20 True Crimes That Changed Laws

[@WatchMojo]

Did we miss any other impactful true crime cases? Let us know in the comments. For more True Crime content like this, click here!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3unZpaNeZ55mJY Don't forget to play our Live Trivia (www.watchmojo.com/play) games at 3pm and 8pm EST for a chance to win cash! The faster you answer, the more points you get!

[@rimuru2343]

Make this into a series

[@charliejoson9145]

You had a similar video like this years ago (which I rewatch every 2 months). The "Son of Sam" law, Amber Alert, Three strikes law etc. were all included. But this kind of topic has now been my favorite so I'll watch this again

[@Morbicity]

The Dunblane massacre changed gun laws in the UK

[@liampettitt1202]

Dunblane and Hungerford impacting uk law

[@whisperecho7815]

"Kari's Law" is an interesting one -- it requires any phone that would normally require an extra step to dial an external line to have an exception for 911. Before Kari's law, you might have to do whatever procedure was necessary to dial out (like dialing 9 first) before calling 911. It's one of those things that seems obvious in hindsight but no one had really thought about it until something bad happened.

[@UnicornOfDepression]

John Walsh deserves so much credit for turning his pain into a way to help others.

[@leesashriber5097]

AMEN 🙏

[@pepzoe1298]

His show was excellent. He (and his son Adam) really changed our country & the world.

[@devinreis5811]

Linda Kasabian did the same thing after she testified against Charles Manson. She worked for NCMEC for years and years. She said, "It could've been my age-progressed photo you see in a Walmart today" in a 2019 interview with ABC.

[@tiffprendergast]

Yeah

[@Kaden10]

The man is a hero in every sense of the word.

[@megansimpson4825]

The fact that the woman who falsely accused Emmett till got to live a long life, despite admitting she lied, without any repercussions, boils my blood to this day.

[@dianawilson8742]

She's burning in Hell now..may not seem like much but I take comfort in the idea.

[@yua147]

One thing i get so frustrated is that the woman who accused him got to have a family, children and grandchildren, the same situation Emmett till wouldve had if she didnt falsely accused him

[@jessicawilliams3849]

She got to live because so many people don’t think racists killing POC is a crime. They just see it as life

[@tiffprendergast]

Yeah

[@kaceyhartling1422]

They did that law and she still never faced justice

[@zejaguar]

Back in the 90s , I worked at a major attraction in Florida. John Walsh was a VIP & was ushered into the ride I was working. Before he boarded the ride, he saw a small child sitting by himself at the ride exit. He asked a fellow colleague why he was sitting there alone. The answer was, he was too scared to ride so, his parents went on without him. Walsh was angry so, he waited for the parents to get off the ride. When they did,Walsh confronted them & gave them a hard lecture about how easy it is for a stranger to take a child. The parents knew who he was & looked shocked that Walsh was confronting them.

[@janeentumbao8690]

Classic case of sucky parenting.

[@lonnieeastin6401]

You throw down, John Walsh! I don't care how old my children are. If they don't wanna ride the ride. I don't ride it. Well, let's find something else to do. BTW. My son is 30 years old and a marine. He's not getting abducted. (Except for a SWAT team, or an enemy army or something.) What kind of fun can you have on a ride without your kid?

[@adamgreyskul678]

Yeah, he lost his child in far shorter time than it takes for a roller coaster to run its course. That was phenomenally stupid of the parents.

[@Breexbloodlust]

Irresponsible parents. My mom would always be with me. Didnt let me out of her sight lol

[@riotz8742]

As he should

[@aridddle]

The crime isn't as serious but the guy who played uncle fester in the original addams family tv show created laws for child actors and their earnings being stolen by parents with out consent when it was found out his parents basically stole all the money he earned as a child actor.

[@blackguyofthesouth2161]

Jackie Coogan

[@leah6820-y9v]

The Coogan Act.

[@stefaniweaver6563]

R.I. P. Coogan. Best Uncle Fester. And also The Kid❤

[@JessiPeele]

@@stefaniweaver6563Fun Fact: Jackie Coogan’s grandson plays in The Babysitter’s Dead

[@The_Notorious_N.O.E.]

These laws, we take for granted today, are written in the blood of many countless women and children 😢

[@meahdahlgren5875]

❤😢

[@cryingbananajo]

And men.

[@janicecostall5897]

@@cryingbananajo👍🏻👍🏻

[@WatchMojo]

[@georgebanks4360]

@@cryingbananajoVery true but us men don’t count for much in today’s society so I’m not surprised.

[@Chantara27]

What breaks my heart about the tragic story of Amanda Todd is how no one was there for her. Sickos teased her about her suicide attempt by drinking bleach. Her torment was relentless and never-ending. My heart breaks for her. I truly hope that she finally found peace. And that the monster who started all of it will be caught.

[@ShadowSora8491]

A Turkish-Dutch man named Aydin Coban was caught, extradited to Canada, and in 2022, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

[@thefreshestmango1106]

Actually the guy who started all that was caught last year. His name is Aydin Coban and he's currently serving 13 years for this. Too short if you ask me Edit: One more f'd up part about all this. Amanda wasn't his only victim. He was doing this to more then 30 underage girls and 5,000 names of potential victims. He had hard drives of over 204,000 files of CP when he was being investigated as a suspect. Once again, 13 years is way too short for his crimes. Let him rot for the rest of his life.

[@pinkfeet518]

@@thefreshestmango1106wayyyy too short. was just thinking of amanda the other day, actually quite often within the past couple of weeks. i hope she’s at peace

[@Chantara27]

@thefreshestmango1106 They caught him? That's great! I didn't know that

[@talradlandheart6075]

@@thefreshestmango1106 On the plus side, the authorities will likely be closely monitoring his online activities once he is released.

[@kendrarasberry3078]

You forgot Carl’s Law. Carl's Law increases penalties when crime victims have disabilities. The law was named after 36-year-old Carl Starke, a St. Augustine autistic man who was m*rdered outside his home by a group of teenagers who were trying to carjack Carl.

