Podcast appearances and mentions of clive stafford smith

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/W5EKhMWdjP4In this lecture we will discuss a hierarchy of rights. Is the American First Amendment the most important of all, given its five foundational rights – no establishment of religion; free exercise of religion; freedom of speech and the press; the right peaceably to assemble; the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. How might this apply to the UK?This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 27th February 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Clive is the Gresham Professor of LawHe is the founder and director of  the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates.  He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/first-amendmentGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todayWebsite:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

Recently, the UK has got into a muddle over how to approach Scottish independence and Brexit. What can we learn from the U.S. which took much of its system from the theory behind the U.K. structure: the King as the Executive; a Legislature made up of the House of Commons balanced by the House of Lords; and the judiciary? And what role should the judiciary play? Have the British got confused about the notion of ‘Parliamentary Supremacy', deciding that this meant that Parliament was supreme not just to the King, but to the judiciary too?This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 1st January 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Clive is the Gresham Professor of LawHe is the founder and director of  the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates.  He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/british-constitutionGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todayWebsite:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/wpF0oB9Mz-0The US Constitution, both in its structural element and the Bill of Rights, reflect a catalogue of colonial complaints about the British system as well as centuries of evolution in the law. In general terms, contrary to the slightly complacent attitude of the British legal authorities. This lecture will demonstrate, most of the original complaints still hold true. This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 7th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Clive is the Gresham Professor of LawHe is the founder and director of  the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates.  He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/us-constitutionGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todayWebsite:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

Clive Stafford Smith OBE is a civil rights and internationally acclaimed lawyer currently representing Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in her quest for justice and release. His advocacy has enabled Aafia's sister to meet her in prison for the first time in 20 years. Recently, Clive returned from Afghanistan, where he uncovered new evidence that could significantly impact Aafia's case. AAFIA MOVEMENT LINKS INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/aafiamovementofficial?igsh=Y2I5a3cxdzR5Y2dh YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@aafiamovementofficial7361?si=n_DYeo1D5gBc1FAk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/aafiamovement.official?mibextid=ZbWKwL TIKTOK https://www.tiktok.com/@aafiamovementofficial WEBSITE: https://aafiamovement.com/ To send Letters to Aafia in Prison Letters4Aafia@gmail.com Fundraiser for Donations (Zakat Eligible): www.muslimgiving.org/freeaafia WhatsApp: +92 3000901258 WhatsApp Activist Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DiigWDMmzPYIRBBCkqIwZd The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 Patreon.com/thepakistanexperience And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44l9XMwecN5nSgIF2Dvivg/join Chapters: 0:00 Introduction and Afghanistan 3:40 What is currently happening in the Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case 4:55 Post 9/11 America 9:30 Guantanamo Bay and the Nuclear Bomb Theory 12:30 Binyam Mohammad Story 15:52 Mohammad Al Gherani Story 18:30 Musharraf sold Pakistanis 23:00 How Dr. Aafia got on FBI's radar 25:27 Amjad Khan and Dr. Aafia's marriage and issues 29:00 The Majid Khan PO Box story 32:00 Dr. Aafia's marriage to Ammar Al Balochi 35:34 Story of Younus Chekhouri 38:18 KSM named Dr. Aafia 44:30 FBI's Most Wanted and Amjad Khan 47:30 Shams ul Hasan 49:30 Aafia Siddiqui's Abduction and time in Afghanistan 56:30 Bagram Base and the Prisoner 650 thing is wrong 1:03:40 Why would the Americans let her go? and the bn al-Shaykh al-Libi story 1:10:30 The Ghazni Story and Dr Aafia's Capture 1:23:00 Story of Dr Aafia attacking US Soldiers 1:31:30 The case in New York against Dr. Aafia Siddiqui 1:40:43 Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's Mental and Physical Health 1:47:00 Options now for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and What People Can Do 1:56:00 Does the State of Pakistan want Dr. Aafia Siddiqui back? 1:59:00 Audience Questions

