{{Short description|American former FBI operative and author}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Jimmy Keene | image = <!--Image must have a free license--> | image_upright = 1 | alt = | caption = Keene in 2018 | birth_date = | birth_place = Kankakee, Illinois, U.S. | known_for = Former FBI operative, author | notable_works = ''In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer and Dangerous Bargain for Redemption'' by James Keene with Hillel Levin (2010) | television = ''Black Bird'' executive producer }}
'''James Keene''' is an American former FBI operative and author.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Kevin |date=July 7, 2022 |title=Black Bird: History vs. Hollywood |url=https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/black-bird/ |url-access=registration |url-status=live |website=History Vs. Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=MacArthur |first=Greg |title=Jimmy Keene's True Crime Thriller Is Still The Best Miniseries On Apple TV |url=https://screenrant.com/apple-tv-best-series-black-bird-crime-thriller-jimmy-keene-true-story/ |url-access=registration |url-status=live |website=Screen Rant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Baron |first=Ethan |date=October 1, 2025 |title=Former FBI operative James Keene, whose memoir was made into Apple TV+ series Black Bird, claims Google’s AI chatbot called him a killer |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/10/01/former-fbi-operative-james-keene-apple-tv-black-bird-googles-ai-chatbot-killer/ |url-access=registration |url-status=live |website=The Mercury News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carey |first=Alexis |date=January 31, 2023 |title=Inside the daring secret undercover mission that brought down a notorious serial killer |url=https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/inside-the-daring-secret-undercover-mission-that-brought-down-a-notorious-serial-killer/news-story/608a39ea9d83673ca50ea9d0cca1ff45 |url-access=registration |url-status=live |website=News.com.au}}</ref> In 1996, Keene was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment on a marijuana-related conspiracy charge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bisset |first=Jennifer |title='Black Bird' on Apple TV Plus: Ending Explained and All Your Questions Answered |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/black-bird-on-apple-tv-plus-ending-explained-and-all-your-questions-answered/ |url-access=registration |url-status=live |website=CNET}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=James Keene |url=https://us.macmillan.com/author/jameskeene |url-status=live |website=macmillian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=MacArthur |first=Greg |date= |title=Jimmy Keene's True Crime Thriller Is Still The Best Miniseries On Apple TV |url=https://screenrant.com/apple-tv-best-series-black-bird-crime-thriller-jimmy-keene-true-story/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=Screen Rant}}</ref> Seven months into his incarceration, he was approached by the FBI and offered a deal which would result in having his record expunged. He was asked to transfer undercover to the prison where suspected serial killer Larry Hall was being held, befriend him, and obtain information which could be used to block Hall's appeal against his sentence. Keene was successful and he was released from prison having served 17 months.
In 2010, James Keene with Hillel Levin wrote a memoir about his experience titled ''In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer and Dangerous Bargain for Redemption''. It was adapted into the television miniseries ''Black Bird'', which was released in 2022. Keene served as executive producer on the series.
==Early life and education== James Keene was born on New Year's Eve in Kankakee, Illinois, an exurb of Chicago, to James Keene and Lynn Keene. His father was a police officer, and his mother owned a restaurant.<ref name="catch serial killer">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/crime/2011/07/01/baldwin.to.catch.a.serial.killer.cnn |title=Preview: 'To Catch a Serial Killer |type=Video |date=July 1, 2011 |language=en |access-date=January 27, 2025 |work=CNN |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228043630/https://www.cnn.com/videos/crime/2011/07/01/baldwin.to.catch.a.serial.killer.cnn |url-status=live }}</ref> He attended Kankakee Eastridge High School<ref>{{Cite news |first=Dennis |last=Yohnka |date=October 19, 2010|title=James Keene; Culling a Confession Brings Redemption |work=Daily Journal |url=https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/james-keene-culling-a-confession-brings-redemption/article_20687a87-3d42-5c43-8611-3fe6a77429dc.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322033956/https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/james-keene-culling-a-confession-brings-redemption/article_20687a87-3d42-5c43-8611-3fe6a77429dc.html|archivedate=March 22, 2018}}</ref> and then Triton College, where he was captain of the football and wrestling teams, and lettered in track and field. He went on to attend the University of Arizona, where he earned another degree.<ref name="Rice-2010">{{Cite web |last=Rice |first=Lynette |date=October 19, 2010 |title='Black Bird: The Real Jimmy Keene Didn't Experience Quite The Same Metamorphosis As Apple TV+ Version, Says Taron Egerton – Contenders TV |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/black-bird-taron-egerton-paul-walter-hauser-greg-kinnear-interview-contenders-tv-1235327261/ |website=Deadline |access-date=October 12, 2025 |archive-date=December 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224150313/https://deadline.com/2023/04/black-bird-taron-egerton-paul-walter-hauser-greg-kinnear-interview-contenders-tv-1235327261/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="cnn transcript">{{Cite web |title=To Catch a Serial Killer |type=Transcript |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1501/31/csr.01.html |website=CNN Special Reports |access-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307183807/http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1501/31/csr.01.