Dateline NBC

Snapshot · Dateline NBC

Talking Dateline: Secrets Unmasked

Explore episode Jun 24, 2026

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Community Reaction and Steve's Decision to Speak

At 28:12 · chapter starts 26:20

Steve Gates's decision to sit down with Keith Morrison on camera was not a foregone conclusion. Tim Uehlinger made a personal trip to Ohio to meet with Gates and his attorney, Bernie Davis, to make the case. Uehlinger believes Gates ultimately agreed because he wanted the community to understand that he had suffered — that the guilt ate at him for 24 years — and that he was sorry for waiting so long. He still lives on the same farm he lived on in 2001, which means every trip to the grocery store is a potential confrontation with neighbors who know the full story. The group discusses whether they've heard back from Gates about the reaction to the interview airing; they haven't yet, but Morrison expresses hope that the community will recognize the value of what Gates ultimately did, even if the delay was painful. Canning notes that sincere apologies go a long way.

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