The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper

CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper premieres an unflinching look inside some of Africa's most overcrowded maximum-security prisons, where a groundbreaking program is transforming lives from the inside out.

In this episode, Cooper returns to Nairobi, Kenya, to revisit a story he first covered six years ago inside a prison system where overcrowding and severe resource shortages create harsh daily realities for the tens of thousands of people held inside. Without access to an attorney and unable to pay bail, many may remain incarcerated for years before ever standing trial. Cooper catches up with Alexander McLean, founder of Justice Defenders, an innovative nonprofit organization that trains incarcerated people to become paralegals and even earn law degrees, and which has helped more than 69 thousand incarcerated men and women leave prison and return to society.

"It is remarkable to see what Justice Defenders is doing inside these maximum security prisons, where so few people have access to attorneys and many may spend years just waiting for a hearing before a judge," said Cooper. "Justice Defenders find incarcerated people eager to help others and with even a few weeks of paralegal training they can help thousands of others understand their rights and the legal system."

With unprecedented access inside facilities in Kenya and beyond, the episode traces the journeys of men and women who have gone from death row and overcrowded cells to becoming legal advocates for themselves and others. The reporting expands to the United States, where McLean meets with men incarcerated in New York to explore whether the Justice Defenders model could be used in America, which has one of the world's highest incarceration rates.

In "Rob Reiner: His Life and Legacy," CNN Anchor and Senior National Correspondent Sara Sidner examines the most recent details surrounding what happened the night the Reiners were killed, the ongoing investigation involving Reiner's son, and the legal case unfolding against him. The hour also looks more broadly at Rob Reiner's far-reaching influence on Hollywood and American politics, featuring reflections from those who knew him personally and worked alongside him. Friends and fellow activists, including Alan Horn, Dustin Lance Black, and Howard Dean, offer insight into Reiner's creative achievements, civic engagement, and the imprint he left on American culture.

Venezuela remains in crisis following the dramatic capture of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces. In this hour, CNN Senior National Correspondent David Culver examines the high-stakes moment through both immediate developments and historical context, tracing the fraught relationship between Washington and Caracas. He also reports on Maduro and Flores' first court appearances, the rapid transition of power as a new Venezuelan leader is sworn in, and the reaction across the United States. The episode brings together voices from inside Venezuela with analysis from American lawmakers and experts, exploring both the legality of the operation and its far-reaching political consequences.