Wrongful Conviction With Jason Flom

On March 24, 1990, Felix “Carlos” Bastarrica was shot and killed on the street in San Francisco, CA. Following the shooting, Candido “Peter” Diaz, started rumors that one of Felix’s friends, Joaquin Ciria, was responsible. Relying on the rumors, police immediately targeted Joaquin and coerced 18-year-old George Varela – the man who drove the actual shooter to the crime – to falsely implicate Joaquin. Based primarily on this, and despite the complete lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime, Joaquin was convicted of murder and sentenced to 31 years to life in prison. Earlonne Woods talks to Joaquin Ciria and Paige Kaneb, Joaquin's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit:  https://ncip.org/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prisons are filled with people convicted of murder who never killed anyone. Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin take us to Dayton, Ohio where a young woman’s false confession to robbery gets turned into a false conviction for murder. There are two profound lies at work in the legal system here. This updated episode shares with listeners the incredible work Tyra has been doing in recent years.  To learn more and get involved, visit:  https://ohiojpc.org/staff/tyra-patterson/ https://www.representjustice.org/about/ambassadors/ https://www.iamtyrafilm.com/  Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On May 19, 1975, Harold Franks was confronted by two men as he left a grocery store in Cleveland, OH. The men demanded Franks’ briefcase and, when he resisted, hit him with a pipe and splashed acid in his face. One robber then started shooting – killing Franks and injuring Ann Robinson, co-owner of the store. The perpetrators then fled in a getaway car with Franks’ briefcase. Authorities soon obtained a witness statement from 12-year-old Eddie Vernon, who said that the perpetrators were 18-year-old Ricky Jackson and Ricky’s friends, brothers, 17-year-old Ronnie Bridgeman (now known as Kwame Ajamu) and 20-year-old Wiley Bridgeman. Even though Eddie recanted his statements, authorities forced him to testify. Based solely on this child’s coerced testimony, Kwame was convicted and sentenced to death. Jason talks to Kwame Ajamu and Terry Gilbert, Kwame's attorney.  To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.witnesstoinnocence.org/ https://otse.org/ https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7645a58de31e642eee

The thing about torture is that it works, at least if your only goal is to find a scapegoat. Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin take us to Birmingham, England. In 1972, two pubs were bombed, and six innocent Irish men were tortured into giving false confessions. The Birmingham Six were freed in 1991, but the crime’s never been solved. To this day, the public demands to know who really planted those bombs. This update shares the March 2022 court decision protecting one of the key tenants of journalism – anonymity.  To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On June 19, 1988, 20-year-old Vincent Wright and 17-year-old Anissia Johnson were robbed at gunpoint by two men outside of a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale, FL. A third perpetrator also drove up to the scene in a brown car and instructed the gunmen to steal Wright’s car, which they did. 22-year-old Sidney Holmes came under police suspicion when they discovered that he drove a similar car to that of the third perpetrator – which happened to be one of the most popular cars at the time. Sidney was placed in multiple lineups, but the circumstances in which he was identified were entirely flawed. He also had a solid alibi. Nevertheless, Sidney was sentenced to 400 years in prison for a crime in which no one was injured, and that he did not commit. The two other perpetrators were never apprehended. Lauren Bright Pacheco talks to Sidney Holmes and Brandon Scheck, Sidney's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sidney-holmes https://www.floridainnocence.org/ Wrongful Convict

One woman was forced to talk. The other was forced to listen. Both were powerless. Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin tell us about a California man named Ricky Davis. In 1985, Ricky and his girlfriend, Connie, found their roommate brutally stabbed to death. Without any leads, the case went cold for 14 years until detectives convinced Connie that she had repressed memories of Ricky committing the crime. This updated episode shares the news that the actual murderer in Ricky's case was caught and sent to prison. Also, California has new legislation that will help prevent what happened to Ricky from happening to others.  To learn more and get involved, visit:  https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2644  https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On August 25, 1998, in Baltimore, MD, 2-month-old Collin began choking after being put down for a nap. Collin’s father, Clarence Jones, rushed Collin to the hospital when he realized he wasn’t breathing. Doctors became convinced he was a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome due to evidence of brain swelling and bleeding. Collin died 6 days later. Despite the fact that Collin had a prior history of health problems that could’ve contributed to Collin's condition, Clarence was sentenced to 30 years in prison for second-degree murder and child abuse. Jason talks to Clarence Jones and Lauren Kelleher, Clarence's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit:  https://exonerate.org/ https://cifsjustice.org/#/main https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/172-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-shaken-baby-syndrome/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael was serving a life sentence until one person came to his rescue: his mom. Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin bring us to Culpeper County, Virginia, to tell the story of teenage buddies Eric Weakley and Michael Hash. Local police solved a murder case by coercing Eric into falsely confessing and into falsely implicating his friend Michael as an accomplice. For years, lawyers couldn’t get justice for either of them -- until Michael’s mom found evidence that blew this case wide open. We are updating this episode with the great news that, with your support, in 2022, Governor Ralph Northam pardoned Eric, and Eric and Michael are finally both officially exonerated, and justice has been served. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 18, 1996, 15-year-old Brian Bowling and his friend, 17-year-old Cain Storey, were in Brian’s bedroom in Silver Creek, GA when a gun went off and shot Bowling in the head, ultimately killing him. Storey initially claimed that Bowling shot himself while playing a game, however, he later falsely confessed to shooting Bowling, and was subsequently convicted of his murder. During the investigation, 17-year-old Daryl “Lee” Clark also became a suspect as the state believed that he acted as an accomplice who helped kill Bowling to exact revenge for an unrelated event. Despite evidence supporting the fact that Bowling accidentally shot himself, and Storey’s assertion that Clark was not present on the night in question, false testimony led to Clark’s conviction and ultimate life sentence. Susan Simpson talks to Lee Clark. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.mightycause.com/story/Supportleeclark https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/161-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-gunshot-residue-evidence/ Wrong

