Jimmy Keene

James Keene is an American author, writer, executive producer, and businessman. His first book is In With the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.

Jimmy Keene
Born
Kankakee, Illinois, U.S
Known forAuthor, Executive Film Producer
Notable work
In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption (2010)
  • Black Bird: One Man's Freedom Hides in Another Man's Darkness (2022)
  • The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story (2023)

He has written three novels about his experience and his life. In 2022 he released his second book, Black Bird: One Man's Freedom Hides in Another Man's Darkness. It was adapted into the Apple TV series Black Bird in 2022, on which he acted as executive producer.

In 2023, Keene released his third book and follow-up to Black Bird, titled The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story.[1]

Early life

Jimmy Keene was born on New Year's Eve in Kankakee, Illinois, on the south end of the Chicagoland area, 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 captain on both the school's football and wrestling teams, he was also a standout lettering in track and field.[2] Keene was offered four out of state scholarships for football and wrestling. Keene declined to go out of state and decided to stay in the Chicago area and went to Triton College where he continued playing football and wrestling. Eventually, he ended up at the University of Arizona where he earned another degree. Throughout his entire life, Keene has been involved in high level martial arts.[3][4]

Keene became involved in the marijuana business as a teenager. He was arrested in 1996 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a conspiracy charge. Prior to his sentencing, Keene refused and declined any cooperating deals that would require him to act as an informant against anyone.[5] He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. Attorney, Federal Prosecutor Larry Beaumont.[6]

FBI operative
Further information: Larry Hall (suspected serial killer) § Aftermath and incarceration

Keene was a former operative for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who worked to gather incriminating evidence on suspected serial killer Larry Hall.[7] Approximately seven months into Keene’s sentence, the FBI and U.S. Attorney Beaumont approached him with an arrangement that would allow Keene to regain his freedom and have a fresh start with a clean record. According to a CNN interview, Beaumont stated this about Jimmy Keene, "He's smart. He's articulate. He's not afraid. And I knew he wanted to get out."[8]

The redemptive plan involved him being recruited and 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 most violent criminally insane prisoners.[6] Keene was tasked with befriending Larry Hall, a man suspected of raping and murdering dozens of young women between 1980 and 1994.[9] Law enforcement had only found the remains of one of Hall's victims, 15-year-old Jessica Roach. Hall confessed to the murder, but prosecutors lacked strong physical evidence for the case. After Hall retracted his confession and his attorneys filed an appeal, the FBI feared Hall's possible release was imminent. However, if Keene succeeded in obtaining new incriminating evidence about Hall while in MCFP, the U.S. Attorney and FBI agreed to end Keene's sentence and completely expunge his record.[10]

Keene’s FBI contacts arranged a secret cover for Keene, who then successfully transferred to the MCFP and earned Hall’s trust. Hall admitted to specific details about many of his crimes and murders in graphic details to Keene that no one but the killer could have known. 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 FBI contacts.[11]

The U.S. Attorney and FBI rewarded Keene’s efforts in 1996 with early release and a completely clean record. Officials have been unable to find the remains of any of Hall’s additional victims. However, based on the new evidence Keene uncovered, Larry Hall's appeal was denied. Hall remains in prison and has confessed to over twenty murders during his incarceration.[9] He is serving a life sentence without parole in Butner, North Carolina,[12] and officials believe he may be responsible for up to 40 murders.[6]

Media coverage

Keene has shared his story with multiple news networks. In 2008 Keene was the August feature story in Playboy, "The Strange Redemption of James Keene" which became the feature story of the year.[13]

In 2008 Paramount Motion Pictures, alongside GK-Films, purchased Keene's story and life rights to make a feature motion picture film at Paramount. Brad Pitt was attached to play the lead role as James "Jimmy" Keene, and Pitt’s production company Plan B was set to produce alongside Paramount and GK-Films.[14][15] Apple TV would eventually purchase Keene's story and life rights from Paramount and reimagine it into the miniseries Black Bird with Taron Egerton as Keene, Paul Walter Hauser starring as the serial killer Larry Hall, Greg Kinnear as Brian Miller, and Ray Liotta starring as "Big Jim" Keene.

