The Crime Story Podcast with Kary Antholis

On today's podcast we present an exclusive conversation with Eric Siddall vice president of the ADDA the professional association for Deputy District Attorneys of Los Angeles county. Siddall joins me to discuss the first year of Los Angeles district attorney George Gascons term in office. In a November New York Times article entitled He's Remaking Criminal Justice in L.A. But How Far Is Too Far? Emily Bazelon and Jennifer Medina compare the tenures of reform oriented prosecutors Kim Fox in Chicago and Larry Krasner in Philadelphia to George Gascón's experience here in Los Angeles. Both Fox and Krasner won reelection even as the murder rates in their cities climbed significantly. According to Bazelon and Medina, "Their victories showed that district attorneys could stand for progressive change and survive a rise in violent crime." But those elections differed somewhat from Gascón's situation in Los Angeles, as he faces a second effort to recall him: "They suggested the political wisdom of making careful case-by-case decisions about releasing people who have committed serious acts of violence."

Carla Cackowski reflects on the culpability of the average viewer who may have — intentionally or not — lifted up a person not deserving of public adulation.

In Part 95, Judge Mader concludes her chronicle of a year in the life of a judge. In her afterword, Judge Mader reflects on the family members who got her to where she is today.

In Part 94, Judge Mader recounts a unique apology from a defendant's family member to a victim's family during a sentencing hearing. The Judge also details a catch-22 situation where a defendant is deemed neither competent enough to enter a plea because nor eligible for release without a trial.

In Part 93, Judge Mader explains a tactic she uses both to discipline herself to follow the law and to discourage prosecutors from over-charging. She also reflects on a plea deal she approved that she has come to feel is unfair to the victims in the case.

In Part 92, Judge Mader assesses the dismissal of a vehicular manslaughter case based on evidence of faulty brakes. The Judge also explores some of the specific legal perils faced by a defendant who decides to represent themselves when accused of a sex crime.

In Part 91, Judge Mader discusses the case of a repeat offender seeking a lesser sentence because of health concerns, while reflecting on an earlier case to muse on unexpected romantic pairings that she sees in court proceedings.

In Part 90, Judge Mader explains the role of a court commissioner and what happens when these court officers make a misstep. She then details the boundaries she sets for herself when friends and family ask for legal advice.

In Part 7 of our Crime Story Series Nuremberg, we examine the U.K. prosecutors' tightly-focused presentation of Count Two of the indictment, particularly as it played in contrast to the Americans' unapologetic power-grab.

In Part 89, Judge Mader discusses the complex considerations when resolving conflicts between parties in court. The Judge then looks to the Thanksgiving holiday and reflects on what she is thankful for in the American criminal justice system.

In Part 88, Judge Mader considers how to balance chastising an attorney for insufficient preparation while maintaining efficient courtroom operation. She also describes the ‘absurd' result of legalizing marijuana but retaining severe penalties for marijuana-related crimes.

In Part 87, Judge Mader explains the strategies lawyers use when selecting a jury. The Judge also discusses the endorsement process for judicial candidates and the importance of ethical standards when vetting prospective judges.

In Part 86, Judge Mader examines the circumstances of a so-called Watson murder, where an intoxicated driver kills someone while driving drunk, and details the hidden tragedies she finds among the jury pool.

In Part 85, Judge Mader looks back at her reasons for becoming a judge and considers the financial demands placed on the candidates in contemporary judicial races.

In Part 84, Judge Mader explains the hierarchy of court assignments. She then details the case of a mentally ill defendant accused of assault and the tension between the need to prosecute crime and the desire to help someone in crisis.

In Part 82, Judge Mader assesses the circumstances of potential juror misconduct in a murder trial, and then discusses the contemporary social dynamics of prosecuting sex trafficking cases.

In Part 83, Judge Mader considers the approaches that different judges take to setting the tone in their courtrooms, including strategies to manage difficult personalities and legal community politics.

Part 81 In Part 81, Judge Mader reflects on the care a judge must take when composing instructions to a jury . She also navigates a delicate situation with a disrespectful prosecutor.

In Part 80, Judge Mader recounts a novel excuse offered by a potential juror in an effort to be excused from service. The Judge also explains practical challenges to offering interpretation services to defendants who speak less common languages.

In Part 79, Judge Mader examines the political pressures surrounding investigations of officer-involved shootings, drawing on her time as the Inspector General of the Los Angeles Police Department.

In Part 78, Judge Mader explains the difficulties in trying a charge of criminal threat, where the central issue is a defendant's intent. She also explores the notion of judicial impartiality, arguing that judges must recognize their own personal biases so that those biases don't compromise the integrity of their decision-making.

In Part 77, Judge Mader details the process behind criminal sex prosecutions, focusing on the complex scenario where both parties are intoxicated.

In Part 76, Judge Mader reflects on the emotions generated by being ‘disqualified' from a case, and then offers her philosophy about the amount of detail a judge owes the court when ruling.

In Part 75, Judge Mader considers how the self-description of a judicial candidate on a ballot impacts their likelihood of winning election to the bench. The Judge also discusses a troubling plea in a bar brawl case.