How could a layperson see all the problems with this interrogation when the police couldn’t?Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin tell us about Chris Tapp, just 20 when he endured a mind-bending, 25-hour interrogation that transformed him from an innocent man into a confessed murderer. Fortunately for Chris, he found an indomitable champion... in the victim’s mother, Carol Dodge. Carol convinced police to use a revolutionary new method of DNA identification to exonerate Chris and find her own daughter’s killer.Since this episode originally aired, the real murderer, Brian Dripps, was tried and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Chris served this man's time, and the state of Idaho recently settled Chris's case for $11.7 million dollars in restitution.To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 16, 1995, in Waunakee, WI, 34-year-old Audrey Edmunds, a stay-at-home mother who often babysat for neighborhood families, was watching a neighbor’s 7-month-old daughter, Natalie, when Natalie became unresponsive. Audrey immediately ran to her neighbor’s house and called 911. The paramedics found Natalie with fixed and dilated pupils and taking short breaths. She passed away at the hospital that night. Natalie’s autopsy revealed extensive brain damage and a forensic pathologist determined that she died due to Shaken Baby Syndrome. Based on the theory of SBS, and because Audrey was Natalie’s caregiver in the hours prior to her death, Audrey was convicted of Natalie’s murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Jason talks to Audrey Edmunds and Keith Findley, Audrey's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Happened-Audrey-Terrifying-Journey-Accused/dp/0985799803 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shaken-baby-syndrome-keith-a-findley/1143053792 https://law.wisc.edu/fjr/cl

In Chicago, old habits die hard. Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin bring us inside one of the worst police abuse scandals in U.S. history. For decades on the southside of Chicago, a group of white cops turned the interrogation room into a torture chamber for Black men. Those cops called themselves the Midnight Crew. We are releasing this updated episode to share that even though the city passed a reparations bill that will compensate Jon Burge's victims and their families, the promise has yet to be fulfilled.  To learn more and get involved, visit: https://chicagotorture.org/ https://chicagotorture.org/donate-2/ https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On November 17, 1990, Doug Estes and Jim Bennett, who were separately out hunting, were found together, shot and killed at the Fulton State Game Area in Kalamazoo, MI. 38-year-old Jeff Titus had a farm near the scene and found one of the hunter’s missing weapons. Because of this, Jeff soon came under suspicion. However, Jeff had a solid alibi and was immediately cleared as a suspect – the case went cold for ten years. In 2000, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit reopened the case and focused on Jeff. By trial, Jeff’s alibi witnesses were unable to testify on his behalf, and the prosecution’s circumstantial evidence was enough to persuade the jury. Despite significant evidence of another, more viable suspect, Jeff was convicted and sentenced to two concurrent life without parole sentences. Susan Simpson talks to Jeff Titus and Dave Moran, Jeff's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://michigan.law.umich.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics/michigan-innocence-clinic-0 Wrongf

So their theory is that a wandering necrophiliac comes across the body and defiles it? Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin tell the story of how five Chicago teens were wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of their classmate - and how prosecutors tried to explain away the DNA that proved them innocent. This case happened during the early 1990s, when the media was saturated with misleading stories about youth of color committing violent crimes in groups. This "superpredator" narrative drove the wrongful prosecution of the so-called Central Park Five “wolfpack” -- but it didn’t stop there. We are releasing this updated episode to share the news that, in 2021, Illinois passed a law banning police from lying to children during interrogations. If this law had been in place back in 1991, the Dixmoor 5 would never have been wrongfully convicted.  To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in asso