This first lecture looks at the power that is given to advocates in a country that has a constitutional structure like the US. I have brought  The American Constitution powers an American lawyer in ways unavailable to the British. I will illustrate this difference from my own experience of bringing 88 cases against the President of the US. I have thus far lost just one.This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 19th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Clive is the Gresham Professor of LawHe is the founder and director of  the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates.  He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/human-rights-law-0Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Join our Patreon to get access to exclusive monthly Zoom calls: https://www.patreon.com/TheThinkingMu... and help us expand this podcast. You can email Clive on clivestaffordsmith2020@gmail.com Please send your letters to Clive. Make them more than a couple of lines. Clive also needs a team of lawyers to help him in Texas. If you want to help fund Dr Aafia's legal costs, below is Clive's paypal campaignhttps://www.paypal.com/donate?campaig...The case of Aafia Siddiqui remains an open wound for us all. It symbolises the inhumanity and barbarism of US foreign policy. The incarceration of this brilliant academic and mother of three, has become a marker of its excesses, of which there were many. She languishes in prison, serving an 86-year sentence for an offence that looks barely credible, the attempted murder of two US officials in Afghanistan in 2008. Her whereabouts before that date has been hotly contested, but her lawyers and activists have patched together the conspiracy surrounding Dr Aafias ordeal. Sadly the welfare of her youngest son Suleman – who has not been seen since her detention in 2003 remains unknown. Presumed dead. The last time I spoke with Dr Aafias lawyer Clive Stafford Smith he had returned from her prison in Forth Worth Texas – where she had been reunited with her sister Fozia for the first time in 20 years. If you haven't watched that programme, I would highly recommend you do to give you the backstory to this horrific case. Clive has just returned from a factfinsding mission to Afghanistan, and he has some considerable updates on Aafias case. Clive has helped secure the release of 86 prisoners from Guantánamo Bay and still acts for the remaining numbers. Since the early days of the War on Terror, he has worked tirelessly to force the Americans and other Western powers to adhere to the rule of law. He has sought to uncover the secret prisons and ghost prisoners that stain the reputation of powerful states – who presented their wars in benevolent terms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7:20 a.m. - Grant Callen - Founder & CEO, Empower MS; Charter School in MS. The push for School Choice and what it means long term for public schools. More states are committing to school choice each year. 8:35 a.m. - Clive Stafford Smith - Co-Founder of Reprieve; Tasha Shelby

You can write to Dr Aafia via her lawyer on email clive@3dc.org.uk The deadline for the first round of letters is 1/8/23 - you can still send letters after this date for future visits. Please place in the subject of the email: Thinking Muslim letter for Aafia. Clive has set up a crowdfunding page for a monthly standing order/debit for Aafia; this is to pay for a young Pakistani researcher to help on the case and to fund the trips to the US etc. Use -  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/freeaafia/backers#start Although the war on terror is now a distant memory to many Americans, it's horrible residue remains. The incarceration of Aafia Siddiqui, a brilliant academic and mother of three, has become a symbol of its excesses, of which there were many. She languishes in prison, serving an 86-year sentence for an offence that looks barely credible, the attempted murder of two US officials in Afghanistan in 2008. Her whereabouts before that date remain murky, and so does the welfare of her youngest son Suleman – who has not been seen since her detention in 2003. To help us unpick the facts, we have invited Aafias lawyer Clive Stafford Smith to shed light on what happened to Aafia and her children. Clive has helped secure the release of 86 prisoners from Guantánamo Bay and still acts for the remaining numbers. Since the early days of the War on Terror, he has worked tirelessly to force the Americans and other Western powers to adhere to the rule of law. He has sought to uncover the secret prisons and ghost prisoners that stain the reputation of powerful states – who presented their wars in benevolent terms. Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/ Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Host: https://twitter.com/jalalayn Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com#TheThinkingMuslimPodcast Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠

Edinburgh GP Gavin Francis has been reading the writings of Thomas Browne (1605 -1682), who travelled to Padua and Leiden to qualify in medicine and then wrote on topics including religion, burial and examples of false understanding of science at the time. A Fortunate Woman - a depiction of a country doctor working now - takes inspiration from A Fortunate Man published in 1967 by John Berger and photographer Jean Mohr. Author Polly Morland joins Gavin Francis and New Generation Thinker Matt Smith from Strathclyde University, who is working on a history of health and medicine and who researches mental health, to discuss with Rana Mitter how our ideas have changed. Producer: Julian Siddle You can hear Gavin Francis discussing Ancient Wisdom and Remote Living in a previous Free Thinking episode available on BBC Sounds and as the Arts & Ideas podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q3by There's more about Thomas Browne in an episode devoted to his writings https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02tw4xw Matt Smith discusses Ritalin in an episode about Resting and Rushing https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bp2c and an Essay for Radio 3 looks at The Magic Years, a manuscript found in the American Psychiatric Association archives, written when the eradication of mental illness was believed possible https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08j9x3c Ways of Talking about Health looks at new research from UK universities https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q12w Mental Health hears from Human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith and New Generation Thinker Dr Sabina Dosani https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0016ynv

CLIVE STAFFORD SMITH - The Far Side Of The Moon... with TRE´s Giles Brown

From a death row prisoner to the schemes to raise money dreamt up by his father: human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith has written a memoir exploring the impact of mental health on his family, his clients in the legal system and himself. New Generation Thinker Sabina Dosani is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. She writes a postcard for Mental Health Week about Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness. Curator George Vasey discusses activism on air pollution and curator James Taylor-Foster explains the sensations of ASMR. Anne McElvoy hosts. Trials of the Moon: My Father's Trials by Clive Stafford Smith is out now. Sabina Dosani is a 2022 New Generation Thinker on the scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to turn research into radio https://sabinadosani.com/ In the Air runs at the Wellcome Collection from 19 May 2022—16 October 2022 Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR runs at the Design Museum from May 13th Producer in Salford: Cecile Wright You can find a new Music & Meditation podcast on BBC Sounds or take some time out with BBC Radio 3's Slow Radio podcast. And Radio 3's Essential Classics has a slow moment every weekday at 11.30am There is also a Free Thinking episode called Breathe hearing from Writer James Nestor, saxophonist Soweto Kinch, Imani Jacqueline Brown of Forensic Architecture and New Generation Thinker Tiffany Watt Smith https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xszq

