ALBABY, N.Y. -- A new documentary series created by the United Kingdom’s Voltage TV for ITV, will dive deep into the lives of inmates and corrections officers at Albany county jail.
The camera crew spent six months in the jail and interviewed dozens of inmates, including the man accused of killing the Colonie hair stylist Jackie Porreca. Michael Chmielewski, is in jail awaiting his trial. Police said he killed Porreca in a robbery to feed his heroin addiction.
In the documentary Chmielewski said he is a killer, but not a murderer. He said heroin took over his life.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said all of the inmates in the series signed releases agreeing to be on camera.
"We've solved crimes because of this documentary. People admitted to doing what they did because of the documentary. It was a matter of showing people what goes on everyday behind those walls,” said Apple.
The series is called “Life inside Jail, Hell on Earth.”