We’ve started a new Instagram profile that focuses on raising awareness on the issue of wrongful convictions. You can find and follow here:
Wrongful Convictions on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/wrongful_convictions/
In addition to this new Instagram page, we wanted to share with you some of the podcasts we’ve been listening to lately. These are truly excellent podcasts and have provided hours of education and insight into some of the most important issues surrounding true innocence cases, and the social justice issues surrounding them.
Actual Innocence Podcast.
These are in no particular order, but Actual Innocence Podcast is not a bad place to start. These are the true stories, one story per episode, by the actual people convicted wrongfully. These stories are moving, powerful, informative, and often shocking. I won’t deny that the stories have brought me to tears more than once.
From the Actual Innocence Podcast website:
Actual Innocence is a podcast dedicated to telling the stories of people, in their own voice, who have been convicted and then exonerated of crimes they did not commit. The issues in the criminal justice system need to be addressed on a large scale and people need to be made aware and be (at least) a little bit disgusted, overwhelmed, or outraged in order for change to occur.
https://audioboom.com/channel/actualinnocence
In The Dark Podcast
In the Dark Podcast is one that we’re new to, and it turns out the podcast is also new. They are only on their second episode. This is a professionally produced podcast from American Public Media and it details in Serial fashion how the infamous Jacob Wetterling case was managed, and mismanaged, as well as the consequences- both micro and macro- of it all.
From the website:
Child abductions are rare crimes. And they’re typically solved. For 27 years, the investigation into the abduction of Jacob Wetterling in rural Minnesota yielded no answers. In the most comprehensive reporting on this case, APM Reports and reporter Madeleine Baran reveal how law enforcement mishandled one of the most notorious child abductions in the country and how those failures fueled national anxiety about stranger danger, changed how adults parent their kids and led to the nation’s sex-offender registries.
http://www.apmreports.org/in-the-dark
http://www.apmreports.org/story/2016/09/07/in-the-dark-1
Undisclosed Podcast
I’ve fallen in love with Undisclosed Podcast. It’s been quite a journey to witness their growth into what is now a solid, comprehensive, entertaining and thorough podcast. Now in its second season, the Undisclosed team is following the possible wrongful conviction case of Joey Watkins who has already served more than 15 years in prison and has exhausted all of his “regular” legal avenues for exoneration. Joey was convicted back in 2001 for the highway murder of Isaac Dawkins, Joey’s ex-girlfriend’s former boyfriend. Season 1 of Undisclosed tells the story of Adnan Syed, and I say more about that here.
The Undisclosed team is made up of three remarkable people. It’s anchored, you might say, by Rabia Chaudry, sister of Adnan’s high-school best friend and author of the book Adnan’s Story. She is thoughtful, passionate, and intimately dedicated to righting the wrongs perpetrated on these wrongfully accused. The technical expert “brains” of the podcast come in two forms. First there’s Colin Miller who is an evidence professor and seems to be able to pull case-law from memory on virtually any topic at any time. He’s truly a marvel to listen to, and one feels as if his speaking makes for a primer in legal practice. Second is Susan Simpson. She’s also an attorney and she has a knack for investigation, research, and organization. It was her keen work that really blew open Adnan’s case- leading to a court recently granting Adnan a new trial (a very big deal). Each member of the team has a particular manner and personality and their combination is quite effective and entertaining.
http://undisclosed-podcast.com/
Serial Podcast
If you haven’t yet listened to season one of Seral, what are you waiting for? See how Adnan Syed’s story first came to the world’s attention.
https://serialpodcast.org/season-one
We the Podcast
Honorable mention today goes to a podcast I’ve only just discovered. I’ve listened to but a few episodes, yet I really appreciate the host’s topics and depth of coverage. For each topic he’s discussing he brings in a variety of experts from all over the country to give their insight into the subject matter. He’s able to get these high level experts because he himself is a currently serving congressman; his name is Rep. Keith Ellison. He’s one of the few politicians I think I can hold in high regard. I’ve found each episode highly educational. I recommend this episode in particular, for starters: http://wethepodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2015-12-08T08_29_29-08_00
http://wethepodcast.podomatic.com/