made a fateful wrong turn that landed him in state prison after being charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Jayson Sack on April 25, 2009. Atkin is currently serving a sentence of 17 to 34 years in prison.
Atkin's family believes he shot Jayson Sack in self-defense, and they hope the investigators will support their efforts to free him.
Trigger warning: This article contains information about graphic violence
Who is Joel Atkin?
Joel Atkin, 23 at the time, was a 2007 graduate of the criminal-justice program at Mercyhurst North East. In 2009, he claimed he shot Jayson Sack, 30, in self-defense. While he was arrested for "accidental" murder, an Erie County judge said that Atkin's misunderstanding of his right to self-defense caused Sack's death.
According to a detective, Atkin immediately surrendered and began talking about the shooting at the scene, telling the officer he understood his rights because he was a criminal justice major.
During the trial, testimony indicated that Jayson Sack had left a family picnic to roll up his car window and that Atkin stopped his car in the street and got out with a handgun, and the two began to argue. One witness testified that Joel Atkin stopped his car after Jayson Sack yelled at him to slow down.
What did Atkin do and what happened to him?
As previously stated, Joel Atkin was charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Jayson Sack on April 25, 2009. According to police, Atkin shot Sack after he stood in the path of his car and told him to stop speeding through a residential neighborhood.
On that day, Joel Atkin was running an errand in a quiet area of the city but had a loaded gun on him. He had a.356 magnum, which he had a permit to carry. When Sack yelled at Atkin to slow down his car, he shot the former instead of ignoring him.
According to Sack's brother, who witnessed the shooting while on a picnic at his house, Atkin had plenty of time to make the right decision and walk away from the confrontation. Instead, Atkin shot Jayson Sack before fabricating a story to justify his actions.
Judge Ernest J. DiSantis Jr. sentenced Joel Atkin to serve 17 to 34 years in state prison for killing Sack in a confrontation that started with a traffic dispute in the 2200 block of East 20th Street. Furthermore, he was ordered to pay court costs and $5,134 in restitution to cover Sack's funeral costs.
In January 2010, an Erie County jury convicted Joel Atkin of third-degree murder, attempted aggravated assault, and recklessly endangering others. However, Atkin's family and friends pleaded for leniency, citing Joel Atkin's role as a father figure to his younger brothers and his participation on wrestling teams, where he mentored younger athletes.
A sentence in the mitigated range, which would have required a minimum of six and a half years in state prison, was also advocated for by his attorney, Jon Pushinsky. In addition, he predicted that Atkin would never commit a similar crime and could contribute positively to society.
As for Atkin, he claimed he stopped his car because he thought he had hit something and Sack had approached him and physically attacked him.
Atkin also offered a lengthy apology to the Sack family. He said,
"I understand the finality of what I have did and the fact that it cannot be changed."
About ID's Reasonable Doubt
ID's Reasonable Doubt follows retired homicide detective Chris Anderson and criminal defense attorney Fatima Silva who help desperate families seek justice or closure if their loved one has been wrongfully convicted of murder.
With each episode of the series, the duo investigates new cases and observes new developments, such as new witnesses and evidence, to either support the defendant's claim of innocence or point to the guilty verdict being correct.
The official synopsis for the upcoming episode reads:
"Chris Anderson and Fatima Silva hear the case of Joel Atkin, a man who made a wrong turn in 2009, sparking a petty argument that leaves one man dead and Atkin in prison for murder."
Reasonable Doubt is a hard-hitting, balanced, and emotional look at the US criminal justice system and how sometimes people are either wrongly convicted or not charged guilty for their crimes. The upcoming episode is titled Bringing a Gun to a Fist Fight and will premiere on Tuesday, August 30 at 10:00 PM EST on ID.
