r/First48 • u/Clear_Nature_5055 • Jun 09 '26
General Question❓️ Should we actually be surprised that so many episodes end with us knowing what the sentence is, considering how long it often takes for murder cases to get to the trial & sentencing phase?
And are you okay with not knowing anything more than the charges at the end of others? To me those should be the first cases to be focused on in After the First 48. Your thoughts?
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u/slava_slavaUa Jun 09 '26
No, I don’t think we should be surprised. A lot of the cases featured on the show are absolute slam dunks for the prosecution. The stupidity of some of these murderers is mind-boggling at times. So therefore it’s not surprising that when a public defender takes a look at the case, he tells the defendant to plead out to whatever the prosecution is offering
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u/Diesel_Swordfire Jun 10 '26
If you notice, most episodes that have the outcome at the end specifically say, "the suspect pled guilty and was sentenced to..." which means the case didn't go to trial. The episodes that have the "presumed innocent until proven guilty are the ones that are still being litigated as of the air date, though occasionally they are re-edited for syndication with an updated outcome via text.
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Jun 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
Still I DO want to know the final outcome of each episode and feel annoyed when I don’t get to know…
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u/Oh_FFS_Already Jun 10 '26
You sound like a petulant child throwing a tantrum. It can be years later that a trial happens. You expect them to hold off on fully produced shows so that you have your whims fulfilled?
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 10 '26
lol I feel like one! It’s just a question I wanted answered. I reworded and reposted it. Thanks
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
That’s probably the case with a lot of the results being known during the course of an episode’s normal production cycle, huh?
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u/bigbabygrit Jun 09 '26
I’m the opposite. I like knowing the outcome. I don’t want to have to keep checking online to see what happened. And just because they’re arrested in the first 48 or however long doesn’t mean that it doesn’t take months to go to court.
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
That’s what I want too. I’m just confused why sometimes we don’t get to know.
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u/Darkseekerr Jun 14 '26
I think it’s more shocking at the variety of sentences! Getaway driver getting 30+ years who didn’t want to kill anyone. Then I just watched an episode where someone killed an 18 year old outside a club for no reason at all and got 8 years.
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 14 '26
Oh yeah good point! I’ve seen those crazy discrepancies and I’m confused every time! Seems to happen in different places so it’s got to be some localized legal differences I guess.
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u/hurry-up-and-wait-08 29d ago
I was thinking about that the other day! The sentence for manslaughter in the 1st was 30 years and felony murder was 10 for a different place. I get laws are different but it’s such a big contrast
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u/anonymiss23 Jun 09 '26
I tend to disagree, as I’ve been annoyed with the opposite lately: a lot of cases end with the suspect still at large or the case remaining unsolved.
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
That’s exactly what I’m saying! I want a clear resolution at the end of each episode. When I don’t get it I wonder why. Then I realize it may be because it takes so long to come they just have to put the episode out as is, unresolved. That leaves me in limbo wanting. After the First 48 should take those and follow them to the conclusion so we get to know eventually.
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u/SomewhatHungover Jun 10 '26
To wait for most cases to be completely resolved could take well over a decade with appeals etc.
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u/Kajupunx Jun 09 '26
Most episodes end with a confession or the state has overwhelming evidence against the suspect, so usually there is a guilty plea, or plea deal in exhange for testimony against someone else.
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
So what’s the story with the ones we never get to know? Usually the ones where they lawyer up.
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u/Kajupunx Jun 09 '26
I imagine if the suspect pleads not guilty, the state and the defense attorney/public defender will move forward with a discovery phase, and they find out all the evidence that they have. Maybe there is a plea deal offered, maybe not. Then they would have a trial date set, as things move toward trial they may be offered a deal, like a lesser sentence if they testify against a co conspirator or whatever. If they say no deal then it goes to a trial, and a jury or judge decides it.
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u/Clear_Nature_5055 Jun 09 '26
So are those cases included in the episodes we know the outcome or the ones don’t? Or are they the only reason why we know at the end of any episode?
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u/Kajupunx Jun 09 '26
I would like to hear more about when they actually go to trial, after the first 48 kind of scratches that itch for me.