Lava for Good has signed its first television development deal, with plans to adapt the true crime series Bone Valley into a multi-season scripted series. Bone Valley, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times since its 2022 debut, chronicles the story of a Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for killing his wife.
Oscar-winning film and television producer Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment and Primary Wave Music will develop and produce the adaptation, working with Lava for Good co-founders Jason Flom and Jeff Kempler, along with author Gilbert King, who wrote and hosted the podcast with producer and researcher Kelsey Decker. It is among the Lava for Good podcasts that offer a critical look at the American justice system. Bone Valley tells the story of Leo Schofield, who has spent over three decades in prison for killing his wife, Michelle, even after another incarcerated man, Jeremy Scott, confessed in detail to the crime.
Schulman says she is excited to bring Bone Valley to a wider audience. “The story of Leo Schofield and Michelle’s murder is one that resonates deeply, as it reveals flaws in the American criminal justice system, and I am honored to help bring not only this case but others the series will cover to the screen,” Schulman said in a statement.
The attention that King and the podcast have brought to the case was cited in Schofield’s most recent parole hearing in May 2023, which resulted in Schofield being transferred to the Everglades Re-Entry Center. A new parole hearing date has been set for this month.
“Leo’s story was particularly compelling because it exposes the complex and often-flawed process of criminal justice,” King said. “Through meticulous research and firsthand accounts, we’ve been able to bring attention to the case of an innocent, honorable man who has been imprisoned and overlooked for far too long. I hope that the work we’ve done will help bring about much-delayed justice and inspire others to question what they believe about truth and our legal system.”
Veteran screenwriter and TV producer Dana Stevens will adapt the podcast for television. He recently wrote Sony TriStar’s box office hit, “The Woman King,” which was produced by Schulman. The Bone Valley adaptation reunites the two.“Like millions of Bone Valley listeners, I was deeply affected by Leo’s emotional resilience, and the surprising twists and turns of his ordeal,” said Stevens. “The show will also follow Gilbert and Kelsey as they tenaciously solve the crime that still haunts so many: who killed Michelle? It’s a tense murder mystery and an eye-opening look at how easy it is for a young person with no resources to be wrongfully convicted.”
No network or streaming service is attached to the project yet, and the producers have not said when they expect the Bone Valley TV series to debut. The podcast has had earlier exposure on television when it was the subject of a special episode of ABC’s “20/20.”
“Gilbert and Kelsey’s brilliant work has led us all on a powerful journey — shining a light on Leo’s case first with the podcast and now expanding to a television audience through a scripted series,” Kempler said in the announcement. “With Welle, we will move deeper into this story and bring more attention and advocacy to Leo’s case and to the plight of others who have experienced the nightmare of being wrongfully convicted.”Bone Valley, which is distributed by iHeartPodcasts, who recently honored Lava for Good with its 2024 Social Impact Icon Award, has also announced it will release a second season of the podcast. King is also planning to release a book about the Leo Schofield case.