Lock Up

Lock Up was a black and white, one half-hour show that premiered in September 1959 and ran two seasons, ending in June 1961. Due to its one half-hour format, other than Lt. Weston, the show had little time for the development of secondary characters, and provided a rather quick and compact story with not much embellishment.

The cornerstone of American jurisprudence is that people charged with a crime by the state have the presumption of "innocence," and are so considered by the society at large, until they are proven "guilty" in a court of law.

Every week in the late 1950's Lock Up revealed for American television viewers an account of the unjustly accused. The shows broader theme is that when individuals are charged with a crime not all is as it first appears and a thorough investigation is duly warranted in order to ferret out the vital facts pertinent to the case.

Enter Philadelphia attorney-at-law Herbert L. Maris who has an uncanny sense of who's guilty and who may be getting a raw deal by the justice system in America. Maris represents the defendants and his practice is to fight for those who have been unjustly charged by the powers that be.

The show began with the following introduction:

These stories are based on the files and case histories of Herbert L. Maris, prominent attorney, who has devoted his life to saving the innocent.
From: TV.com