[@Mrs._.GalaxyWanderer]

I cry remembering that crime. RIP Carl. At least he’s helped change the world with his tragic end.

[@unicornL]

That's terrible

[@jamesroachjr4074]

I never heard of this

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

I'm glad that law exists. I've never heard of the case

[@unknownstranger6875]

Thanks for bringing it up. It gives exposure to the case.

[@jennifer_m.8613]

Regarding the case of Sylvia Likens: Gertrude's daughter Stephanie changed her name and got a job working with children - when the truth came out, she was immediately terminated.

[@cryingbananajo]

Good. I don't feel sorry for her.

[@brookelynnenewcomer943]

​@cryingbananajo same she deserves to be in jail and not free

[@linda10989]

IIRC, it was Anonymous who disclosed her identity. And her mother got out of prison early??

[@LaraCroftEyes1]

That was Paula. not Stephanie.

[@androgynylunacy]

And Gertrude got a light sentence for what she did. I think she deserved to fry.... 😑😐☹

[@bestnameeverf]

Sylvia Likens and Andrew Bagby/ Zachary Turner are two of the saddest, most frustrating cases I’ve heard of.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yeah they are

[@fromthehaven94]

I'd add the Australian boy.

[@Buzzbar94]

Daniel Morcombe

[@damienc.3970]

The dirtbag1123 case

[@Deborahtunes]

Sylvia Likens parents should have been held accountable too. They left their daughters with this horrible woman without knowing anything about her...

[@Akira625]

I learned about Sylvia Likens from Wikipedia, what happened to that poor girl was absolutely horrific. It’s hard to imagine anyone would be so cruel and sadistic to a child.

[@wikidclownchris]

They made two movies about the case The Girl Next Door An American Crime

[@HopeGardner3amed]

I learned about it from the law and order SVU episode Care

[@simplycarla7380]

@@HopeGardner3amedWhat episode is it ?

[@WaterWay-z8h]

I know

[@mikitesfaye8079]

The song polly by nirvana was apparently written about the story

[@Nicky2414]

It still makes me mad that Emmet Till was not given the justice he deserved, and I'm not even black. Hopefully his story will continue to be used as a reminder to never have something like that happen again.

[@JessicaKissinger88]

Just a reminder that you don’t need to be black to feel empathy or enragement for when a black person is wrong by others

[@tamaramcrae4037]

That women who accused him died in hospice a few months ago too

[@devinreis5811]

The US needs to adopt what the Germans and the Israelis do; they FORCE people that played a role in the Holocaust to go to Israel or Germany to answer for what they did from 1933 to 1945. They'll go anywhere in the world to force the person to go Germany or Israel and make them answer. The French and the Cambodians do the same thing with former members of the Khmer Rouge; they're forced to go to France or Cambodia to answer for contributing to the evil that the Khmer Rouge has done. The Germans, Israelis, French and Cambodians will go anywhere in the world and don't care how long it's been.

[@rachelgarber1423]

I don’t think it even matters that you’re not Black, you’re obviously a compassionate person who recognizes injustice where you see it without invoking the racial component to the conversation

[@TyeArtisik]

Smh ikr

[@Bayougirl78]

Anyone who has worked in retail or supermarkets knows "Code Adam". Basically means, drop what you're doing and look for this kid.

[@ChonkyCat9000]

I work at Walmart and I have witnessed a couple of Code Adam’s, where the kids were successfully found

[@AnastasiaSaenz]

Employee @ TJMaxx and HomeGoods, and the video training we get a few times a year, includes the Adam Alert - Code Adam, and yep - that's exactly what it is - and make sure that the person the kid is leaving with IS the parent.

[@rosieeye6812]

And the doors are locked and no one is allowed to leave til child is found...love it

[@tasha5419]

My mom and I had to do that when my niece disappeared in a clothing store. Thankfully she was just hiding in the racks but scared the life out of us.

[@brittnaycox1578]

I work at a hospital and they have code Adam as well

[@stephaniebattison2334]

Not quite as severe as those on this list, but in the UK, we now have Finn's Law. Finn was a police k9 who was stabbed in the head in the line of duty, defending his handler from the attacker. He survived thankfully & is now retired. His attacker was charged with property damage. The same charge he would have gotten had he broken a window. His handler campaigned for Finn's Law, and it's now in effect. Essentially, if someone attacks a police k9, they are now charged with attacking a police officer. A much more serious offence, with much more serious consequences.

[@NoNames-vw3bq]

Makes sense, the animal is technically a police officer & assists with law enforcement.

[@rebekahashe4023]

We have Joker's Law in TN, maybe the whole of the United States. That was enacted because he was shot while working with his police partner in trying to arrest someone. The bad guy shot Joker, the K9 officer. It was touch and go for awhile, but Joker was tough and pulled through. He is retired now because of his recovery and service and lives with his human partner.

[@mehere8038]

when was that? I've never known a time when assaulting a police dog wasn't considered the same as a human police officer in Australia, so wondering if that's a law from a long time ago or if we got in first with that (they actually say it's 10 times worse for the crim to assault a dog with the response it gets from the police dealing with them)

[@stephaniebattison2334]

@@mehere8038 only a few years ago. Maybe 5 years or so.

[@mehere8038]

@@stephaniebattison2334 wow! Thanks for that info. I'm really glad that law was changed. It's been that way for at least 30 years in Australia. My family used to raise police puppies when I was a child & I know it was certainly in effect here back then & wasn't a new thing then either. Even back then, the police very much saw & treated the dogs as a "police officer" & trained them accordingly. There was negative talk about how some agencies treated sniffer dogs as "equipment" & how different their dogs were to that. Police dogs here are raised by families for the first year of life, so as to experience a wide range of living experiences, to give them a good grounding to be able to make informed decisions later in life as police officers & the dogs are taught/encouraged to use their own initative in the same way as other police officers while on the job. Actually, I think our dogs may have been trained better than our humans in the past, back in the 1980's or 90's, we actually had to bring in a top cop from your country to replace ours & sacked the entire force & made them re-apply for their positions so as to get rid of the systemic corruption we had here in the humans. So ahead on some stuff, behind on other stuff in all police forces I guess. Glad your dogs get proper protections now though. Do they get a pension too? Our police dogs all get a pension when they retire. Their pension is food & vet care for life & they live either with their handler, or another suitably qualified person that will give them lots & lots of love & attention. I was actually offered one of our puppies back when I was older, but I was living in an apartment & didn't feel I had the time to give him everything he needed, so we went to someone else

[@sukiwatson]

It really is a shame that these laws came into effect after someone's death.