In December of 2002, a mother dropped off her 3 month old daughter, I.Z., at daycare in Romeoville, IL. Jennifer Del Prete was working at the daycare center and later that day, Jennifer noticed that the girl was not breathing so she called 911. I.Z. died almost a full year later. The state hypothesized that I.Z. died of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). Since Jennifer was providing care for I.Z. on the day she initially showed medical issues, Jennifer was charged and convicted of murder. Since Jennifer’s conviction, the validity of many SBS diagnoses has been questioned both in and out of the courtroom. In addition, evidence has been uncovered that some of the original medical experts in the case did not actually believe that the child died of SBS. Jason talks to Jennifer Del Prete and Pat Blegen, Jennifer's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/172-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-shaken-baby-syndrome/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in asso

Why do we tell these stories? Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin tell us the story of Peter Reilly, one of the first modern-day false confessors. In 1973, police continued to interrogate 18-year-old Peter until he started to believe he was actually guilty of murdering his own mother. But Peter’s friends and neighbors believed in his innocence. Their small-town campaign for Peter’s freedom was eventually joined by a host of big name celebrities.  This episode was originally the finale of Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions Season 1. We are releasing this update because of its profound impact on Laura and Steve’s work and the movement for uncovering false confessions and wrongful convictions. It inspires the work that Steve and Laura do to this day. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://cwc.law.northwestern.edu/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On September 13, 1983, Delbert Baker was found dead – shot and with his throat slashed – in Auburndale, FL. Witnesses gave the police a lead on two suspects but they quickly dismissed it since one of the suspects was working as a police informant. A few months later, after a $5,000 reward was offered for information, another individual came forward and said that Juan Roberto Melendez was responsible. This person was known to dislike Juan, and on more than one occasion declared that he would “get” Juan. At trial, this individual’s testimony was the primary evidence against Juan, and despite a solid alibi and the complete lack of inculpatory physical evidence, Juan was convicted and sentenced to death. Over a decade later, a transcribed confession of one of the original suspects was re-discovered, in which he took responsibility for the murder, and declared Juan’s innocence. Gilbert King talks to Juan Roberto Melendez and Linda McDermott, Juan's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: www.witnesstoinno

He thought the police would recognize this was just a dream, not reality.Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin bring us a story from Ada, OK where a young woman went missing. A few months after her disappearance, a man named Tommy Ward told police that he’d had a bad dream about her murder. Incredibly, the police took that dream and turned it into a false confession... and into a prison sentence that continues to this day, 35 years later.Since this episode's original release, in January 2021, a District Judge vacated Tommy's conviction, yet he remained in prison while the state appealed. The state won, reinstating the conviction, and Tommy and his team are still fighting for his freedom.At the end of this episode, Laura says that Part 2 will be available next week. However, this is a re-issue, so Part 2 is available right now in your feed! To learn more and get involved, visit: http://www.centeronwrongfulconvictions.org/ https://www.facebook.com/tommywardslegalteam/ Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions is a produc

No body, no bones, no motive. Just a decades long nightmare that has not ended.For the final episode of Season 2 Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin take us back to Ada, OK, for the second half of the story of Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot. When we left off last week, Tommy and Karl were sitting on death row, after police turned Tommy’s bad dream into a murder confession. This week, we hear about some serious twists in the case, from the discovery of the victim’s body to the revelation of hidden evidence that turned this case upside down.Laura and Steve update us on everything that’s happened since the 2018 Netflix series, The Innocent Man, told Tommy and Karl’s story. There’s been some very good news for one of them….and a breaking story that brings some hope for the other.Since this episode's original release, in January 2021, a District Judge vacated Tommy's conviction, yet he remained in prison while the state appealed. The state won, reinstating the conviction, and Tommy and his team are still fighting for his

On October 3, 2004, in Port Huron, MI, Terry Ceasor was at home alone with his girlfriend Cheryl’s 1 year old son, Brenden. Terry and Brenden had been playing a game that consisted of Terry chasing Brenden behind the couch when Terry briefly stepped away from the room to use the bathroom. After he left the room, Terry heard a loud thud and found Brenden unconscious on the living room floor. The medical professionals at the hospital believed that Brenden was a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Terry was subsequently convicted of child abuse and sentenced to 2 to 15 years in prison. Jason talks to Terry Ceasor and Dave Moran, Terry's attorney. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://michigan.law.umich.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics/michigan-innocence-clinic-0 https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/269-jason-flom-with-temujin-kensu/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/172-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-shaken-baby-syndrome/ Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in associatio