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Keene also practiced martial arts.<ref name="catch serial killer"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carey |first=Alexis |date=January 29, 2023 |title='Hero' who conned a serial killer |url=https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/inside-the-daring-secret-undercover-mission-that-brought-down-a-notorious-serial-killer/news-story/608a39ea9d83673ca50ea9d0cca1ff45 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128191640/https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/inside-the-daring-secret-undercover-mission-that-brought-down-a-notorious-serial-killer/news-story/608a39ea9d83673ca50ea9d0cca1ff45 |archive-date=January 28, 2023 |access-date=March 23, 2025 |work=news.com.au |language=en-GB |url-status=live }}</ref>
== FBI operative inside federal prison == {{Further|Larry Hall (suspected serial killer)#Incarceration}}
Keene became involved in selling marijuana as a teenager. In 1996, he was charged by the FBI and the DEA on a conspiracy charge. Prior to his sentencing, Keene did not cooperate with law enforcement according to his autobiography.<ref name="Keene-2010">{{Cite book |last1=Keene |first1=James |first2=Hillel |last2=Levin |title=In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RqPAko802QAC&pg=PA2 |pages=2–4 |isbn=978-0-312-55103-2}}</ref> He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.<ref name="Rosenblatt-2011">{{Cite web |last=Rosenblatt |first=Dana |date=July 5, 2011 |title=Recanted confession leaves missing girl's parents in limbo |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/07/04/tricia.reitler.disappearance/index.html |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>
Approximately seven months into Keene's sentence, the FBI and prosecutors approached him with an arrangement that would allow Keene to reduce his prison sentence and expunge his record.<ref name="cnn transcript"/> The arrangement involved Keene gathering incriminating evidence on suspected serial killer Larry Hall at the direction of law enforcement. The cooperation involved him being transferred to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP).<ref name="Rosenblatt-2011" /> Keene was tasked with befriending Hall, a man suspected of raping and murdering dozens of girls between 1980 and 1994.<ref name="Berry-2022">{{Cite web |last=Berry |first=Jo |date=July 22, 2022 |title=Black Bird - What the series leaves out about killer Larry Hall |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a40678987/black-bird-killer-larry-hall-true-story/ |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228043628/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a40678987/black-bird-killer-larry-hall-true-story/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Law enforcement had only found the remains of one of Hall's victims, 15-year-old Jessica Roach. Hall confessed to the murder, but prosecutors lacked strong physical evidence for the case. After Hall retracted his confession and his attorneys filed an appeal, the FBI feared Hall's possible release was imminent. However, if Keene succeeded in obtaining new incriminating evidence about Hall while in MCFP, the U.S. Attorney and FBI agreed to end Keene's sentence and expunge his record.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bisset |first=Jennifer |date=August 5, 2022 |title='Black Bird' on Apple TV Plus: Ending Explained and All Your Questions Answered |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/black-bird-on-apple-tv-plus-ending-explained-and-all-your-questions-answered/ |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228043628/https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/black-bird-on-apple-tv-plus-ending-explained-and-all-your-questions-answered/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
With the guidance and training by the FBI, a cover story was arranged for Keene as part of his undercover mission. He was transferred to the MCFP, where he gained Hall's trust. Hall allegedly admitted to specific details about many of his crimes and murders in graphic details to Keene that no one but the killer could have known. On one occasion, Keene witnessed Hall with a map that appeared to show the locations of his victims' remains, and Keene reported the information to his FBI contacts.<ref name="Craig-2022" /> Based on the new evidence Keene uncovered, Larry Hall's appeal was denied. Hall remains in prison and has confessed to over twenty murders during his incarceration.<ref name="Berry-2022" /> He is serving a life sentence without parole in Butner, North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Roxy |date=July 15, 2022 |title='Black Bird': What Happened to Larry Hall and Where Is He Now? |url=https://www.newsweek.com/black-bird-what-happened-larry-dewayne-hall-where-he-now-paul-walter-hauser-apple-tv-plus-1724280 |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228233507/https://www.newsweek.com/black-bird-what-happened-larry-dewayne-hall-where-he-now-paul-walter-hauser-apple-tv-plus-1724280 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The U.S. Attorney and FBI rewarded Keene's cooperation with early release and a clean record.
