James "Jimmy" Keene
| James "Jimmy" Keene | |
|---|---|
| Refer to captionJames Keene Author.png Keene in 2011 | |
| Born | 1979 Kankakee, Illinois, U.S |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Author, Executive Film Producer |
| Notable work | In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption’’, 2010
Black Bird, 2022 |
| Television | Dateline, season 20, episode 68
To Catch a Serial Killer, 2012 Black Bird, season 1 episode 6, cameo appearance, 2022 |
James "Jimmy" Keene (born 1979) is a former operative for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who worked to gather incriminating evidence on suspected serial killer Larry Hall. He wrote two novels about his experience, the second being adapted into the miniseries Black Bird, which he worked on as an executive producer.
Early Life
Jimmy Keene was born in 1979 in Kankakee, Illinois, to James “Big Jim” Keene and Lynn Keene. Big Jim was a decorated police officer, and Lynn Keene owned a restaurant. Keene attended Kankakee Eastridge High School and was a player on the school's football team, serving as team captain for multiple seasons. Influenced by classmates’ affluent lifestyles, Keene became a pot dealer as a teenager. He was arrested in 1996 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Prior to his sentencing, he declined any deals that would require him to act as an informant.[1] Despite having a clean criminal record previously, Keene was sentenced to ten years in prison without parole by Federal Prosecutor Larry Beaumont.[2]
FBI Operative
Approximately seven months into Keene’s sentence, the FBI and Beaumont approached him with an arrangement that would allow Keene to regain his freedom and have a fresh start. The plan involved him working as a post-trial FBI operative that would transfer to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP), a maximum-security facility used to house the criminally insane.[2] Keene was tasked with befriending Larry Hall, a man suspected of raping and murdering dozens of young women between 1980 and 1994.[3] Law enforcement had only found the remains of one of Hall's victims, fifteen-year-old Jessica Roach. Hall confessed to the murder, but prosecutors lacked physical evidence for the case. After Hall retracted his confession and his attorneys filed an appeal, the FBI feared Hall's possible release. If Keene succeeded in obtaining incriminating evidence about Hall while in MCFP, the FBI agreed to end Keene's sentence and completely expunge his record.[4]
Keene’s FBI contacts arranged a cover for Keene, who successfully earned Hall’s trust. Hall admitted details about many of his crimes to Keene. On one occasion, Keene witnessed Hall with a map that appeared to show the locations of his victims’ remains, and Keene reported the information to his contacts.[5]
The FBI rewarded Keene’s efforts in 1996 with early release and a clean record. Officials have been unable to find the remains of any of Hall’s additional victims. However, Hall remains in prison and has confessed to over fifteen murders during his incarceration.[3] He is serving a life sentence without parole in Butner, North Carolina,[6] and officials believe he may be responsible for up to forty murders.[2]
Media Coverage
Keene has shared his story with multiple news networks. In 2012, Keene appeared on an episode of Dateline titled "The Inside Man" that detailed his work as an FBI operative.[7] That same year, CNN produced To Catch a Serial Killer, a documentary about Keene’s undercover work.[8]
In 2022, Apple TV+ released a miniseries titled Black Bird that is closely based on Jimmy Keene’s real-life experiences with Larry Hall in MCFP. Keene was an executive producer on the project and had a cameo appearance in the final episode.[5]
Books
In 2010, Keene released an autobiographical account of his time working as an FBI operative helping to secure the conviction of serial killer Larry Hall. The book is titled In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.[1][9] In 2022, he released a second book called Black Bird.[10][11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Keene, James & Hillel Levin (2010). In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781429965590. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rosenblatt, Dana (July 5, 2011). "Recanted confession leaves missing girl's parents in limbo". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Berry, Jo (July 22, 2022). "Black Bird - What the series leaves out about killer Larry Hall". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Bisset, Jennifer (August 5, 2022). "'Black Bird' on Apple TV Plus: Ending Explained and All Your Questions Answered". CNET. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Craig, David (July 8, 2022). "Taron Egerton recalls Jimmy Keene's "surreal" Black Bird cameo". Radio Times. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Simons, Roxy (July 15, 2022). "'Black Bird': What Happened to Larry Hall and Where Is He Now?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "The Inside Man". Dateline. September 14, 2012. Retrieved 2022-12-29 – via Peacock TV. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Preview: 'To Catch a Serial Killer'", CNN, July 2011, retrieved 2022-12-29
- ↑ Simons, Roxy (July 8, 2022). "'Black Bird': Who Is James Keene and Where Is He Now?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-12-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Chevalier, Gilbert (December 4, 2022). ""Blackbird" de James Keene et Hillel Levin" ["Blackbird" by James Keene and Hillel Levin]. France Info (in français). Retrieved 2022-12-30. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Keene, James & Hillel Levin (2022). Black Bird. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781250879493. Search this book on
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