Unjustly

Mikalya Miller was a 16 year old black girl who was a part of the LGBTQ+ community in Hopkinton, MA. But the morning after she was assaulted by a group of teens in April 2021, Miller's body was found "hanging" from a tree in the forest. The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office immediately called her death a suicide. However, Miller's friends, family, and many activists are adamant this was a homicide and are requesting an independent study. Join us as we explore the details of the case, the the discrepancies in the investigation, and the glaring issues with the DA's ruling. Was this a suicide? Or was it in actually a lynching and a murder cover up?

The 2007 De Anza rape investigation was a police inquiry into allegations of sexual assault of a minor arising from an off-campus party on March 4, 2007. The investigation focused on eight members of the 2007 De Anza College baseball team. The allegations were investigated by the Santa Clara County, California Sheriff's Department, and reviewed by Santa Clara County District Attorney Dolores Carr. June 4, 2007, Carr stated that no charges would be filed. This decision was questioned by many, and the Office of the California Attorney General Jerry Brown was invited by the prosecutor to perform an independent investigation of the available evidence. May 2, 2008, the Attorney General's office determined that there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone present with a crime. Sources: • https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7748009&page=1 • https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7757324&page=1 • https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/02/25/de-anza-civil-case-blog-feb-25-woman-pressing-rape- allegations-against-former-baseball-players/ • https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/persky-ruled-favor-college-baseball-players-accused-rape- article-1.2667813 https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/03/19/chp-accuses-de-anza-baseball-player-of-felony-hit-and-run/ • https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/03/15/risque-photos-of-plaintiff-revealed-in-de-anza-gang-rape-civil-trial/

In 2015, in Millbrook, Alabama, 15 year old Lakeith Smith joined up with 4 other friends, all teenagers, who planned to do a couple of break ins. While attempting to rob an empty home, a suspicious neighbor called the police. When officers arrived the teens fled, Smith hid in a closet scared; however, Smith's friend, 16 year old A'Donte Washington, was shot and killed by an officer. The surviving teens were taken into custody and charged with the murder of A'Donte Washington. How did an unarmed 15 year old get charged with the murder of his friend shot by police? Join us as we explore the accomplice law and the felony murder rule used against these boys who are now in prison for the majority of their lives. Hear from Lakeith's mother and the team behind the fight for justice and learn how you can help! Sources: https://www.change.org/p/united-states-supreme-court-justice-for-lakeith-smithhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/justiceforlakeithsmith-campaignhttps://www.justia.com/criminal/offenses/homicide/felony-murder/https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2019/10/17/lakeith-smith-65-years-elmore-accomplice-law-killing-case-sentence-reduced-10-years/3869526002/https://www.aclu.org/blog/smart-justice/lakeith-smith-case-demonstrates-systems-brokennesshttps://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/juvenile/stats/kidslikeadults.htmlhttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43673331https://www.newsweek.com/lakeith-smith-alabama-accomplice-law-murder-police-petition-1510870https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/15/alabama-accomplice-law-lakeith-smithhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/convicted-of-murder-but-a-police-officer-pulled-the-trigger

In the early hours of April 15, 2011, Dawonye Taylor was murdered in Oakland, California over a stolen iPod. The murderer then got back into a car with 3 other people and took off. Occupants in the car gave the police a description of the murderer and referred to him as "C". Weeks later, Pierre Rushing, an aspiring rapper who went by the nickname "Stank", would find himself arrested and charged with murder, even though he did not fit the description and had an alibi. Now he is fighting for his life claiming he was wrongfully convicted. Join us as we explore the lack of evidence that led to Pierre's conviction and examine the evidence that can prove his innocence. Hear from Pierre himself in an interview from prison and learn how you can help his case. #JusticeForPierre Sources: https://www.change.org/p/department-of-justice-justice-for-pierre-rushing-wrongfully-convicted?original_footer_petition_id=26358297&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=15&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAPafKQEAAAAAX%2BDrnjTrufdmZGJiY2U4OQ%3D%3Dhttps://casetext.com/case/rushing-v-neuschmid-1https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/09/29/oakland-rapper-found-guilty-of-murder-in-case-of-stolen-ipod/https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/Rapper-Convicted-Of-Murder-Loses-Bid-For-New-Trial-11183990.php

