In 1966, two black men walked into the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson and shot four white people, killing three of them. One of America’s most famous boxers - Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter - was convicted of committing these brutal murders. Throughout his 18 years of imprisonment he insisted he’d been framed by a corrupt and racist police force.

In this episode we hear from everyone, from John Artis, who was convicted of the murders alongside Carter, to the cops and detectives who put them away. We look at the events of the night and how a star witness’ recantation resulted in Carter and Artis being freed, only for an about turn and a second conviction based on the evidence of the same witness.

Rubin died in 2014 but we have gained access to 40 hours’ worth of audio recordings that he made. The revelations in these cassette tapes have never been heard before.

More than 50 years on, The Hurricane Tapes give a chance to hear from those caught up in one of the most contentious court cases in America and seek the truth of what happened that night inside the Lafayette Bar and Grill. Show less