The prosecution of Julian Assange marks the first time a publisher of truthful information has been indicted under the Espionage Act. In the first of a series of episodes exploring what WikiLeaks exposed and the lengths the US government went to silence them, Primary Sources looks at WikiLeaks' role in exposing human rights abuses at the notorious US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Nearly ⅓ of the charges against WikiLeaks publisher Assange pertain to Guantanamo Bay Detainee Assessment files released by WikiLeaks. Yet these files remain under discussed by the media.To help understand what they are and why they matter, host Chip Gibbons is joined by Andy Worthington, a leading expert on Guantanamo Bay who worked with Wikileaks on the release of the Guantanamo Files, and Clive Stafford Smith, a pioneering human rights attorney who, in the aftermath of 9/11, was one of the first lawyers willing to represent detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Both men testified on behalf of Assange at his extradition hearing.Support the show (https://rightsanddissent.salsalabs.org/donate0)

Scott interviews Clive Stafford Smith about a recent article written by his client Ahmed Rabbani. Rabbani has been in custody for 19 years without a single charge being brought against him. In 2002 he found himself in the hands of the CIA who allegedly believed he was a man named Hassan Ghul. But even after the real Ghul was captured and brought to the same prison Rabbani was being kept in, the CIA kept trying to extract information from Rabbani. Ghul cooperated and was freed. But Rabbani was sent to Guantanamo Bay where he remains today. Smith explains some of the difficulties facing him as he argues Rabbani's case and sheds some light on how common his story really is. Discussed on the show: “The U.S. Has Held Me For 19 Years Without A Charge. I Have Just One Chance To Be Freed” (Huffington Post) The Senate Torture Report Clive Stafford Smith is founder and director of Reprieve, and the author of Bad Men: Guantánamo Bay and the Secret Prisons and Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America. Follow him on Twitter @CliveSSmith. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott interviews Clive Stafford Smith about a recent article written by his client Ahmed Rabbani. Rabbani has been in custody for 19 years without a single charge being brought against him. In 2002 he found himself in the hands of the CIA who allegedly believed he was a man named Hassan Ghul. But even after the real Ghul was captured and brought to the same prison Rabbani was being kept in, the CIA kept trying to extract information from Rabbani. Ghul cooperated and was freed. But Rabbani was sent to Guantanamo Bay where he remains today. Smith explains some of the difficulties facing him as he argues Rabbani's case and sheds some light on how common his story really is. Discussed on the show: “The U.S. Has Held Me For 19 Years Without A Charge. I Have Just One Chance To Be Freed” (Huffington Post) The Senate Torture Report Clive Stafford Smith is founder of Reprieve, and is now director of his new non-profit the 3DCentre. He is the author of Bad Men: Guantánamo Bay and the Secret Prisons and Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America. Follow him on Twitter @CliveSSmith. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

This episode is a bit a different than our usual conversations with booksellers. This is a recording of a phone call we had last week with Samir Mansour, the founder of Samir Mansour Bookshop in Gaza, Palestine. Founded 21 years ago, this two-story bookshop was a much-loved part of the local community and had tens of thousands of books covering everything from philosophy and art history to fiction and children's books. Samir's bookshop also had the largest collection of English literature in Gaza, and was also part of a publishing house that focused on Palestinian writers. We say had because on 18 May 2021, so about 2 months ago, during the 11-day conflict that killed more than 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel, Samir Mansour Bookshop was bombed and destroyed. Samir lost almost 100,000 books that served schoolchildren and adults alike. Mansour's bookstore, also a publishing house, was unable to save any books from the large collection. What goods can enter Gaza is limited. The international aid that has been restricted under the blockade since 2007 is now largely blocked from reaching Gaza. Up until the bombardment, the 21-year-old bookshop was able to provide a fair amount of things Gazans craved due to the siege: getting Palestinian voices out from Gaza and bringing the world's literature into Gaza. But the Mansour family is determined to keep rebuilding the bookstore and keep the literary spirit alive, even though the destruction is ongoing around them. They have the support of hundreds of booklovers inside and outside of Gaza. Now a fundraiser managed by human rights lawyers Mahvish Rukhsana and Clive Stafford Smith has raised more than $200,000 to help rebuild the shop, and thousands of donated books have been sent from all over the world to help Mansour restock. The goal of this fundraising campaign is to replace all of Mansour's 100,000 books and rebuild his bookshop. And also to help him establish a new project: the Gaza Cultural Centre, which would be a new library next door, from which readers could borrow books without paying. We talked to Samir about his bookshop and his hopes for the future. We'd like to also thanks Mariam Joumaa Stanke who kindly offered to translate for us. Here's our conversation with Samir. And here you can find the GoFundMe Campaign https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuild-gazas-samir-mansour-book-store --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gotbooks/message