South Carolina's Republican governor signed a bill into law that requires death row inmates to choose whether to be executed by the electric chair or a firing squad if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. Lethal injection is the preferred method of execution in states that have the death penalty. But in recent years, they've had difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs as pharmaceutical companies blocked their drugs from being used in executions causing states to find a way around the block. Enter the firing squad. Join us as we explore what this could mean for death row inmates not only in South Carolina, but all over the U.S.

Henry McCollum and Leon Brown were intellectually disabled teenagers when they were taken from their home in rural Robeson County, coerced into confessing to a brutal murder they didn’t commit, and sentenced to death. The brothers spent 31 years in prison before DNA testing finally proved them innocent. By the time of their release in 2014, Henry was North Carolina’s longest serving death row prisoner. Join us as we explore the wrongful conviction of these two brothers. Sources: cnn.com/2021/05/18/us/north-carolina-wrongful-conviction-compensation/index.html http://www.cdpl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/SA https://goodblacknews.org/tag/sabrina-buie/ https://www.fayobserver.com/article/20140904/news/309049641

Meet the attorney who has defied the odds after experiencing his own wrongful conviction, and is now dedicating his life to helping other innocent people. Join us for a special interview with Jarret Adams, an exoneree turned attorney. Mr. Adams is the driving force behind the Not Guilty Serving Life campaign to free Terrance Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, two men wrongfully convicted of murder. This is a follow up to episode 30 of our podcast, make sure to listen to it to learn more details about Richardson and Claiborne's case along with Adams' own wrongful conviction. You won't want to miss this motivational and impactful interview. To learn more visit: https://www.notguiltyservinglife.org https://www.lifeafterjustice.org http://jarrettadamslaw.com

In 2019, Ronald Greene's family was told that Greene died after crashing his car into a tree during a high speed chase after troopers attempted to pull him over for an unspecified traffic violation. A short report submitted by the Louisiana state troopers described force being used during the encounter, but that Greene succumbed to injuries he received during the car crash. It wouldn't be until almost 2 years later when footage was leaked to the media that would show a different story. Join us as we examine the case and the footage and uncover how the Louisiana state troopers created a cover up on a police brutality case. Sources: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26476405?seq=1https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/us/ronald-greene-what-we-know/index.htmlhttps://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2015/02/24/ouachita-parishs-bloody-past-appears-lynching-study/23955319/https://www.wbrz.com/news/university-of-louisiana-monroe-acts-against-racist-posts-by-facultyhttps://www.hannapub.com/ouachitacitizen/news/local_state_headlines/ulm-faculty-members-under-fire-for-racist-remarks-on-social-media/article_3d8d2814-ab1b-11ea-bbbb-236aa52a81a6.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/21/us/ronald-greene-video-louisiana.htmlhttps://www.10tv.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/at-least-107-people-have-died-since-2010-due-to-prone-restraints/530-3363bf95-d125-4960-b714-c6f5d328266ehttps://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_afedbfde-ba53-11eb-a135-2f25ba8d8945.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/05/20/ronald-greene-louisiana-police-video/

The murder of Charlie Keever and Jonathan Sellers took place on March 27, 1993 in San Diego County, California. The rape and murders were solved via DNA match eight years after their deaths. Join us in this minisode to find out how a serial killer fell through the cracks of the criminal justice system leading to the deaths of the two boys.

