20/20 10/7 (West Coast Only) on ABC

ABC News’ ‘20/20’ Airs on the West Coast, Saturday, October 7

October 5, 2017

‘20/20’ FEATURES JACKSON 5 MEMBER TITO JACKSON AND NEXT GENERATION MUSICAL ACT ‘3T’ ON THE DEATH OF EX-WIFE AND MOTHER, DEE DEE JACKSON

Report Includes Jailhouse Interview with Don Bohana,
The Man Convicted of Murdering Dee Dee

‘20/20’ Airs on the West Coast, Saturday, October 7 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC

“20/20” speaks with Jackson 5 member Tito Jackson and the next generation Jackson musical act “3T,” Taryll, Taj and TJ Jackson, about the murder of his ex-wife and their mother, Dee Dee Jackson. In 1994, Dee Dee drowned at the home of then-prominent Los Angeles businessman Don Bohana. Although officials initially suspected her death was due to a swimming accident, the Jacksons disagreed and filed a wrongful death suit against Bohana. Two years later, the manner of death was officially changed to homicide and Bohana was ultimately convicted of Dee Dee’s murder, receiving a sentence of 15 years to life. Now, 19 years after his conviction, Bohana and his family are on a crusade to prove that he was wrongfully convicted. Due to the college football broadcast schedule, “20/20” airs only on the West Coast Saturday, October 7 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (Rebroadcast. OAD ABC 9/15/17)

Correspondent Jim Avila speaks to Bohana, who maintains his innocence, from prison about what he says happened that fateful night. The hour includes interviews with Tito; Taryll, Taj and TJ; Bohana’s daughter Donna and ex-wife Sheila.  “20/20” also interviews key players from the case at the time, including Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detective Bob Snapper, Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman; deputy district attorney Lori Jones; Dr. Michael Baden, expert coroner for the defense; and Harland Braun, Bohana’s defense attorney. The report also includes the 911 call Bohana made the night of Dee Dee’s death.

Bohana claimed that he and Dee Dee were enjoying an evening drinking and swimming in his pool, when he noticed that she had stopped moving in the deep end. After repeated attempts, Bohana said he was eventually able to get her out of the pool and tried to administer CPR. She was pronounced dead a few hours later. Dee Dee’s family was suspicious of this version of events because they claim that Dee Dee could not swim and was afraid of being in the water. At first, coroner Dr. David Posey concluded the circumstances surrounding her death were “undetermined” despite what he said appeared to be “non-accidental” bruises and scrapes on her body. Two years after Dee Dee Jackson’s death, Posey changed his opinion to homicide. “20/20” looks into why. Bohana was charged and eventually convicted of second-degree murder. The Bohana family blames his conviction on Braun’s refusal to call Dr. Baden as a witness, even though Baden strongly concluded that Dee Dee’s death was an accident. To this day, Bohana is furious about Braun’s decision. Bohana’s daughter Donna also uncovered evidence that she believes raises questions about prosecution coroner Dr. Posey’s qualifications to render an opinion in her father’s case.

 “20/20” is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir. David Sloan is senior executive producer.