Our little break behind us, we're so happy to be back! This week Spencer and Jamie kick things off with a deep dive into the mysterious island of Die Gute Fabrik's Mutazione -- a breathtaking game about friendly mutants, small-town gossip, chosen family, and redefining our relationship to the earth. Omg, just typing this has me in my feels all over again. Then we're joined by the hilarious and effortlessly awesome Esha Todd, a writer and artist drawing on her experiences working with Apple, Makerbot, and Oculus to imagine the future of gaming and help people embrace emerging technology. Esha currently works for Sugar Gamers, a content creation hub and community founded in 2009 by Keisha Howard as a platform for women gamers that has since evolved into a diverse group of trendsetters and aficionados within the worlds of technology, gaming, and the arts. We chat about the power of immersion, how living in VR isn't THAT far off from how we operate today, and how Grand Theft Auto V helped Esha process and move through her trauma with driving! Plus: That time Spencer became a tree, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, mixed martial arts, and more! Follow Esha: https://twitter.com/eshaknows_ Side Quest https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuild-gazas-samir-mansour-book-store "Gaza's largest and most beloved book shop and library was destroyed by air strikes. The two-story Samir Mansour book store was built 21 years ago and served as a community centre and book shop for the local Gaza community and Palestinian school children. Tens of thousands of books were destroyed. All of the heart, creativity and talent poured into this magical place is gone. As a result of the complete siege on Gaza Strip, construction supplies are in extreme short supply and heavily inflated. Please donate generously and help Palestinians get books back. All funds will be given directly to Samir Mansour to rent new space and rebuild a new library and book shop. This fundraiser is managed by human rights lawyers Mahvish Rukhsana and Clive Stafford Smith." About Pixel Therapy New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us save up for streaming equipment at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod ! Support this podcast

Believe me when I say this is one of the most egregious cases of a miscarriage of justice you'll ever hear.SABRINA BUTLER SMITH's story can only be described as your very worst nightmare.  At 17, Sabrina was a young, single mother to two children including her beautiful baby boy, Walter.  When Walter was nine months old, Sabrina came home after a jog and found him in his crib not breathing. After a frantic half an hour desperately seeking help from neighbours and applying the CPR she was instructed to give, Walter arrived in the emergency room, but the doctors were unable to revive him.Instead of consoling the heartbroken teen mother, the doctors wrongly accused Sabrina of child abuse.   And after a 4 hour brutal police interrogation, Sabrina was charged with murdering her baby boy.  In March 1990, Sabrina was wrongfully convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.Six and a half excruciating years after her wrongful conviction, Sabrina was granted an appellate trial with the support of her new lawyer - my former guest, Clive Stafford Smith. During the appeal, it was found that Walter had tragically died from a genetic kidney disorder. In 1995, Sabrina was the first woman ever in the history of the United States to be exonerated from Death Row.  The only thing that kept this remarkable young woman going was her faith and the knowledge of one thing: she was innocent.  They say the truth will set you free.  But even for the exonerated, hell remains a place on earth.This is Sabrina's story …BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Sabrina hereFind out more about Witness to Innocence hereWatch “Kids Meet a Death Row Exoneree” hereFollow Sabrina TwitterFollow Sabrina on InstaFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Sabrina Butler SmithAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg. BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. 

