In New Orleans' famed French Quarter, a young couple enjoys a successful first date. But as they walk in the dark, shots ring out. She screams, and runs. His life slowly fades. She is hysterical, she didn't see the attacker clearly. But soon after, a 16-year-old is arrested. Even with a seemingly ironclad alibi, the innocent youth is convicted and sentenced to death, based on her now unwavering eyewitness testimony.

They are horror stories: Innocent people convicted for crimes they did not commit. Many spend decades in prison before finally being exonerated. Some may even be executed. Hard Time / No Crime examines mistakes of the criminal justice system, and explores what factors appear to have influenced these cases of wrongful conviction.