The Jury's Verdict

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

As crazy as it sounds, in the American judicial system, one can be found not guilty even if they committed the crime. While the reasoning behind such a system is intended to protect justice, at times, one cannot help but wonder whether it hinders it. When looking for an example, one does not have to look any further than the murder of John Garner and the role played by his wife and stepson. Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

Can some people simply not be saved? Or are there no truly evil people in this world? These are two questions that conflict many, challenging the borders of idealism and realism. These questions were also raised in relation to the fate of an elderly couple, Claudia Maupin and Chip Northup, and were considered by their killer himself.Could he not change, or are some people just too far gone? And what would California law have to say about this?Listen now on Spotify.

When a murder suspect flees to another country, the pursuit of justice is often negatively affected. But sometimes, very rarely, the pursuit of justice is amplified when a country refuses to extradite a suspect.It requires immense collaboration and passion, and yet the case of Haley Anderson proves that borders cannot always prevent justice.Listen now on Spotify.

Sometimes the government doesn't help bring justice, but helps prevent it. As crazy as this sounds, it's true. Because governments can protect potential murder suspects for personal or political gains—gains that hurt numerous grieving loved ones who just want closure. To understand what I mean, one does not need to look further than the case of Nancy Sonnenfeld.Listen now on Spotify.

Her story is different than the type we normally cover on this podcast. Specifically, it doesn't have anything to do with wrongful convictions or flaws within the justice system, but it is a story of immense courage and perseverance, both on her part and her community's. So I hope that it will inspire and encourage those who could use a bit of those qualities right now.Listen now on Spotify.

Sometimes you can be betrayed by someone you were extremely close to. Not just you, but your entire family. Yet, if you have a strong family network, they will fight for you, your justice, and the safety of others. And to look for a perfect example, no one has to look further than the Salarno family in the wake of their daughter and sister, Catina Salarno's murder.Listen now on Spotify.

What happens if justice cannot be served because of the law? Specifically, a loophole in the law. It's a phenomenon that seems so absurd that even the sentence alone feels contradictory. After all, the law is supposed to be a reliable system that delivers justice; how can it be the reason justice is prevented?Well, in the brutal murder of Carolyn Abel, the law failed to fulfill its purpose.Listen to the full story now, here on Spotify.

When Todd Stermer escaped from his burning house with a chance to survive, he was run over by a car driven by his wife. Yet, despite numerous trials, appeals, and hearings, there are still many questions remaining: Was it an accident or intentional? Did Todd start the fire, or did his wife? Was she wrongfully convicted, or was justice served? Is there a black and white answer?Listen now to find out.

When Kristil Krug was murdered, the killer seemed obvious: her stalker. But soon enough, investigators realized they didn't know as much about the case as they thought they did. Because someone had been framed. But why? But who? By who?Listen now to hear the full story.

When the attackers who tortured Victoria in 1990 were finally caught, she thought the whole ordeal would be over, at last. But, because the statute of limitations for their kidnapping and rape had run out, they couldn't be charged with those crimes. Victoria's justice seemed to hang in the balance. However, despite that, her journey to reclaim her identity and autonomy continued. And Victoria became victorious.

Irene was murdered in 1960, but she wouldn't receive justice until 2017. Why?A combination of corruption within the church and the police, an effort that's plagued justice systems for centuries.Listen now to listen to the full story.

When Linda O'Keefe was brutally strangled and sexually assaulted, her family was left without answers for decades. But through DNA and social media awareness, her killer was found. Only one question remains: will he be brought to justice?

Wrongful conviction cases have so many victims. The person who was wrongfully convicted is a victim. The person to whom the crime was committed to is a victim. The families of the victims are victims. And wrongful convictions create so much more pain for so many more people than just regular cases where justice was served. In this episode, we explore the differing perspectives of different victims of wrongful convictions, to highlight how there is never just one person affected.

A wealthy doctor is killed.A man is arrested. He says it's not him. He points fingers at the doctor's wife.But the wife maintains her innocence.Who killed Dr. Steven Schwartz? Will we ever truly know?Listen now to find out.