In April of 1989, teenage mother Sabrina Butler experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when her nine-month-old son Walter suddenly stopped breathing. Despite her intense resuscitation efforts, Walter was pronounced dead at the hospital. Sabrina was then subjected to interrogation by twelve police officers and three detectives — without an attorney present — only to be charged with capital murder and sentenced to death. After years of appeals and assembling a new, internationally renowned defense team, Sabrina was exonerated in 1995, becoming America’s first female death row survivor. Sabrina now serves on the board of Witness to Innocence, empowering other death row survivors to raise their voices and eradicate the practice of capital punishment, once and for all. Why was a perfect storm of poverty, overt racism, oppression allowed to yield the death sentence of a minor? How do we compel our leaders and citizens to contend with the realities of a fatally flawed criminal justice system? Watch this stirring episode of Open Mike to find out. Show Notes [00:01] Background of Sabrina Butler Smith’s case and her horrific experience in the legal system. [02:21] Welcome to the show, Sabrina. Your story is chilling, and I’m honored you’re here. Let’s jump in. This started with the tragic death of your son Walter and turned into a greater tragedy when you were charged with his murder as a teen. Tell us what happened! [06:26] Sabrina, was your son healthy up until this point? And he had his regular shots and pediatrician up until this moment? He never had any broken bones or was treated for any injuries? [07:22] You’re at the hospital, and there are doctors and nurses working on Walter… and you’re panicking because you think you’re in trouble for having left him alone and returned to him in this state… and then what happened? [07:51] What were the lies you were telling? [08:48] Doctors and nurses were asking Sabrina many situationally related questions while she was holding the body of her child, i.e. in a state of extreme distress where she was not in the right mind to provide accurate responses. She was then taken to the police station where asked questions, only to be released. The next day, Sabrina returned to the hospital where she was once again taken to the police station where she was aggressively interrogated/intimidated for four hours. [11:11] So, when you were being interrogated at the police station, did you know your baby had already passed or were you still waiting to hear about his condition? [11:53] The police read Sabrina, a minor, her Miranda Rights but didn’t understand implications of its language, including misinterpreting her right to remain silent as, “don’t speak until spoken to.” [12:38] Eventually, you signed a confession… explain how that happened. What did you confess to? [13:24] Sabrina didn’t learn of Walter’s cause of death until her second trial. She wasn’t allowed to plan or participate in a funeral and didn’t even learn of his burial place until two years after her release. [14:10] Can you tell us about how you got your first attorneys? [14:35] Sabrina didn’t meet her trial attorneys until two days prior to the first court date. In 1989, court appointed attorneys were receiving a mere $1,000 per capital case. There was no jury of her peers, no witnesses were called, and she believes her attorney was drunk. [16:54] Do you remember how many days this trial was? You say you knew deep in your heart you were getting railroaded in this trial… [18:28] What did the jury look like, were they all-white? [18:53] The woman who had helped you administer CPR the night Walter passed was in the court room, and your drunk defense attorney didn’t have the thought to put her on the stand… how does that happen? You must have wanted to scream at the court room. [20:06] The jury came back, you’re sitting in the court room, and they find you guilty of capital murder. What’s going through your head? [21:23] Did your defense attorneys ever participate in a hearing where they advocated for you not being out to death? What was life like in prison, on death row? [23:10] Much of what Sabrina learned about legal proceedings was from her cellmate, not her lawyers. Her legal team kept her in the dark. [23:30] Thank God for that woman being with you… can you tell us about the appeal process? [24:17] It looks like, two years later, your new lawyer Clive Stafford Smith and his team convinced the state supreme court that the state prosecution improperly commented at trial on your decision not to testify — which is unconstitutional. That’s something you learn on day one of law school. Do you remember what the prosecutor said about that at trial? [25:12] You get granted a new trial and are now sitting on death row for three years? Did any of your attorneys try to get you out on bond? [25:58] Before we get to the second trial, tell me about your family, your first child, what the dynamics of support are like for you during this time. [26:45] Sabrina’s mother became her biggest advocate, appearing in the news, even becoming homeless in her quest to let everyone know what the state of Mississippi was doing to her daughter. [27:02] Let’s talk about the second trial… were you more optimistic for this second trial with your new defense team? [27:46] Did either of your first two defense attorneys get disciplined, as far as you know? [28:27] How was the second trial different from the first one? [28:50] Clive discovered Walter’s death was caused by nephrotic syndrome, which Sabrina’s daughter also has. Walter also had heart problems and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which caused peritonitis, inability to defecate, and ultimately led to his death by robbing him of oxygen. An autopsy had previously been conducted by the state but was completely inadequate and inept. [31:07] Were there any witnesses called at your second trial? [31:42] Sabrina didn’t need to take the stand in the second trial because her new legal team had provided such an immense quantity of evidence. [31:58] Was the jury makeup any better during this second trial? [32:17] It took just one hour for the jury to deliver her innocence verdict. [32:44] You did have an expert witness on the second trial? [34:32] It sounds like these are night-and-day trials… were you more confident going into this second trial? [35:28] We’ve done several wrongfully convicted episodes and, Sabrina, your story goes to show how important it is to have good lawyering. They should be teaching your story in law school! This is 101. And the communication you’re talking about goes to show how important it is.   [36:16] You’re acquitted, I can imagine you’re elated to get out of prison after six-and-a-half years. What did those first steps outside feel like? [38:11] The state granted you $300,000… how did you feel about that? [38:30] How hard was it reacclimating to society after this ordeal? [39:45] Tell the viewers and listeners… how is your life now? [40:09] You mentioned you’re doing speaking and making appearances on podcasts like this… and you also have a website you’re involved with. Can you tell us about that? [41:45] Sabrina is also working on a tell-all book called Exonerated: The Sabrina Butler Story that’s currently in its completion stages.   [42:34] You’re actually talking to state legislators and working on death penalty reform. Can you tell us about that? [43:12] You’re also on the board of Witness to Innocence, which empowers death row survivors to help overturn the death penalty in the United States… [44:26] We’ve done some episodes on Shaken Baby Syndrome (Abusive Head Trauma) cases… your case kind of falls under that category, do you agree? [45:56] Sabrina is the first woman in the United States to be exonerated from death row. [46:10] Editor’s note: Julie Baumer’s nephew did not die from his medical condition and is still alive to this day. [46:56] Sabrina is also attempting to start a halfway house for female exonerees and ex-offenders in Memphis, Tennessee because, while there are plenty of programs for men, there are few available for females. [49:03] The last question I have for you is… what is your message for people sitting behind bars who know they are innocent? How do you inspire hope in them? [49:48] I think those are perfect words to end on. Sabrina Butler Smith, thank you for so much for being on Open Mike and sharing your story with us. [50:17] That was emotional, another crazy exoneree story from a really beautiful woman, Sabrina Butler Smith. Thank you for watching and listening. Send this to someone who needs to hear it. Donate to Witness to Innocence and her website. Thank you for being here for Open Mike.