[@adamantium4797]

Sure

[@Ecl1pse09]

The Polly Klass Cases is one the frustrating case I have ever heard of. There are multiple neighbors who saw Richards Allen Davis stalking around the house that night; and yet no one called the police or get the girls and the mothers attention. There is also a girl who called Polly’s parents pretending to be Polly, not once but twice, all because of a dare. There is a guy who called in and pretended to be the kidnapper to get the ransom money. Wasting whatever the little time that the authorities have to find Polly

[@keshiathompson9296]

I completely agree with you. Bless her dad because he is still putting sex offenders on blast in marin county no matter what. Probably because he feels like if he couldn't save his daughter maybe he will save someone else's 😢

[@lisabradford8180]

@@keshiathompson9296 Mark Klaas is a remarkable man 👍👍

[@atx-cvpi_99]

That case was the first FBI Files episode.

[@PrincessofPower84]

The Polly Klaas case is so sad. Abducted during a sleepover, and that POS tormented her family, too. God bless Mr. Klaas for his continued efforts. May her family find true happiness and little Polly rest in peace.

[@andieallison6792]

Thankfully this list didn't perpetuate the whole "37 people saw and no one did anything" rumor/misinformation that the Kitty Genovese case is known for to the public. The main problem was that it was too difficult to reach the proper authorities in time, not that people "didn't do anything".

[@mgrew469]

Good to know! I always thought it was the "no one did anything" rumor

[@johnjarusik7383]

The main problem with the Kitty G story is it was a (or rather another) quite embellished story by a NY times writer. Not the first, not the last. Great story though.

[@andieallison6792]

@@johnjarusik7383 this is all Harlan Ellison's fault lmao

[@deborahminter6231]

It's a shame they didn't come out screaming or something, maybe the perpetrator would have backed off and ran.

[@VanessaTaleWeaver]

@@deborahminter6231 Several people did actually. The perpetrator was driven off, but returned after Genovese retreated into a blind alley. There was literally no way for anyone to witness the second attack that killed her, even though one neighbour managed to make it outside in time to hold Genovese as she died. Given it was the middle of winter at 3:30am the fact that anyone realized it was happening at all was extraordinary.

[@sunshinemerlot9790]

It boggles my mind how many of these laws came to be during my lifetime. I am in my 50's and I can remember a time before Amber Alerts, Megan's law & mandated reporting. And I clearly remember the Tylenol case, Polly Klass, Adam Wash and when Rebecca Schaefer was killed. I recently read that children, in the U.S, are safer now then they have ever been in our history. It sounds counterintuitive when you look at everything that is going on but then you remember all these laws that have been put in place that keep them much safer than they use to be especially mandated reporting and Adam's law. I took one of my kiddos to the store once when he was 6 and he thought it would be funny to sneak out of the bathroom, when I told the store worker he was missing, immediately, she sounded a "Code Adam" and the doors were closed and locked and absolutely *no one* could leave the store. His description was broadcast on the intercom and every single worker stopped working and looked for him. It was amazing to see how much this drill had been practiced and how seriously they all took it. It is sad that this drill had to be the result of a child being murdered but I can't help but be grateful that "Code Adam" drills and Amber Alerts etc exist now.

[@ijustdidahugeshit]

I am a qualified lesbian

[@laleona776]

@@ijustdidahugeshit who cares? Troll 🤣

[@laleona776]

Sunshine M- it's a shame most of these are now a JOKE! The whole 'life sentence' if you're a criminal felon & done more violent crimes is now rewarded (bc they're victims) and their victims either deserved it, or are criminals for defending themselves. Our society has become an Idiocracy, basically dumbed down in liberal cities especially. Proof? The moron who 1st replied- like we give a crap what it considers itself to be other than a SELF DESCRIBED POS.

[@stephb3321]

Same. I’m also in my 50’s and I remember all of this. Son of Sam completely scared the shit out of me.

[@ijustdidahugeshit]

@@stephb3321 I am a woman

[@esteemedmortal5917]

Even over 40 years later, people still think you have to wait a certain time period before you’re allowed to report someone missing. Sometimes, law enforcement doesn’t even let a loved one make a report. Highly recommend people make a ‘If I Go Missing’ folder; unless there are obvious signs of foul play, law enforcement is generally going to default to ‘they’re an adult, they can go missing if they want’ so you might be on your own to locate your missing loved one.

[@charliejoson9145]

So until now police doesn't take missing persons case seriously?

[@amandam4023]

What is a if I go missing folder?

[@1966fastback]

​@@amandam4023it's a folder of information about you. It should contain things like a recent photo of you, information on your health, car etc. Also social media passwords, names and numbers of close friends/family. Pretty much anything that could help police find you if anything were to happen.

[@aridddle]

If they are a legal adult you do. But yea most people think the 72 hour wait is universal.

[@amandam4023]

@@1966fastback ok thank you

[@SupermarketSweep777]

The Tylenol Poisoning should be higher as it not only affected the US but the entire world with tamper proofing consumer goods and laws.

[@meahdahlgren5875]

❤

[@DarkAnon100]

It's not a top 20, so the placement in the list doesnt matter

[@meahdahlgren5875]

@@DarkAnon100 20

[@mehere8038]

a lot of them affect the world, even if there's not a direct claim to it & you know the tamper seal doesn't actually make it "tamper proof" right? We had an incident with panadol in Australia not that many years ago. They just used hyperdermic syringes to insert the poison. We actually had a number of incidents in close proximity, ended up with all pain relievers being held behind the counter for a long time, so as to both prevent tampering on the shelf & also allow the person serving to properly check the package for any signs of damage before handing it over to the customer. Most were just pranks conducted in response to the attention of the real poisoning one, moving the drugs behind the counter worked really well for that too, without the need to be doing major recalls & publicity for the sick f*** behind the pranks. Point being though, don't assume your packaging is tamper "proof", it's not!

