Could a sitcom save a man from death row?

Juan Catalan was facing the death penalty for a murder he didn’t commit. There was one man he thought could save him: US comedian Larry David.

On 12 May 2003, Juan attended a baseball game that he would later say saved his life. It was his local team, the LA Dodgers, versus the Atlanta Braves. The game was exciting, but unremarkable for Juan – apart from a television crew that was filming in his section.

Three months later, Juan arrived at work only to be surrounded by undercover police and arrested in front of his girlfriend and daughter. It was several hours before Juan found out he had been charged with the murder of a 16-year-old girl called Martha Puebla. It was a crime that carried the death penalty. Juan protested his innocence, and later realised he had been at the baseball game the night of her murder. Perhaps, he thought, he could prove his alibi if he had been caught on camera by that TV production.

Eventually, Juan's lawyer Todd Melnik figured out that the show in question was Curb Your Enthusiasm, created by comedian Larry David. The network HBO finally let Todd view the tapes, which contained a direct shot of Juan. But the footage was filmed well before the murder was committed, so Todd had to keep searching for evidence to exonerate Juan. In the end, it was cell tower records that proved Juan could not have killed Martha Puebla.

Since his case was dismissed, Juan has gone on to write a memoir called Played and Todd and Juan's relationship has also blossomed into a friendship. They have even attended Dodgers games together.

Credits: Curb Your Enthusiasm/Whyaduck Productions in association with HBO Entertainment/Jeff Schaffer and Robert B. Weide

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Saskia Collette

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