"While I'm worth my room on this earth......" Sunshine on Leith was released in 1988 but didn't become the big hit The Proclaimers had hoped for. However it has endured and become an anthem of love and a celebration of life. It is the song played at Hibs FC matches and has come to symbolise the sense of community felt by supporters. Margaret Alcorn recalls how she and her husband were involved in the Hibs Supporters Club organising and taking part in social events for local people in Leith. When their club came under threat from a merger with rival Edinburgh team Hearts she and her husband worked tirelessly to preserve it. Craig and Charlie Reid played a benefit concert for the Club. Sunshine on Leith became the song that expressed the emotions of the fans during that time and has remained the song they still sing at the football ground. When her husband passed away the song played at his funeral was Sunshine on Leith. Musician Ross Wilson grew up in Leith and is also a passionate Hibs Supporter. The feelings of comfort and solidarity he experiences at home games led him to create his own version of the song which he performed with a choir to celebrate one of his favourite songs that reminds him of home and that he calls true soul music. Melinda Tetley's family would always sing Proclaimers songs at home in Edinburgh while her three children were growing up. But when her teenage son fell ill with leukemia Sunshine on Leith took on a special significance for them culminating in a spontaneous joyful singalong on a walk along a lochside. The human rights lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith is a big fan of The Proclaimers and remembers seeing them perform Sunshine on Leith in New Orleans just days after 9/11 to an audience of exactly eight people - half of whom were the prosecuting team in a Death Row murder case he was defending. And musicologist Dave Robb who toured with The Proclaimers explains the song's lasting emotional appeal and spiritual beauty. Producer: Maggie Ayre

Where should I start with today's guest – apart from confessing that he's a lifelong hero of mine?  Clive Stafford Smith is one of the world's most distinguished Human Rights lawyers and the Founder of ‘Reprieve' - a UK based legal NGO that defends marginalised people who are facing human rights abuses, often at the hands of powerful governments.   Clive's dedicated over 25 years working on behalf of defendants facing the death penalty in the US.  He only takes on cases of those who can't afford a lawyer & he's assisted in the representation of over 400 prisoners and prevented their execution in 98% of cases.  In 2000, Clive was awarded an OBE for ‘humanitarian services' and has won a raft of awards in the field of human rights that would take an hour alone to read out.   But it's his own journey to becoming one of the world's most feted civil libertarians which really has me spellbound.  And please don't be fooled by his very regal British accent.  Whilst, Clive most certainly is an intellectual giant; he's an intellectual giant with a heart of gold & a wicked sense of humour who believes that human beings – all human beings - deserve humanity and compassion. Yep … he's extraordinary.  Buckle up dear friends, cos this episode is epic. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Clive hereClive at TedX Exeter here Find out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Clive Stafford SmithAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg.BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Host David Jolly is joined by Clive Stafford Smith. Clive has spent his life fighting to overturn death sentences, and championing human rights issues around the globe. He's perhaps best known for defending death row inmates and Guantanamo Bay detainees. They discuss his life's work, the current state of politics in the US and the UK, and more!