[@JoyceTaylor-w5e]

And yet there are still many food items sold without protective packaging. That's why folks kept filming themselves licking ice cream then put it back in the freezer to be sold. Because they could! Even after the Tylenol scare some products still have no protective packaging. SMH. NO, I am not saying folks should go around licking ice cream then putting it back on the shelf to be sold to some unsuspecting buyer. Absolutely not. I'm just unsure why these companies still take such easily remedied chances with consumers.

[@101shadeira]

Rest in peace to everyone especially those poor defenseless children 😢 how you could hurt a child is beyond me 🤬

[@Thinkingofname]

Anyone that hurts or takes a child life shouldn't be allowed to live

[@101shadeira]

@@Thinkingofname i wholeheartedly agree

[@JZJ7777]

@@Thinkingofnameagreed.

[@yerfavpsycho]

Saying Emmett Till was just lynched is such an understatement. Anyone who knows his story or has seen his body knows it was so much more than that.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

13:12 The Rebecca Schaeffer incident is depressing and haunts celebrities to this day.

[@TimBoyd2012]

And there was Theresa Saldana before that

[@LB-gz3ke]

I never even considered that a murderer could get parole without disclosing the location of a victim's body. That would be insane. So glad this law was passed. I wonder if a similar law exists in the US.

[@Deborahtunes]

On a national level, no. But "maybe" some states might have something in place. I just mentioned this in my comment that we need a country wide "Helen's Law" here in the US. Too many murderers get these sleazy deals without the family's ever knowing where their loved ones remains are...

[@billyjoejimbob75]

I'm sure anybody falsely convicted is gonna just love that.

[@John231984]

@@billyjoejimbob75 Yeah, what I thought when I heard this. Innocent people are gonna get screwed.

[@billyjoejimbob75]

@@John231984 Like that guy they tortured in to confessing to the murder of his dad. That sure was weird when his dad got back to town.

[@Paladinecleric]

"Who could take a six year old boy?" Turns out a lot of people. If only my family had as much influence with the media as John Walsh we could have had a law or system set in place 4 years sooner.

[@deborahminter6231]

😣

[@tiffprendergast]

Yeah

[@M0nst3r0711]

A new bill coming in Texas, The "Athena Alert" allows police to send out an alert for a missing child without waiting for confirmation of abduction. I think it takes affect soon.

[@TfMG539]

Y'all forgot the Karen act "Anyone who makes a discriminatory non-emergency call is subject to a misdemeanor and up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine if convicted."

[@SymoneD16]

That's it!? No wonder the rich keep getting away with stuff

[@karlsmith2570]

Instead of that being a misdemeanor offense, it should've been made a felony

[@nohypocrisy77]

Is it Karen's Law or Jussie's Law?

[@jasonrandom372]

That is only in the state of Michigan.

[@kenrickkahn]

This law should be worldwide..

[@jilljohnson1413]

The Kelsey Smith Act makes it easier for law enforcement to get cell phone information from providers. Which is now in over half the states in the US. She was abducted in a store parking lot in 2007 and then murdered. It took 4 days for law enforcement to get the location of the last pings from her phone. After they received that information they were able to find her body fairly quickly.

[@XxXMikazukiXxX]

I never related looked into that case. Even though that case is part of why how in school, when they taught how easy it was to look up anything about yourself (as it relates to jobs) and I never found anything about myself, but stuff about thus case popped up. So... never really searched.

[@jadebeauh8438]

The Rebecca Schaeffer case gives me goosebumps, how readily available her address was at the time... I couldn't imagine the DMV just randomly handing over my information.

[@Markb2477]

The Sylvia Likens crime was beyond heartbreaking. I have seen many different horror movies and never was uncomfortable. But, the movie A Girl Next Door was very difficult to watch. The horrors that girl went through is beyond thought. I can never watch that movie again. The worst is the people who did the vile crimes hardly served any punishment.

[@Terahnee]

Girl Next Door is good for the 'horror' side of the story, but An American Crime is better for the story accuracy. I watched both after a similar video to this.

[@JulianneRemley-l2q]

As for the slyvia likens case I had read about it in the the newspaper article about it.but I was either 6 Months old or 1year old when that happened.

[@rachelgarber1423]

One of the most disturbing things about the time kids are reported missing is the idea that missing teenagers are runaways. Police often have the belief that teenagers runaway therefore they delay looking for them

[@Emilythematerialgurl]

That's what's sicking then when they don't find them they look in those parents eyes til them sorry can't find them the nerve yes some are rebels but assuming all do it is disgusting it's like no no no you couldn't find my kid/kids you just didn't care enough used bs excuse to stop from looking then went and said ig were forced to look loosely looked and didn't bother really trying to look

[@SaraVicious88]

It took one massacre for Australia to pass the national firearms agreement, but many will continue in the US because it's considered "unconstitutional" to put restrictions on firearms.

[@Tarsha.C]

Same here in New Zealand. One terrorist attacked a mosque and the government took it seriously and automatic guns were banned. It was supported by most people and a buyback scheme worked well.

[@juliemarsden1858]

Us Aussies and kiwi's are lucky to live in countries that aren't run by national rifle association

[@wendeboyd503]

Because the problem is the people. Sick people who are hell bent on hurting others will find any means to their end.

[@gojosgirl6487]

Didn't you hear? The solution is to lock the doors! I couldn't believe they had the audacity to say something so ridiculous while children are being murdered in school. The "powers that be" aren't concerned because it hasn't happened to THEIR kids, YET

[@immapotato1]

@@gojosgirl6487 nah solution is apparently bigger guns

[@gaylegoodman9097]

I never understand why people would hear cries for help and do nothing. Even if there’s nothing going on, better safe than sorry!