In Part 74, Judge Mader deals with a surprising incident of mistaken identity. She then details the range of approaches judges take when it comes to their safety and the safety of their families.

In Part 73, Judge Mader explains why an expensive defense team can result in a longer trial. The Judge also offers an update on the case of a chronic drunk driver and details the essential role that a court clerk plays in daily courtroom operations.

In Part 72, Judge Mader discusses an illegal animal rescue case, and then details the sentencing of a man who destroyed evidence in a gang-related murder investigation.

In Part 71, Judge Mader considers her experiences as a public defender and how they shaped her approach to presiding as a judge. Also, the Judge's incidental assignment to a civil case leaves her wondering about the norms of the civil trial environment.

In Part 70, Judge Mader details the essential role of anonymity for potential jurors, and then explores how keeping a defendant in custody can be used as a coercive strategy by prosecutors.

In Part 69, Judge Mader discusses the elements a judge must weigh when sentencing defendants with a mental illness or those who have committed crimes during a psychotic break. The Judge also shares a few courtroom management strategies.

In Part 68, Judge Mader explains the challenges of proving ‘aiding and abetting' cases, and then reflects on the impact a sincere, empathetic prosecutor can have on the criminal legal process.

In Part 67, Judge Mader navigates her colleagues' sensitivities while editing a magazine for judges. Mader also explores the fine line judges must walk when talking to defendants about plea offers.

In Part 66, Judge Mader details a dramatic interaction with a person representing himself and offers addenda to several earlier entries.

In Part 65, Judge Mader discusses her evolving views of police officers and explores what constitutes ‘the perfect trial.' She also revisits the topic of race in jury selection.

In Part 64, Judge Mader considers neutrality in two contexts: Her own need to remain neutral as a jurist and so-called race neutral reasons for dismissing potential jurors.

In Part 63, Judge Mader discusses the use of 'extraction orders' for inmates that refuse to attend court dates. She also reflects on why she began keeping a diary and what she hopes others can gain from her insight.

In Part 62, Judge Mader details her sentencing logic in the case of a defendant who claims he was "sleep driving." She also discusses challenges in trials that rely on Spanish-language interpretation.

In Part 61, Judge Mader reflects on the dynamics among the Los Angeles County Superior Court branches and explores a phenomenon called 'Black Robe Fever' where a judge's ego becomes inflated because of his or her position.

In Part 6 of our Crime Story Series Nuremberg, we examine Robert Jackson's gambit to make the centerpiece of the International Military Tribunal charging the individual Nazi leaders not as legitimate government officials but as conspiring gangsters.

In Part 60, Judge Mader discusses the far-reaching implications of the Brock Turner sexual assault case and the challenge of determining the 'correct' sentence for a given crime.

In Part 59, Judge Mader offers insight into the impact of public opinion on sentencing decisions and offers the details in a particularly brutal murder case as an example of some of the senseless violence that comes before her court.

On this episode, Crime Story contributor Amanda Knox, with her co-author Christopher Robinson, explores a revolutionary idea in resetting the incentives that shape prison life. Knox and Robinson explore "Time Banking" which imagines harnessing the already existing forms of social capital that prisoners generate organically as a potential path to rehabilitation and early release.

In Part 58, Judge Mader discusses the use of confidential informants in gang-related investigations and offers an anecdote exploring how a judge might respond if an attorney appears to be inadequately representing a defendant.

In Part 57, Judge Mader explores how empathy can be a useful tool in the courtroom. She also reflects on the often thankless role of the criminal defense attorney.

On today's podcast, Amanda Knox re-interviews Jarrett Adams. In their conversation, Adams offers an update on the case of two men, Terrence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, who were acquitted by a jury of the murder of a police officer, only to see a federal judge maneuver around the jury's acquittal, and enhance Richardson's and Claiborne's sentences on a drug conviction to life in prison.

In Part 56, Judge Mader offers a story about judges undergoing sensitivity training and reflects on policing tactics that may challenge the pursuit of justice.

In Part 55, Judge Mader explains the complexities of electoral politics within the judiciary and the implications for defendants, attorneys, and judges.

In Part 54 of Inside the Robe, Judge Mader describes how a judge might weigh the circumstances of a crime which may carry a mandatory sentence under three strike provisions. She also explores how mentorship for new judges can help build confidence and develop their understanding of their responsibilities under the law.

In Part 53 of Inside the Robe, Judge Mader expresses concern about the influence of the so-called "CSI" effect and the demand for DNA evidence by jurors. She reflects on the intent behind three strikes sentencing, and she answers the classic question, "What do judges wear under their robes?"

In Part 52 of Inside the Robe, Judge Mader offers insight into challenges that sentencing reform efforts face and explains how attorney behavior can work both for and against efforts to 'win' in the courtroom.

In Part 51 of Inside the Robe, Judge Mader describes the complexities of ICE deportation proceedings after a felony conviction. She also examines how the jury selection process can sometimes tell the court as much about its officers as it does about prospective jurors.