When a highly respected Professor was found dead in a hot tub, there were two suspects. Yet, one of them committed suicide, making it difficult to determine the truth. Instead, investigators were left with questions.Was the suicide driven by guilt? Must the surviving suspect's version of events be taken as the truth? What do these questions mean for the verdict of the trial?Listen now to find out.

A man on death row in Texas for two murders claims that he is innocent. He claims his co-defendants conspired against him. He says the prosecution failed to uphold proper procedure. But they all say he did it.Is Clinton Young actually innocent, not guilty, or none of the above?

When Kevin Davis is found in a pool of blood at the bottom of the staircase, his wife Alison is quick to say he fell in a tragic accident. However, when autopsy results suggest otherwise, Alison is put under arrest.There is evidence to suggest she is guilty, although she maintains her innocence. The only question is, is there enough evidence to convict her?

Everyone who knew Martha Moxley knew her as someone who brought joy to everyone. Her extroverted, Californian personality and beautiful blonde hair made her stand out among the Northeasterners when she moved to Greenwich, Connecticut.Yet, one day in 1975, her life would be cut short.Years of investigation would point fingers at Martha's neighbor, Michael Skakel, a member of the Kennedy family.But would justice be achieved in Martha's story?Listen now to find out.

The truth will always come out.Regardless of how many times someone may lie, fabricate evidence, or escape a conviction, at the end of the day, they will get what they deserve.Poetic justice is real, and technology can be used to achieve that poetic justice.No case represents this better than Nicole Vander Heyden's.

She confessed to killing a baby.She was tried and convicted.But she swears she's innocent.Did doctors lie?Did investigators coerce her?Did the prosecution manipulate evidence to convict her?Was there truly a miscarriage of justice?

One night, two stories.When identical teenage twins, Sharon and Karen Sanders, claim that they were raped by a black man in Marksville, Louisiana, the police are quick to put together a lineup. Yet, the selected man, Vincent Simmons, says he's never even met the twins.Numerous trials, hearings, and evidence can't pin a certain truth. So, who's being honest and who's lying?

Ever since the true-crime podcast Serial covered the case of Hae Min Lee and Adnan Syed in 2014, it has captivated the attention of millions all over the world. Yet, it has also divided the population. Some people believe Adnan Syed is guilty. Others believe he is innocent.With his 2022 release, Adnan Syed is now out of prison. This begs the question: was Adnan Syed wrongfully convicted or wrongfully released?

As if being accused of his best friend's murder wasn't bad enough, George was forced to do something he despised to get what he desired. Even if this sounds messed up, it is the reality of the world we live in. It was the reality of George's world too. So what did George decide to do?Listen to the full story now.

There are many people, many components, to the judicial system and hence, to wrongful convictions. Even when one person within the system is corrupt, the whole process can be detrimental to so many innocent lives. Barry Gibbs would know. He served decades in prison for something he didn't do. All because someone, or someone(s), framed him.Listen now to hear his full story.

Imagine this. You're a foreign exchange student in Italy. You're having a great time! Until one day, your roommate is murdered in your apartment. And you're arrested, charged, and convicted for her murder.Sounds like a nightmare, right? Well, this is the story of Amanda Knox and her fight for freedom and justice.

Some wrongfully convicted persons have spent more years in prison for a crime they didn't commit than a good portion of the world's population has been alive. Lewis Jim Fogle is one of these people. When he was convicted of raping and murdering a teenage girl, he didn't expect to spend over three decades of his life in prison. But he did. And it took a small army to get him out.This is his story.

When a woman was brutally abducted, raped, and blinded, the police arrested Alan Newton, claiming that he was the perpetrator. Despite unreliable eyewitness testimony, a trial occurred, and Alan was found guilty. But, he didn't commit the crime.Listen now to learn about Alan's fight for freedom. How he studied, litigated, and sought help and ultimately, succeeded in the face of the state's incompetence and missing evidence.

