Legal Dispute Arises Over Netflix Docuseries Filmed in Arkansas County

Pulaski County in Arkansas has made headlines after turning down and returning a $60,000 check sent by Lucky 8, the production company behind the Netflix docuseries “Unlocked: A Jail Experiment.” The county, where the series was filmed, rejected the check, stating that they had no contract with Lucky 8 and therefore could not accept it as reimbursement for any costs incurred during production.

This legal dispute is just one of many surrounding the controversial project, which took place at the Pulaski County Detention Center in 2023. The county’s quorum court issued an emergency ordinance requiring Sheriff Eric Higgins, who spearheaded the “social experiment” depicted in the docuseries, to produce a report about the production of “Unlocked.”

County judge Barry Hyde expressed surprise at the series, stating that he was unaware of it until March of this year. He emphasized that according to the constitutional requirement of all counties in Arkansas, only the county judge can bind the county to a contract. In this case, the location agreement allowing Lucky 8 to film in the detention center was signed by Higgins, not Hyde.

“Unlocked: A Jail Experiment” follows a group of Pulaski County detainees over a six-week period during which their cells were unlocked. Led by Sheriff Higgins, the project aims to explore whether more autonomy and less control in jails can lead to a more community-oriented living environment and discourage future crimes.

Despite the legal issues, the series has been a hit on Netflix, becoming one of the platform’s most-watched English-language series. It debuted with 3.9 million views in its first week and continued to gain popularity in the following weeks. The controversy surrounding the production of “Unlocked” in Pulaski County is sure to continue making headlines as the legal battle unfolds.