People of Asian descent have been living in the United States for more than 160 years and have since been a target of bigotry. To understand the surge in Asian American hate we need to look at the violence and racism Asian immigrants and Asian Americans have faced since the Civil War. Join us as we look at the historical events that have been at the core of anti-Asian sentiment in the United States. Sources https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/03/18/history-anti-asian-violence-racism/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/whites-massacre-chinese-in-wyoming-territoryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots#Ethnic_tensionshttps://time.com/5938482/asian-american-attacks/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/nyregion/asian-hate-crimes.htmlhttps://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/a-history-of-anti-asian-hate-in-the-united-stateshttps://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/coronavirus-fears-show-how-model-minority-asian- americans-become-yellow-ncna1151671

In 2014, Wilcox High School in Georgia, made history when they held their first official integrated prom. Prior to this, proms and other school events were segregated with separate white and black proms. And the sad news is, this is not the only school committing this racist injustice. Join us for a minisode as we explore how some counties in the south have been getting away with segregation within their communities and schools in modern day times. Sources: https://eji.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segregated_promhttps://www.history.com/news/prom-racist-history-19th-century-originshttp://www.promnightinmississippi.com/the-filmhttps://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91371629https://observer.com/2019/05/prom-integration-dance-segregation-still-happens/https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgia-teens-fed-segregated-proms/story?id=18880791https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/segregated-proms-an-ongoing-controversy-in-georgia

On the heels of the shooting of Daunte Wright in Minneapolis, we decided to examine the issue of fatal mistakes made by officers who have used their gun on a suspect when they claim to have meant to use their taser. Join us as we explore three separate cases that have led to death due to this taser confusion. These are the stories of Daunte Wright, Oscar Grant, and Eric Harris, 3 unarmed men mistakenly shot by police. Learn what criminologists have said about these cases and the issues surrounding taser confusion. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Daunte_Wrighthttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/13/daunte-wright-family-brooklyn-center-police-shooting/7204061002/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/daunte-wright-was-stopped-expired-plates-driving-while-black-may-n1263878https://oscargrantfoundation.org/about/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Oscar_Grant#Closing_arguments_and_verdicthttps://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/10/06/920895464/california-district-attorney-says-probe-of-oscar-grant-killing-will-be-reopenedhttps://abc7news.com/oscar-grant-shooting-fruitvale-station-plaza-alameda-county-da/9569604/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_shooting_of_Eric_Harrishttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/robert-bates-imprisoned-tulsa-reserve-deputy-speaks-jail-cell-n587161https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/14/us/taser-gun-confusion/index.html

Join us for a minisode of a listener submission story! On November 19, 1991, Usha Patel entered her garage with the intention of picking up her 7 year old daughter from school when an assailant ambushed the 29 year old, fatally stabbing her in the cheek and chest. More than 20 years later, her husband, Shankar Patel would be arrested for her murder. His family is now fighting for his freedom. Sources: https://www.life-without.org/

A Cornell University freshman found dead in an upstate New York ravine in October 2019, attended a fraternity party with seven drinking rooms the night before he went missing. Join us as we explore what may have happened to lead up to Tsialas's death and the botched investigation by campus police. Many involved in Greek life, in addition to unaffiliated students, are now questioning the basis of its existence while weighing the decades of baked-in harm it has imposed on students. The history of racism, sexism, classism, and mental and physical abuse within these organizations is hard to ignore. *Note: We mistakenly refer to Anthony's last name as Tomasello, however that is his mother's last name. His correct last name is Tsialas. Sources: · Saul Martinez for The New York Times · Veronica Freeman for BestColleges.com Blog · Katie Reilly for The New York Times · Ben Kesslen for NBC News · Terry Nguyen for Vox · Mariah Stewart for Insight into Diversity