== Media adaptations and books == {{main|Black Bird (miniseries)}}
In 2008, Paramount Pictures and GK-Films purchased Keene's story rights to make a feature film. Brad Pitt was attached to play the lead role as James "Jimmy" Keene, and Pitt's production company Plan B was set to co-produce.<ref name="ekong 2022">{{cite web |last1=Ekong |first1=Uduak-Abasi |date=June 23, 2022 |title=Black Bird: Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything We Know So Far |url=https://collider.com/black-bird-release-date-cast-trailer-everything-we-know-so-far/ |website=Collider |access-date=October 3, 2025 |archive-date=December 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229010841/https://collider.com/black-bird-release-date-cast-trailer-everything-we-know-so-far/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="fleming 2021">{{cite web |last1=Fleming Jr |first1=Mike |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Apple TV+ Nearing Order For 6-Part 'In With The Devil'; Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser Star, Michael R. Roskam Directs Dennis Lehane-Scripted Adaptation |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/taron-egerton-paul-walter-hauser-in-with-the-devil-apple-tv-limited-series-michael-roskam-dennis-lehane-script-1234679990/ |website=Deadline |access-date=October 3, 2025 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126042627/https://deadline.com/2021/01/taron-egerton-paul-walter-hauser-in-with-the-devil-apple-tv-limited-series-michael-roskam-dennis-lehane-script-1234679990/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The rights were later purchased by Apple TV for the miniseries ''Black Bird'', with Taron Egerton as Keene and Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall.<ref name="fleming 2021"/><ref name="ekong 2022"/> The series was released in 2022. Keene was executive producer on the project and had a cameo appearance in the final episode.<ref name="Craig-2022">{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=David |date=July 8, 2022 |title=Taron Egerton recalls Jimmy Keene's "surreal" "Black Bird" cameo |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/taron-egerton-james-keene-cameo-black-bird-exclusive-newsupdate/ |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}</ref>
In 2010, Keene published ''In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption'', an autobiographical account of his time working as an FBI operative helping to secure the conviction of serial killer Larry Hall.<ref name="Keene-2010" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Roxy |date=July 8, 2022 |title='Black Bird': Who Is James Keene and Where Is He Now? |url=https://www.newsweek.com/black-bird-apple-tv-plus-who-james-jimmy-keene-where-he-now-1721697 |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228233459/https://www.newsweek.com/black-bird-apple-tv-plus-who-james-jimmy-keene-where-he-now-1721697 |url-status=live }}</ref> His second book, ''Black Bird: One Man's Freedom Hides in Another Man's Darkness'', was published in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chevalier |first=Gilbert |date=December 4, 2022 |title="Blackbird" de James Keene et Hillel Levin |trans-title="Blackbird" by James Keene and Hillel Levin |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/a-livre-ouvert/blackbird-de-james-keene-et-hillel-levin_5487318.html |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=France Info |language=fr-FR |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228043628/https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/a-livre-ouvert/blackbird-de-james-keene-et-hillel-levin_5487318.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last1=Keene | first1=James | last2=Levin | first2=Hillel | title=Black Bird: One Man's Freedom Hides in Another Man's Darkness | publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group | date=2022 | isbn=978-1-250-87950-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnlwEAAAQBAJ}}</ref> In 2023, Keene published ''The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story'', a follow-up to ''Black Bird''. It covers Keene's early years in Chicago and gives further details on his time as an FBI operative.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Keene |first=James |title=The Chicago Phoenix: Jimmy Keene's Untold Story |publisher=Silly Goat Media |year=2023 |isbn=978-1961181007 |edition=1st |location=Salt Lake City}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Kevin |date=July 7, 2022 |title=Black Bird vs. the True Story of James Keene and Larry Hall |url=https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/black-bird/ |access-date=May 25, 2023 |website=History vs Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruiz |first=Vanessa |date=March 3, 2023 |title=Who Is James "Jimmy" Keene? Exclusive Interview |url=https://comicyears.com/pop-culture/who-is-james-jimmy-keene-black-bird/ |access-date=May 25, 2023 |website=Comic Years |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228043628/https://comicyears.com/pop-culture/who-is-james-jimmy-keene-black-bird/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2024, Keene released his fourth book, the novel ''The Wanderer: Bigamy, Deceit and Murder''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Keene | first=James | title=The Wanderer:: Bigamy, Deceit, and Murder | publisher=Silly Goat Media | date=October 30, 2024 | isbn=978-1-961181-21-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SK_90AEACAAJ}}</ref>
==See also== *List of Apple TV original programming
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keene, Jimmy}} Category:Living people Category:People from Kankakee, Illinois Category:Novelists from Illinois Category:American non-fiction crime writers Category:21st-century American male writers Category:21st-century American biographers Category:Film producers from Illinois Category:Year of birth missing (living people)