[@charliejoson9145]

In America, it must be like the children's story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf". In my country, people would not really care because we don't want to be bothered by other people's problems.....or no compensation.

[@deborahminter6231]

Exactly!

[@MrsMcClay]

"Not my pig not my farm"

[@PrincessofPower84]

I'm surprised that Jennifer Levin isn't on here. Her murder helped to create stronger rape shield laws, and with good reason: her killer, his dimwitted "attorney," and the papers dragged her name through the mud. I was only a toddler when she died, but I saw the American Justice episode, and it made me sick.

[@1bendykat]

I grew up in the Chicago area in the early 90s and the fear about the Tylenol tampering was still palpable. Many families wouldn’t buy it, even ten years later.

[@billyjoejimbob75]

I opened something recently that had plastic pieces facing downward on the lid which would puncture the tamper seal when you opened it. So when I opened it, I had no idea if I broke the seal or if it was already broken. Totally defeats the purpose.

[@leesashriber5097]

Thank you for bringing these laws to our attention. It's tragic that people had to die to get these laws in place. May those we've lost have eternal rest and peace. 🕊️❤️🙏

[@BigFella117]

Anytime I hear stories like these, my heart breaks for the victims families. But, the laws made because of what happened to them saved many lives in the future.

[@Atrus999]

I feel like this list, through no fault of its own, understates how tragic most of these cases are.

[@TiggerE-ee6vv]

I agree. Dear Zachary is one of the most gutwrenching pieces of work I’ve ever seen. David and Kate Bagby are some of the greatest people and I would be honored to have them as grandparents

[@itss.daphadil]

YES !! Extremely frustrating

[@curlersandcombatshotguns2589]

Yeah 20 stories told in just over 20 minutes. That’s around a minute a story. Quick and to the point but lots of info missed and doesn’t highlight just how devastating most of these cases are.

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

Emmett Till's case was a gruesome one. He was beaten to a pulp so badly that his face was completely unrecognizable. There are pictures of it. And they are NOT pleasant viewing at all.

[@sarahdickson2189]

In the UK we now have harpers law where if any emergency service members are murdered while on duty the person who killed them will be given a mandatory life sentence. This was brought about due to the murder of a police officer who was on duty and the group who killed him only receiving low sentences.

[@Deborahtunes]

Life in prison still isn't enough...

[@cherriecooper5054]

I remember this :( that poor police officer Andrew harper his name was and he was dragged down for more than a mile down the road by the car after they hit him and they knew he was still attached to the car and still kept going 😢😢

[@ladynikkie]

I saw that documentary "dear Zachary", oh my goodness I felt sorry for the parents of the victim. Not only did they lose a son, but they lost a grandson as well because of this crazy woman. Also for the record, the woman that Emmett till was accused of whistling at died this year. She lived to be 88 years old and what's more disturbing is she CONFEDSED to lying and the truth was not to be published until after her death. That publication is still under lock and key and I honestly feel the Till estate needs to sue for the rights of that book there is no way that woman's family should profit off his death!

[@NicklePickle426]

It's such a tragedy that all of these innocent lives had to be taken, in such horrific ways, in order for laws & policies to be changed. Especially when some of those laws & policies don't go far enough to really enact some change.

[@Deborahtunes]

Most people can't fathom that there are monsters such as a Richard Davis or Gertrude Baniszewski out there who harm others in such horrific manners. You can't arrest someone for what they haven't done yet. Especially in the Sylvia Likens case. No one could have forseen what GB would do to her. But Likens parents should have been held accountable too...

[@evanyes5762]

Laws always worked in that way. A serious crime was commited that nobody thought it before, make it a law to prevent it.

[@selfan2005]

Now if only the state of MI could have passed a "Calista's Law" in honor of Calista Springer.

[@stitchesandstaples]

Gosh seeing some of those scenes with Andrew’s mother playing with her grandchild and having fun right while the person she knew killed her son sat beside her and she had to play friendly for any chance to see the only piece of her son left in her grandchild is utterly heartbreaking. Especially knowing the ending. Those parents are the epitome of strength and that documentary is a must see. Though be prepared for some soul destroying content.

[@melissamallek8728]

"We'll never know for sure", never more haunting words by uttered...

[@CrimsonNineTail]

Carolyn Bryant, the woman who falsely accused Emmit Till died recently, May 23, I think. She received no punishment for what she did, bit I heard the cancer was painful.

[@lukelichtenthal5407]

Hope she has fun in hell!!

[@kellbellsparkles]

God knows what she did

[@yum_838]

Now that book is going to be released of her admiting what she did

[@jillianunger9742]

Hopefully it ravaged her body,and she went to he'll.

[@josefstrudelowski]

​@@kellbellsparklesNope.

[@lisao6124]

Emmett Till still pisses me off, because of the fact that the women who accused him, died RECENTLY (i think early this year or last uear). She was able to live a full life..

[@spidermanlover475]

The fact that she lied too

[@pussydestroyer69285]

White woman tears

[@DanniShelton]

I work for DCS in Indiana. It’s sad how many people don’t know that we are ALL mandated reporters in our state.

[@Asia_90290]

The fact that lynching became a hate crime how many years later?

[@theretailambassador]

Not enough people in the comment section are disgusted by this. Very telling.

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

I didn't know lynching was legal before 2022. Wow

[@unknownstranger6875]

More like centuries later. It’s disgusting that it was not recognized as a hate crime for a very long time.

[@last-tc1lm]

That is genuinely so scary y'all had to live with that for so long.

[@maiaburket4565]

I learned about Kitty’s case in psychology and it really was a devastating one. The fact that 37 people witnessed her death & yet did nothing to save her

[@CaptainPikeachu]

that’s actually not true, much of that claim is actually erroneous, and based on actually lies by the police and journalists - in fact many people did try to call the police and others simply didn’t see the attack because of the angle from their views - this wasn’t just people knowing there was an attack and doing nothing I highly recommend you do a deeper research into this because it has been shown in recent years that what was believed about the bystander effect that came from this case, was inaccurate

[@d.p.6657]

@@CaptainPikeachu You are right, I they actually told this case in my psychology class as well and I corrected my lecturer.