Clive Stafford-Smith OBE  is a cricket-lover who is also one of the leading human rights lawyers in the world. He is the founder of Reprieve, an organization which specializes in defending people facing execution and victims of rendition, extrajudicial detention and torture in the name of counter-terrorism. As a lawyer practising in the southern United States he personally represented over 300 prisoners sentenced to death: all but six were spared. He won five cases in the (pre-Trump) Supreme Court. He has secured the release of 80 inmates detained without charges at the American facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, including all the British ones, and is still at work at another seven cases there. He is the guest of Peter Oborne and Richard Heller on their latest cricket-themed podcast. For information and how you can support Clive's local cricket club, Broadwindsor, visit: crowdfunder.co.uk/savebroadwindsorcricketHe sets out his philosophy – and practice – of cricket as an alternative to war, especially between India and Pakistan, and hails the Taliban's enthusiasm for cricket.  8-11 and 24 minutes He has had a long relationship with Imran Khan, forged in campaigns for victims of drone strikes, 14-18 minutes and repeats Imran's stark warning of the possibility of a nuclear exchange in the recent hostilities over Kashmir. 18-19 and 21-23 minutesHe sets out ways in which cricket-lovers and other sporting enthusiasts might move human rights forward in different countries, including Dubai, the headquarters of world cricket, where foreign workers are victims of discrimination and exploitation. 50-55 minutesHe describes his amazing experiences playing cricket at Guantanamo (a location not so far mentioned in Wisden's Cricket Around The World) with the poorly-paid Jamaican workers, 2-7 minutes and how he managed to give the latest scores to cricket-loving inmates despite often bizarre US censorship over numbers. 13-14 minutesClive learnt his cricket at Radley College, where his Warden was the inspirational Dennis  Silk, a major figure in English cricket. 36-37 minutes He became the College's opening bowler despite a teenage struggle against bulimia. He describes this movingly, along with his response to Freddie Flintoff's recent account of his own struggle with a condition still poorly understood among men. 39-41 minutesHe recalls his long experience of a thriving cricket scene in the United  States, 47-49 minutesparticularly  playing in Atlanta with and against many famous West Indian cricketers. They included Conrad Hunte. He speaks warmly of his ethical personality and his on-field kindness and forbearance with the efforts of his lesser playing colleagues. 42-46 minutesHe recently testified on behalf of Julian Assange in his fight against extradition. He explains the significance of the case and looks forward to welcoming the most celebrated member of the Quito Cricket Club into his local cricket club, Broadwindsor in Dorset. 26-28 minutes He is now trying to save the club from the threat of eviction by the new owners of their ground. 29-35 minutes He gives listeners the chance to donate to the campaign (and purchase an office or title within the club). Henry Blofeld sent such a fierce letter of support that he felt compelled to tone it down slightly. 34 minutes Surprisingly for such a battling lawyer he remarks: “The law's not a great way to solve anything. I'd rather solve it by the rules of cricket”. 33 minutes

Kevin Gosztola is back for an update on Julian Assange’s extradition hearing. He describes the great line-up of witnesses being summoned by Assange’s defense team and how easily, for the most part, they’ve been able to dismantle the arguments from the prosecution. It’s unclear, however, how effective any kind of reasoned argument about the facts will be, given that we know this whole hearing has been conducted on political grounds from the beginning. The case the U.S. government wants to bring against Assange is based on the conspiracy theory that he deliberately directed Chelsea Manning to steal classified information, and the attempt to brand Wikileaks not as a journalistic organization, but as a hostile intelligence agency. Gosztola reminds us what kind of a precedent this could set: if the grounds for Assange’s extradition are that he, an Australian citizen living in Britain, revealed U.S. government secrets, then could any country extradite anyone for publishing something their government didn’t like? This, Gosztola and Scott agree, is a truly terrifying prospect. Discussed on the show: “9/11/20 Clive Stafford Smith on Julian Assange’s Political Show Trial” (The Libertarian Institute) War in the Age of Trump Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, “Unauthorized Disclosure.” Follow him on Twitter @kgosztola. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com. Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh.

Clive Stafford Smith, expert witness in Julian Assange’s extradition hearing, talks about the outrageous scandal that is the U.S. government’s attempted prosecution of Assange and Wikileaks. Smith begins by making the obvious point that as a recipient of classified leaks, and not a leaker himself, Assange is no different than any journalist who writes stories containing classified information. To prosecute Wikileaks, in other words, the government would have to admit that they could prosecute the New York Times and The Washington Post as well. The focus of Smith’s testimony was on the many heroic and salutary effects Assange’s exposure of U.S. government malfeasance has had, including illegal torture of terrorism suspects, whom Smith has spent part of his legal career defending. Smith argues that these misdeeds must be exposed, since their continuation puts thousands of innocent lives at risk from blowback. Discussed on the show: “Hypocrisy on Display at Assange’s Extradition Hearing” (Antiwar.com Original) Joint Prioritized Effects List “How Mom sent a guy to Gitmo” (Los Angeles Times) “State Department Cables” (WikiLeaks) Clive Stafford Smith is founder and director of Reprieve, and the author of Bad Men: Guantánamo Bay and the Secret Prisons and Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America. Follow him on Twitter @CliveSSmith. ./upload.sh 20_09_11_smith clivestaffordsmith This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com. Donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal, or Bitcoin: 1Ct2FmcGrAGX56RnDtN9HncYghXfvF2GAh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjxh8lFGJio

The Duran: Episode 663. Via Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-assange/assange-warned-he-will-be-removed-from-extradition-hearings-if-outbursts-continue-idUSKBN25Z1UD)... Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder who is fighting to avoid extradition to the United States from Britain, was warned by a judge on Tuesday he will be removed from the courtroom and tried in his absence if he continues to interrupt proceedings. The proceedings were briefly adjourned after Assange shouted “nonsense” as James Lewis, acting for the U.S. government, told a witness that Assange was facing extradition proceedings over the publication of informants' names and not for handling leaked documents.Judge Vanessa Baraitser told Assange, who was in the dock, that he must not speak out even though he will hear things he disagrees with. “If you interrupt proceedings and disrupt a witness who is properly giving their evidence, it is open to me to continue without you in your absence,” Baraitser said. “This is obviously not something I wish to do. I am, therefore, giving you a clear warning.” The U.S. authorities accuse Australian-born Assange, 49, of conspiring to hack government computers and of violating an espionage law in connection with the release of confidential cables by WikiLeaks in 2010-2011. Assange's outburst occurred as the court heard on Tuesday from Clive Stafford Smith, founder of the London-based charity Reprieve, who argues that the Wikileaks disclosures had been instrumental in challenging the U.S. on illegal drone strikes and the secret detention of suspects. *** The Patriot Beacon #1 Tactical Flashlight on the Market Link: https://www.patrioticlegacy.com/product/patriot-flashlight/ Coupon code: Duran20

