VERDICT PRESS & MEDIAVERDICT is the true-crime community's first dedicated convention — and a story with real news value. Everything you need to cover it, from fast facts to credentials to interview access, is on this page.
VERDICT: An Event for Crime & Commerce is a three-day immersive true-crime convention produced by Grand Jury Productions, Inc., taking place August 6–8, 2027 at the LeConte Event Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Attendees choose a role, follow a three-day investigation, and become part of the crime scene alongside 100+ true-crime podcasters and creators recording live on Dead Air Row.
Michael Scott Wittenberg is a 25-year veteran of national event production, the CEO of Grand Jury Productions, Inc., and the executive producer of VERDICT: An Event for Crime & Commerce.
Over the course of his career, Michael has produced large-scale national conventions across multiple industries — building the operational infrastructure, vendor relationships, and the audience development playbook that turns a concept into a convention people travel across the country to attend.
In what became a national news story, Michael was wrongfully imprisoned in the Dominican Republic — a nightmare featured on CBS News New York and multiple true crime podcasts, including Locked In with Ian Bick and Inside True Crime with Matthew Cox. He built VERDICT because of that experience — a convention produced by someone who has lived enough of the truth to know the difference.
Official VERDICT press releases are published here as they're issued. For the current release or embargoed announcements, contact info@verdictexpo.com.
Approved media must check in at The Visitation Room (Zone 08) to collect credentials before accessing filming areas. Flash photography is restricted inside The Courtroom during live programming. Interview subjects and podcast recordings on Dead Air Row require pre-arranged access — coordinate through your credential confirmation email.