[@marcellemccalla6325]

The people who tried to help her that night ended up with severe ptsd and survivors guilt. Because of the misinformation campaign they were harassed constantly. Phone calls, property destruction, physical assaults etc. They never stopped living the nightmare of that night.

[@crystalshaw8744]

I needed therapy after Dear Zachary. That movie changed lives but was truly heartbreaking for me. Again my sincere condolences to the family.

[@cynthiablandford6213]

That is the flawed justice system in Canada,it is still the same way for vulnerable children.

[@reynaolvera7526]

Changed my life. I will never forget that movie.

[@KyleShiflet13666]

I never finished it cause I was such an emotional mess

[@moniqueedwards7115]

Emmet Till wasn’t linched, he was tortured to death

[@snozberries]

It’s considered a lynching because they attached barbed wire to a cotton gin and tied the barbed wire around his neck. 😢

[@fettersofdromi]

The Sylvia Likens case angers me so much. I wasn't even born but the fact that the neighbors even got in on torturing this poor girl just makes my blood boil.

[@kathyharris1627]

I heard a "code Adam" at a store once. I had no idea what it meant until an employee told us. I thought it was there own code I had no clue it was named for Adam Walsh.

[@talradlandheart6075]

There was a law passed in Canada in 1998 that can allow criminals to be continued to be imprisoned after their sentence is up if they deemed highly likely to reoffend upon their release. I remember learning about this from a true crime documentary series about this one man who was in prison for a violent crime(I don't remember his name) and the authorities were looking into every possible reason to keep him behind bars as he was unrepentant of his crimes and still considered to be extremely dangerous. They even went as far to get a psychiatric evaluation of him to see if he could be deemed insane, but that too failed and he was released back into the public. A couple of years later, he abducted and murdered a teenage girl. This resulted in the above mentioned law being passed, allowing dangerous criminals to be held indefinitely if they are considered very likely to reoffend.

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

As a 48 year old gay veteran I really hope that Matthew Shepard is on here because that hate crime changed how gay people were treated overnight around the country

[@carolliz4278]

He is here, yes.

[@TimCarter]

That whole case is based on lies. Shepard's murderer was also gay. He was killed over a drug deal, not for being gay. The courts and everyone have always known this, but they continue to lie about it.

[@SonicGamerGirl2006]

Amanda Todd's death still haunts me ever since I first saw that video. My heart breaks for her family. 😢😭😭💔💔

[@timdatanuki2375]

Another law that should be considered is Brianna’s law, which gives a mandatory sentence of life without parole for child abuse cases that resulted in the child’s death. This was spurred on after the death of Baby Brianna at the hands of her father and uncle when she was only 6 months old, where her mother knew what was going on but didn’t do anything about it.

[@mehere8038]

that doesn't sound like a smart law at all to me. There are cases where people don't intend on hurting their children, they just don't know better & they need help, not jailing!

[@timdatanuki2375]

@@mehere8038 well, I meant as in cases where the abusers deliberately cause the kid’s death.

[@Spingebil]

@@mehere8038Abuse and neglect are different things.

[@inarajayne3836]

Skylar's Law in West Virginia changed the criteria needed to issue an Amber alert. In this case, an Amber alert was not issued immediately for a missing teenage girl who was later determined to have been lured out by 2 "friends" and unalived (not sure if I can say the actual word). The law now makes it a priority to issue an alert immediately.

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

Skylar Neese, I presume. I've heard of that case. I'm not sure why the law was passed. What people needed to realize is that an Amber alert would have made no difference. She was gone before anyone other than her murderers knew she was gone. By the time her parents knew she was missing, it was too late. By the time they informed the police, it was too late. If they had sent out an Amber alert, all that could do is help them find her body. Except I don't even see how they could do that since her body wasn't in West Virginia.

[@devin26508]

@@ChristopherBingham-xx8xlyou would be correct, it was put in place to keep it from happening to someone else, but you do have valid points

[@damianmccartney8707]

I remember seeing "Dear Zachary" talk about a guy punch I just wanted to scream at my TV Andrew Bagby and Zachary Turner's story broke my heart

[@countrygirlbeth1]

Omg I listened to the audiobook his dad wrote about it killed me especially since the dad reads the audiobook

[@erint527]

I watched the documentary YEARS ago..and I just completely forgot that Zachary died too. I’m in shock all over again.

[@damianmccartney8707]

@@countrygirlbeth1 I didn't know that I'm going to he k that our thanks

[@COMPFUNK2]

The person who tampered with the Tylenol bottles was never actually apprehended.

[@ellenspalding912]

Yes it was so sad that no one was arrested, the main suspect was James Lewis

[@deborahminter6231]

There are some really sick people in this world.

[@ChronoUchiha]

Surprised Caylee's Law didn't even get an honorable mention

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

Caylee's law?

[@ChronoUchiha]

@@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl It's a law that came into being after the Casey Anthony trial. It makes it a felony for a parent or a caregiver not to report a child missing to law enforcement within 24 hours.

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

@@ChronoUchiha that's interesting. I've heard that she was ruled to be innocent.

[@the_original_FWG]

​@@ChristopherBingham-xx8xlshe was found innocent... Jury members must've been related to the jury at OJs murder trial.

[@Sophiee231]

@@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl she wants ruled innocent, the verdict was that the jury couldn't find any evidence beyond the resonanble doubt so they did not feel comfortable in sentencing her

[@kellyl13]

I don't remember what the law is called, but there is now one that requires therapists to break confidentiality and report to authorities if a client plans to hurt others after a woman was killed by a guy who told his therapist he was going to kill her.