This episode examines some current events of wrongful convictions. This is the story of Herbert Alford, who was convicted of a murder he did not commit due to the negligence of the Hertz car rental company. How could a popular corporation ignore multiple subpoenas to provide evidence of someone's innocence and the trial proceeds irregardless? Join us as we discuss how Hertz jumbled this case that should have never gone to trial. As a bonus, we discuss other current events such as a possible wrongful conviction in Australia which new genetic information may explain the death of a woman's four children. Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/us/herbert-alford-hertz-lawsuit-receipt.html https://www.npr.org/2021/03/11/976185483/eight-miles-a-time-stamped-receipt-and-an-overturned-conviction-lead-to-a-lawsui https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2020/12/09/murder-charges-dismissed-herbert-alford-michael-adams-2011/6504978002/ https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/12/07/drug-murder-trial-lansing/95082034/ https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2018/10/10/murder-conviction-appeal-shooting-gun-crime-marijuana/1575610002/ https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lsj/name/michael-adams-obituary?pid=154282399 https://www.kctv5.com/news/us_world_news/genetics-may-free-a-woman-convicted-of-killing-her-4-babies-and-help-other-parents/article_9f4b159b-506c-5129-be3d-737821467819.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/23/man-saves-pennsylvania-police-officer-fiery-car-that-daylan/3241496001/

How can someone be found NOT GUILTY of a murder but still be sentenced to life in prison? This is the unbelievable story of Terrance Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, currently serving life in a Virginia prison. Two men wrongfully accused and given unprecedented plea deals in a state court for the murder of a police officer. But what happens when the family of the victim is not happy about the plea deals and gets the FBI involved? Join us as we explore the injustice that happened to these two men in federal court. Innocent of a murder but spending a lifetime in prison due to a legal loophole that allowed the Judge to sentence these two men even though they were found not guilty by a jury. Hear from the team fighting to free Richardson and Claiborne and learn how you can help them! Sources https://www.notguiltyservinglife.orgKerri O'BrienCharlene Rhineharthttp://jarrettadamslaw.comfacts.com

Today's episode hits close to home for cohosts Sandee and Stephany as this missing person's case is currently happening blocks from their homes. Maya "May" Millete was last seen in Chula Vista on January 7th, 2021, after getting in a fight with her husband. It wouldn't be for another 3 days until her husband filed a missing person's report. Join us as we explore the facts of this case and theorize on what could have happened as we try to bring more awareness to this case. Hear from locals in her county on what they believe happened to Maya. Stay till the end of the episode to hear Maya's beautiful voice singing and playing guitar. If you have any information or tips please contact the Chula Vista Police Department at 619-6915139 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477, you can remain anonymous. Maya is Filipino, 5'2" and 105 lbs. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Please help us find Maya.

This is the wrongful conviction of Guy Paul Morin from Canada. Morin was convicted of the October 1984 rape and murder of his nine-year-old next-door neighbour, Christine Jessop of Queensville, north of Toronto, Ontario. DNA testing led to a subsequent overturning of this verdict. Join us is we explore who the real killer was and how Canadian officials launched their own investigation into how this injustice occurred.

Join us for our first minisode and listener submission! This is the story of Jared Witt, a dear friend of one of our listeners. Witt served in the military for decades and completed many deployments. But these deployments took a toll on his mental health and it began to decline. After leaving the military Witt experienced mental health issues as well as periods of homelessness. He was depressed and feeling defeated. But when he began insisting to his ex girlfriend that she repay a large sum of money that she owed him she instead accused him of sexually assaulting her daughter. Witt was arrested without any evidence and crucial witnesses were not interviewed. His attorney convinced him to take a plea deal. Is Witt guilty? Or is he the victim of a DA who was trying to clear his name in a Supreme Court case accusing the department of not taking action against sexual assaults?

In 1997 in Oklahoma City, a motel owner was brutally murdered in his own motel. Money was stolen from his car in what looked liked a robbery gone bad. Soon after, the maintenance worker Justin Sneed, confessed to the murder. But, in exchange for leniency, he stated that the motel manager Richard Glossip hired him to do the murder. With no physical evidence, Glossip was sentenced to death on the sole testimony of the murderer who gave conflicting statements multiple times. This is the crazy story of how a man is now wrongfully sitting on death row and has been within minutes of execution 3 different times. Join us as we explore the lack of evidence, the hasty investigation, the tunnel vision of the interrogators, the DA who destroyed evidence, and what the real evidence actually points to. Help us to save Richard Glossip.