Unlocked: A Jail Experiment teased in official trailer
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment shines a light on life behind bars in a US prison but where is Jordan Parkinson now?
The controversial reality series sees some autonomy given back to the inmates of the Pulaski County Regional Detention facility as the cell doors, which are usually shut for days, are unlocked.
The social experiment, overlooked by Sheriff Eric Higgins, has attracted millions of viewers as it shot to the top five most watched shows on Netflix a day after its release.
Among the inmates that Unlocked focuses on is 20-year-old Jordan Parkinson who was arrested and charged with the capital murder of Jadon Shackelford in January 2022.
The 21-year-old was fatally shot in Meriweather Park in Little Rock with Parkinson locked away for the crime but in December of the same year, two more arrests were made.
Read more: Unlocked on Netflix fans want to know cause of 'AJ' Lovett being behind bars
According to KATV, Grant Nichol, 17, and Evan Franklin, 18, were charged with Shackelford’s murder in the first degree and terroristic acts.
It was then reported last year by Arkansas Online that the tragic incident occurred following a marijuana deal that went wrong, leading Franklin to fire the fatal shot.
Where is Unlocked’s Jordan Parkinson now?
After both Parkinson and Nichol cooperated with prosecutors to identify Franklin as the killer, their charges were dropped.
So following filming of the Netflix show, Parkinson was released from prison, and given that he is only 20, it is assumed that he has returned home.
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Despite him no longer being behind bars for Shackelford’s murder, the victim’s mum Hailey Shackelford has admitted she hasn’t been able to finish watching Unlocked on Netflix.
She told Fox16: “I’ve started it and stopped it many times.
“I understand they’re trying to make a show but there are real people involved and real people that are hurting seeing one of the people that murdered my son doing an experiment and getting gifts and free phone calls and all this stuff when I can never call my child again.”
Hailey added that she doesn’t “think someone that’s done such a violent crime should get any sort of reward”.
Why did Harry and Meghan make a Netflix series about their life?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have found themselves at the centre of public attention since they took a step back from senior royal duties in 2020.
In a trailer for the Netflix series about them, Prince Harry told viewers that “no one sees what’s happening behind closed doors” in a reference to how their lives may differ from what the public think about the couple. Meghan adds: “When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make more sense to hear our story from us?”.
Reports suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could receive up to $100 million for making the show, although this has been disputed and the true figure is unknown.
The Pulaski County Government has also questioned the creation of Unlocked, asking for more details about the agreement between Higgins and the production company Lucky 8.
Higgins reportedly told officials that he was given $60,000 which he gave to the finance director and the comptroller’s officer last month and wasn’t personally paid to appear on the show.
He added that two staff members were paid an extra $40 an hour for working off-duty hours.
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment is available to watch on Netflix.