[@deborahminter6231]

😯

[@erinjohnson2422]

I did a school project on Amanda Todd..i will never forget her story..and unfortunately the actions committed against her are still happening today

[@melissawinn996]

💔💔💔💔😔😔😞😥😥😭😭😭😭😭

[@uwufoxie]

I live near the house where Megan Kanka lived. My grandmother's best friend, who we'd call Sister Nancy, and slept over her house lived across the street. I remember visiting one day and we walked her dog to the little park they put up for her and she explained about this little girl. I was too young to understand what she meant, I just knew the girl died. It wasn't until I was about 15/16 when I found out how big the case was and what actually happened. It's the kind of neighborhood you'd never expect these things to happen in

[@lolahernandez6871]

Dear Zachary is one of the saddest heartbreaking documentary I've ever watched. 💔💔💔

[@reynaolvera7526]

Heart crushing isn’t it? I love that all that footage existed and how Kurt honored his friend, his friends son, and his friends parents because they were literally angels.

[@lolahernandez6871]

@reynaolvera7526 I'm happy I dint hear or watched anything about the documentary before watching it. I uust happened to flip through channels and started watching it. A real punch in the gut.

[@reynaolvera7526]

@@lolahernandez6871 same. I watched it during COVID when we were all home and had no idea what it would be like. I’ve never cried harder.

[@angelaholmes8888]

It's tragic what happened to Amanda Todd 😢

[@rosajessica7405]

I couldn’t stop thinking about that! 🥺😭

[@adamantium4797]

Okay

[@melissawinn996]

💔💔💔💔💔💔😭😭😭😭😭

[@KebusuNiisan]

Not really a crime, but Japan also passed a stiff anti-cyberbullying law which will make such acts punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of up to ¥300,000 after a pro-wrestler offed herself due to relentless cyberbullying.

[@michellecrocker2485]

There's still many more crimes that merit laws to protect other would be victims. In one such case, In Oregon, there was a mother who abused and tortured her daughter to the point where the teen died. CPS had been called more than once and nothing was ever done. This should have prompted CPS reform.

[@renem7645]

The movie based on Sylvia Lykens murder is one of the hardest thing I have ever watched. I almost did not make it through it but was determined to see those involved in face justice. Now even seeing the name of it makes my stomach hurt.

[@melissawinn996]

The girl next door traumatized me 😨😰😭

[@TyeArtisik]

Yes, I watched it

[@reneraftus7947]

​@melissawinn996 That version of the story isn't completely accurate. The more accurate version is An American Crime

[@gmmartines7331]

Emmett Till wasnt simply "lynched". By glossing over what actually happened to him you minimize the entire point. He was beaten so bad he was unrecognizable, not just as himself but as a human being. His mother forewent embalming him and left it as an open casket so everyone could see what these grown men did to a FREAKING CHILD. His body could be smelled miles away from the church where his funeral was held. She also had this photo published. This was nothing new or even rare at the time but it was the first time a lot of people were seeing this. It forced the people of this country to stop and look at themselves, look at what they were allowing to take place. This was NOT long ago -- 68 years! There are still oeople alive today who actually lived this. These are our parents and grandparents for humanities sake. I understand you guys are Canadian and it seems like an unintentional slight but for the sake of not only our future but of the past some people are still very much dealing with, have some damned compassion!

[@LaraCroftEyes1]

My father called Carolyn Byrant the C-word when he heard about Emmet Till.

[@theretailambassador]

THANK YOU!

[@eethemaseun]

The Sylvia Likens case completely destroyed me! 😢

[@melissawinn996]

💔💔😭😭

[@esmi0136]

Do not look up the details for Sylvia Liken's case unless you have a strong stomach... it was one of the few cases that got to me on a physically sick level.

[@carolliz4278]

Thank you for the warning. Several others here posted similarly.

[@Asia_90290]

I get why they have that 72 hour period to report someone missing , because you get runaways , people wanting to disappear etc. but so much can happen within 72 hours

[@masteroftheassassins]

What about the murder of Cayley Anthony and the law that was created? Caylee's Law in N.C. makes it a felony for a parent or a caregiver not to report a child missing to law enforcement within 24 hours.

[@linda10989]

Wasn't she from Florida?

[@haydenmarshall2010]

​@linda10989 she was from Florida yes.

[@jenniferbond7073]

Insane such a law had to be put in place.

[@tiffprendergast]

@@jenniferbond7073 why

[@ohwell94]

​​@@tiffprendergastecause 99.5 % of parents especially mothers don't hesitate to get help immediately if their child is hurt or missing not days or in CA case a month They don't even think about it they just swing right into action

[@VVilla-zh5mw]

16:50 we always hear _"AMBER ALERT"_ but her case still remain UNSOLVED ! Imagine her family's reaction everytime they receive an Amber Alert always reminds them of her unsolved case 😢

[@anthonyperno1348]

Helen's Law has a problem nuance. An innocent man falsely convicted of homicide can never hope to achieve parole, while a guily convict can. It is a small and hopefully very uncommon event, but nevertheless, a problem with justice.

[@homersimpsonsfatguyhat9541]

Dear Zachary is an absolute gut punch

[@reynaolvera7526]

I try to explained the humanity of that movie but there are just no words. I’ve watched countless documentaries but this one is the one that crushes me the most.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Many people failed sylvia likens it's horrible what happened to her

[@gaylegoodman9097]

I remember before 911 was enacted. When I was 12, a man was hiding outside my window, and we had to call the Operator to get the police. We had to call back when he returned.

[@downhomesunset]

That bus driver in Australia should be charged too. Who leaves a little kid behind?

[@nintendo8127]

This should have shown the Baby Brianna Bill, which I forget what the bill stated, but what happened to her still haunts me to this day. Baby Brianna was brutally abused and murdered by the people who were supposed to take care of her. The mother is out (such stupidity, she doesn’t deserve to breathe fresh air again). Even after the poor baby died, the family still disrespects her. Also, I’m shocked Japan doesn’t have a Junko Furuta Bill (or at least not mentioned in this video, and I argue it should be a world bill).

[@ChristopherBingham-xx8xl]

The Junko Furuta case was the worst one I have heard of. As if the case itself wasn't bad enough, the murderers all got very little prison time, have been free men for decades, and have continued murdering young women

[@rebeccac.l.5601]

I knew about Junko Furuta but not Baby Brianna. What sick minds could inflict such horrible things on another person?