Wrongful convictions are not just an issue within the United States. In fact, they occur within judicial systems all over the world. For instance, Henry Keogh was arrested and convicted for the murder of his fiancée, despite there being no forensic evidence. How was this possible? Someone lied, both on the stand and off the stand. Who? Listen to the episode to find out.

Do you ever fight with your siblings over something stupid? How about your parents? I'm sure arguments over trivial things are a universal family experience. Yet, many of us would never resort to committing crimes to resolve the argument. However, that is exactly what one member of the Pelley Family did when he got into an argument with his dad over a school dance. His single action caused a ripple of trauma to enter the lives of many, changing their lives forever.This is the story of the Pelley Family. Listen now on Spotify.

When Amy Mullis was found dead with a corn rake sticking out of her body, there were immediately rumors of foul play. After all, hadn't she been having marital problems with her husband, Todd?But as the investigation proceeded and new testimonies were revealed, more questions arose surrounding Amy's death. The most important being, was it an accident or murder? And if it was a murder, who was responsible? Todd, or Amy's lover, Jerry?Listen to the full story now on Spotify to find out.

When Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, Eliza Thomas, and Amy Ayers were murdered in a yogurt shop in 1991, the city of Austin, Texas, was shocked. Efforts to find the perpetrators began immediately. Suspects were tracked internationally, raids were conducted, and the task force conducted the investigation with the utmost seriousness. Yet, it took years for arrests to be made. And when they were finally made, questions began to arise. Were the right people arrested?Listen now on Spotify to hear the full story.

The Farris family seemed to be perfect. For one, they were extremely rich. But no one could have guessed the jealousy and tension that was running through the family. That is, until all the nasty feelings within the family became revealed through the murder of their patriarch, Gary Farris.When investigators began looking into Gary's death, they found something extremely odd. The mother, Melody Farris, was blaming her son, Scott, for the murder. But Scott was blaming Melody.The more investigators dug into the case, the more it seemed like a soap opera. But at the end of the day, they were able to charge and convict one family member of the murder.Was it Melody? Or was it Scott?Listen now on Spotify to find out.

Roosevelt Glenn and Darryl Pinkins couldn't believe it when they were charged with rape.But it was harder for them to believe it when they were convicted of rape.They knew they didn't do it. DNA evidence proved that they didn't do it. And yet, they remained behind bars.As decades passed, they wondered if they would ever get out.Until one day, a law professor and a group of law students changed everything.Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

In 1990, Crosley Green found himself on trial for kidnapping, robbery, and murder.He didn't think he would be found guilty. After all, he hadn't kidnapped, robbed, or murdered anyone.But to his shock, he was convicted and would spend the remaining decades of his life in prison.Despite the abundance of evidence to support his innocence and the abundance of evidence to support the guilt of the white female teen who accused him, attempts to prove his innocence were blocked at every turn.Would he ever be free?Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

Michael Politte wasn't perfect.His relationship with his mom certainly wasn't perfect either.But he didn't expect to see his mom covered in blood and burning from the waist up on one fateful December morning in 1998.Yet, it wouldn't be long before the police accused 14-year-old Michael of killing his mom.From then on, the fight to prove his innocence would consume every waking moment of Michael's life.Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

When Jane Dorotik was accused of murdering her husband, she couldn't believe it. She knew that she hadn't done it, and she needed the jury to see that too. But to her surprise, at the end of the trial, she was found guilty. The reason? She believed that her attorneys had been ineffective. Now, it was up to her to get out of prison, a process that would take almost 20 years.

When Ryan Ferguson and his friend Chuck Erickson went out for a night of fun, the last thing he expected was to be charged with murder 2 years later.Ryan knew he didn't commit murder, so he didn't know why the police were convinced that he had. Then, he found out that the person who had framed him was the same friend he had trusted - Chuck Erickson.Listen now to hear the full story.