In 2010 Keene appeared on an episode of Chicago Tonight. In 2010, Keene appeared on an episode of Discovery ID: "On the Case With Paula Zahn", a documentary about Keene's life. In 2012, Keene appeared on an episode of Dateline titled "The Inside Man" a documentary about Keene's life that detailed his work as an FBI operative.[16] That same year, CNN produced To Catch a Serial Killer, a special award-winning documentary about Keene’s life and undercover FBI work.[17]

In 2022, Apple TV+ released a limited movie series titled Black Bird that is closely based on Jimmy Keene’s real-life FBI experiences and investigative interactions against Larry Hall in the MCFP. Keene was executive producer on the project and had a cameo appearance in the final episode.[11] Black Bird was nominated for three Golden Globe awards at the 80th Golden Globes Awards. "Black Bird" was nominated for Best Limited Anthology series or Limited Movie Series or Television Film series as well as Best Actor in a limited movie series (Taron Egerton).[18] It also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a limited movie series (Paul Walter Hauser).[18] In 2023, "Black Bird" was nominated for two Critics' Choice Awards, Best Actor in a limited movie series, Taron Egerton, and Best Supporting Actor in a limited movie series, Paul Walter Hauser. The Critics' Choice Award was won by Hauser for his portrayal as Larry Hall.[19]

On July 12, 2023, the nominations for the 75th Emmys were announced.[20] Apple TV's "Black Bird" received four nominations. The four nominations include the following: Natalie Kingston for Outstanding Cinematography in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie, Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie, Ray Liotta as Big Jim Keene for Outstanding Supporting Actor, and Taron Egerton as Jimmy Keene for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie.[21][22]

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. His book is titled In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.[5][23] In 2022, James Keene released his second book titled Black Bird: One Man's Freedom Hides in Another Man's Darkness.[24][25] In 2023, James Keene released his third book, titled The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story, which is the follow-up to Black Bird and relates to Keene's early years in Chicago and gives further details about his unique FBI life and the surrounding events in MCFP and where his life has taken him to today.[26][27][28]

References
  1. Keene, James (2023). The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story (First ed.). Silly Goat Media. ISBN 978-1961181014.
  2. "James Keene; Culling a Confession Brings Redemption". Daily Journal.
  3. "Daily Journal".
  4. "CNN Special Reports". CNN Special Reports.
  5. 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.
  6. Rosenblatt, Dana (July 5, 2011). "Recanted confession leaves missing girl's parents in limbo". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  7. "Larry Hall (suspected serial killer)", Wikipedia, 2023-05-25, retrieved 2023-05-26
  8. "CNN.com - Transcripts". www.cnn.com.
  9. Berry, Jo (July 22, 2022). "Black Bird - What the series leaves out about killer Larry Hall". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  10. Bisset, Jennifer (August 5, 2022). "'Black Bird' on Apple TV Plus: Ending Explained and All Your Questions Answered". CNET. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  11. Craig, David (July 8, 2022). "Taron Egerton recalls Jimmy Keene's "surreal" "Black Bird" cameo". Radio Times. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  12. Simons, Roxy (July 15, 2022). "'Black Bird': What Happened to Larry Hall and Where Is He Now?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  13. "Welcome to the Complete Playboy Archive". Playboy | The Complete Archive.
  14. Jr, Mike Fleming (January 25, 2021). "Apple TV+ Nearing Order For 6-Part 'In With The Devil'; Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser Star, Michael R. Roskam Directs Dennis Lehane-Scripted Adaptation".
  15. "'Black Bird': Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything We Know So Far". Collider. June 23, 2022.
  16. "The Inside Man". Dateline. September 14, 2012. Retrieved 2022-12-29 – via Peacock TV.
  17. "Preview: 'To Catch a Serial Killer'", CNN, July 2011, retrieved 2022-12-29
  18. "Winners & Nominees 2023". Golden Globes. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  19. "Critics' Choice Award winner Paul Walter Hauser talks about his role in 'Black Bird'". February 2, 2023.
  20. "75th Emmy Nominations Announcement". Television Academy.
  21. "Black Bird". Television Academy.
  22. "Black Bird (TV Mini Series 2022) - Awards - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  23. Simons, Roxy (July 8, 2022). "'Black Bird': Who Is James Keene and Where Is He Now?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  24. Chevalier, Gilbert (December 4, 2022). ""Blackbird" de James Keene et Hillel Levin" ["Blackbird" by James Keene and Hillel Levin]. France Info (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  25. Keene, James & Hillel Levin (2022). Black Bird. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781250879493.
  26. Keene, James (2023). The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story (1st ed.). Salt Lake City: Silly Goat Media. ISBN 978-1961181007.
  27. "Black Bird vs. the True Story of James Keene and Larry Hall". HistoryvsHollywood.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  28. "Who Is James "Jimmy" Keene? Exclusive Interview - Comic Years". comicyears.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
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