[@jennym007]

Im glad you included the Port Arthur massacre. Our gun control laws in Australia means that we do not have the level of violence seen in many other countries.

[@thealextrifier]

I'll never forget the moment my then-delegate Mark Levine nearly got shot at his own home. Because of that, we passed a law banning people from bringing firearms to elected officials' houses/offices

[@vickiweber4718]

Another law to spotlight is the Thurman Law in Connecticut. It came to be after Tracey Thurman's calls to police regarding her abusive estranged husband were pretty much ignored until he stabbed her multiple times, leaving her partially paralyzed.

[@Deborahtunes]

I mentioned that one too. I remember watching the movie in the 90's about Tracy Thurman. It infuriated me how lackadaisical and uncaring those officers were with her situation. I was yelling at the television set, my husband was trying to calm me down, it pissed me off so much...

[@gojosgirl6487]

​@@DeborahtunesI was doing the same thing when I watched it, then they tried to throw each under the bus to save their own butts

[@Deborahtunes]

@@gojosgirl6487 ~ I forgot about that, how they kept passing the buck to the next officer when the s**t hit the fan...

[@RiVer-Parish]

It's sad that it takes tragic events to happen to start the process for change 😢.

[@OGclasshole]

Sometimes, you don't even think it's possible until it happes

[@bell6dandy564]

That seems to be the way with most things.

[@melissawinn996]

Amanda Todd's death still breaks my heart 💔💔💔💔💔😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@JoshJohnson2013]

The Sylvia Likens case is literally heart breaking, Matthew shepherd, Emmett Till those are all wrong and we’ve fought again by it it’s disgusting to think Anyone could do that

[@everythingweather]

I’m surprised “Jennifer’s Law” wasn’t mentioned at all on this list after the disappearance of Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos.

[@714cyjr]

Just to give you an update they just convicted the lady who was responsible for the her murder.

[@chrissiem3958]

Veronica Guerin in Ireland. She was investigating drug dealers and traffickers, and was shot to death as a result. There was massive outrage, and the Irish government passed a law in which the governement could lawfully seize any properties obtained by criminal activities. Apparently, in the first year, drug activity and related crime went down by 15%. Cate Blanchett was in a movie about her.... I suggest you check it out 👍🏼

[@francescascanlan4549]

Just a small correction in the Lee Rigby case- Theresa May wasn’t Prime Minister in 2015; she was Home Secretary (basically a tier below PM). She then became PM in 2017.

[@ryanhogan931]

I don’t usually comment. I LOVE Mojo, by the by. I’ve been a “subscriber” for years. This list was powerful. Not one story isn’t tragic. But each story had a lot of good come from it. Was it worth it…? An eternal debate. Well done friends.

[@MINGIRL1979]

Sorry, but Floyd's death wasn't tragic! He ingested a bunch of fentanyl before being subdued by the cops and that drug along with a heart issue contributed to his death! He wasn't "murdered"! He died of an overdose of fentanyl! Honestly, the world is better off without Floyd! He pointed a gun at a pregnant woman's stomach while his cohorts robbed her house!

[@Love2Cruise]

US: Guns won’t work. Australia: Hold my Fosters.

[@oldbroadabroad6619]

We don't drink that swill 😂

[@Tarsha.C]

In New Zealand, after a young woman named Sophie Elliot was killed and her ex used the 'partial defense of provocation'. After his trial (in which he was rightfully found guilty), the government removed that option as a defense.

[@ROCKONplaceboforever]

Great list and rip to all who passed 🙏

[@mihaelajukic1314]

That 60 minutes Australia video about Daniel Morcombe....still hurts, his poor mother. My heart breaks when I hear her speak.

[@shannenspence3318]

There was a case in Michigan in 2012 that resulted in Dominick's Law . It was a horrific,tragic case and it probably would have 'triggered' if it had made this list. But,I think it should have been on. That case changed a Law in Michigan protecting children from domestic abuse.

[@Dragontamer135]

My grandpa used to be firefighter and he had a law changed due to the accident he was in. He was holding on to the back of the fire truck while on his way to something. Ever since that bad accident it has been illegal to do so. At least in my state I'm not sure about others.

[@DwayneIsK1NG]

Claire's Law should be a worldwide law. If not, America AT LEAST

[@hannahlowe794]

I really like this video. It’s super fascinating, and I hope you can find more stories to make yet another video about this topic.

[@gregap8282]

This what I find truly disgusting about true crime fans. Are you aware that these are real stories? And by hoping they find more stories, you're almost celebrating the tragedy all those victims went through? These stories shouldn't be seen as entertainment

[@karenedwards427]

@@gregap8282 as an advocate for missing and murdered children, if done with the families in mind, it's good for people to know their stories and the good that came out of their grief.

[@hannahlowe794]

@@gregap8282 Dude, this is KZbin. I think it’s interesting. I’m not saying, “Woohoo! People died, so I have new content to watch!” No, I’m not saying that. I think it’s informative. Hearing these stories is keeping the victims’ memories alive. It’s being more aware. And sometimes, it takes one person’s tragedy to save many others from the same fate.

[@hannahlowe794]

@@karenedwards427 Thanks for backing me up, here.

[@gregap8282]

@@karenedwards427 that's not what she wrote

[@aplit]

There are also marital rape laws, like from Oregon V Rideout in 1978. They're still a big problem, though. Every US state didn't illegalize it until the 90's. My mom's previous husband (before she met my dad) was extremely abusive and assaulted her. She did report it to police, but they didn't do anything about it since they were married. Sure enough, the bastard not only tried to kill her but also went on to kidnap their son (my brother) after she finally left him for good (thank god they found my brother months later and he was returned to my mom). Every time I remember this, I keep thinking it might not have happened if they arrested and jailed the guy.

[@mehere8038]

we now go even further in NSW Australia. If a person says they were assaulted, the person alleged to have done it has to prove they had consent, even in marriage. It's called "affirmative consent laws" & if drunk, a person is incapable of providing consent. The laws are in response to what happens to victims in court when the burden of proof is on them to prove it happened, plus the "freeze response" being used by offenders to say "but they never told me to stop"