Marty Tankleff loved his parents, and they loved him. His childhood was filled with happy memories at their grand Long Island home.But one day, he woke up to find his parents killed.The next thing he knew, he was being arrested for the murders of his parents and was put on trial.He was found guilty.But Marty knew that he was innocent. He just had to find a way to prove it.Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

When Anthony Graves was accused of killing 6 people in 1992, he could hardly believe it.He was confident that the jury would see the truth behind what happened. He was confident that the criminal justice system would rectify its mistake. He was confident that he wouldn't end up behind bars and certainly not on death row.But he was wrong. It would only be after 18 years in prison that he finally became a free man again.But what had gone so terribly wrong?Listen to the full story now on Spotify.

Picture this.You're having a normal day in your life.When all of a sudden, the police come to arrest you.They tell you that you are being charged with murder, for killing your friend.But you're confused.Because you would never want to hurt this friend, let alone kill him.But you go to trial.And you're convicted.And you spend 28 years in prison.But you didn't kill your friend.You're innocent.This is the story of Lamar Johnson.Listen to his full story now on Spotify.

Anyone who knew Kevin Jiang spoke of his kindness. He was a graduate student at Yale University and was a veteran of the National Guard. He cared for his mom and fiancé and never failed to make anyone smile. But one day in 2021, his life would be brutally cut short. And the person who would commit this horrible action? Well, they were an MIT student.Listen now to hear the full story.

Rakesh Kamal seemed to have it all. He had a beautiful wife named Teena, he had a wonderful daughter named Arianna, and he lived in a 21-bedroom mansion in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country. But in December of 2023, just as all his lies were about to be revealed and he would lose his extravagant lifestyle, a trigger was pulled 3 times. And Rakesh, Arianna, and Teena were found dead in their mansion.Listen now to hear the full story.

When David Pearce was arrested for supposedly drugging Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola to death, little did anyone expect what his past looked like. But while his arrest came at the cost of two innocent women, will his trial have the opportunity to provide justice to so many more?Listen now to find out.

How far would you go to win your ex-wife back? Would you give her a check for $56,000? Would you pester her with dozens of messages a day? Or would you disguise yourself and attack her before pretending to be her knight in shining armor? Well these are all things Rod Metzer did to win Morgan Metzer back. But instead of landing him in a happy marriage, these decisions would land him in prison.

While gang violence may not seem as prevalent of an issue in the US, it still exists in some cities, wreaking havoc in the lives of innocent bystanders.When Teyaurra Harris was sitting in her boyfriend's car one April night, little did she know that she would be the victim of gang violence, which would cost her, and her unborn baby, their lives.

Moriah Wilson was a professional cyclist with a bright future ahead of her. When she visited Austin, Texas to compete in a race, little did she know that her life would be brutally cut short. When investigators began investigating the crime, Moriah Wilson's killer knew she would be caught soon. So she stole her sister's passport, fled to another country, and got plastic surgery to escape from the consequences of committing such a horrible crime. But would investigators be able to catch her?Listen to find out.

When Alyssa Burkett was murdered, eyewitnesses said that the murderer was African American. However, when her family learned of her murder, they immediately pointed fingers to her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Beard. The only problem was that Andrew Beard wasn't African American, he was white. A deeper investigation into the case revealed a twisted tale of manipulation, involving more than one guilty person.

When Stephanie Fernandes met Andrew Wagner at the nightclub where she was a dancer, it was love at first sight. The two quickly moved in together, but it wouldn't be long before their relationship grew tumultuous. Jealousy, obsession, and abuse took over what at first seemed to be a blossoming love. And on May 7th, 2014, an incident occurred that left one of them dead. But it was up to the jury to decide... was the killing justified?

The Murdaugh family was extremely prominent within the legal sphere in South Carolina, dating back to a couple of centuries ago. As a result, they had immense influence over numerous aspects of the South Carolina judicial system. But when Alex Murdaugh, the 4th generation son of the Murdaugh family was put on trial for the DOUBLE MURDER of his wife and son, it was the finale to the reign that had lasted countless decades. But only if the jury would be able to see through the lies, to see the truth. I wonder what the jury's verdict was? Listen to find out.