Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde

An update on this story: On January 13, 2022, the Governor of Virginia — one day before his last day in office — signed a pardon for Vince Gilmer so that he could be released from prison. Benjamin had been fighting for this, with a legal team that worked for free, pretty much since the week the episode first aired in 2013. When the news came, Vince was 59 and had been locked up for 17 years. He was not in great shape. His neurologist says he’s entered what’s called “late stage” Huntington’s. He can talk and feed himself, but his speech and swallowing and chewing aren’t so good. He can walk but he falls sometimes. He gets confused sometimes. The pardon clears the way for him to go to a medical or psychiatric facility that can give him the care he needs at this stage.