In our final episode of season one, Katherine and Paul are joined by human rights lawyer, founder of Reprieve and all-round international justice powerhouse, Clive Stafford Smith. Clive candidly discusses his work representing prisoners facing the death penalty, those held in secret prisons (including Guantanamo Bay), and the victims of assassination by drones. He also shares his less-than-glowing views on the criminal justice system, our treatment of criminals and forensic science.He even uses his incredible mind-melding abilities to interrogate Katherine and Paul (not like that) and poses a series of head-scratchers. Would you send someone you love to prison? What’s the worst thing Paul’s ever done? Is Katherine a marxist? All this and much more...It’s an important conversation to hear, but be aware it occasionally features some strong language and there are descriptions of torture. Possibly not one for the kids.Links, resources and episode timestamps (for all you skippers out there) below.____ABOUT CLIVE STAFFORD SMITHCLIVE STAFFORD SMITH JD OBE is the founder of Reprieve, a London based human rights charity that focuses on the direct representation of prisoners facing the death penalty around the world, those held in secret prisons, and the victims of assassination by drones. Born in Cambridge, he is a dual UK-US national. He was educated at Radley College, where he studied science and mathematics. His law degree comes from Columbia Law School in New York. He worked for nine years at the Southern Center for Human Rights, a charity in Atlanta; in 1993, he founded the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center, a non-profit law office in New Orleans specializing in the defence of capital cases at the trial level; he founded Reprieve in 1999. In early 2002 he was one of three lawyers who filed the initial litigation in Rasul v. Bush, to force the Bush administration to respect the rights of Muslim prisoners in Guantánamo Bay and other secret prisons. In 2000, he was awarded the OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity”. He has been involved in more than 300 death penalty cases in the US and around the world, and has helped secure the release of 80 detainees in Guantánamo Bay, where he continues to represent a further 7 detainees. He lives in Dorset.Twitter: CliveSSmith____LINKS AND RESOURCESReprieve https://reprieve.org.uk/ Kris Maharaj https://reprieve.org.uk/update/kris-maharaj-turns-80/ Ahmed Raabbani https://reprieve.org/cases/ahmed-rabbani/ ‘The World of Reprieve’ by Clive Stafford Smith https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/talks/the-word-of-reprieve/ ____TAKE ACTIONhttps://reprieve.org.uk/take-action/____00:00 - Welcome to Somewhere To Believe In00:30 - Katherine and Paul catch up03:00 - Feedback from listeners04:40 - Introducing Clive Stafford Smith and his work05:49 - Clive joins the conversation06:00 - Clive on covid and human rights09:50 - Clive on how he got into law11:00 - Clive on the British legal system14:14 - Clive on innocence and fair trials 15:50 - Clive on forensic science16:50 - Clive on prison19:00 - Clive on the criminal justice system24:10 - Clive on rehabilitation25:30 - Clive on secret executions26:20 - Clive on doing better28:20 - Talk Snippet from GB2017 ‘The World of Reprieve’37:30 - Clive on Guantanamo Bay42:20 - Clive on hunger strikes44:30 - Clive on what we can do to help47:00 - Clive on violence and pacifism50:40 - Clive on faith54:00 - Clive on passion58:36 - Katherine and Paul reflect on the conversation with Clive01:07:00 - How to get in touch with us01:08:10 - Thank you’s____A huge thanks to the Greenbelt Volunteer Talks Team for all their hard work on editing this episode. Our podcast music is ‘I Can Change’ by Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires.____https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/#SomewhereToBelieveIn See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The death row lawyer Clive Stafford Smith certainly can’t, especially as this week should have seen Edward Earl Johnson turn sixty. Instead, in 1987, he was executed at the Mississippi State Penitentiary for a crime nobody thinks he committed; Harry Sidebottom considers the ancients’ view on the plague, a serious outbreak of which occurred somewhere around the Mediterranean every ten to twenty years; “If oil is the blood of the global economy, shipping is the circulatory system”, say Tom Stevenson, who describes how the world’s economic and diplomatic relationships play out at sea Fourteen Days in May – BBC Storyville, on BBC iPlayerSinews of War and Trade: Shipping and capitalism in the Arabian peninsula by Laleh Khalili See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Clive Stafford Smith is the founder of Reprieve and the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center and in this episode we talk about his role in the long running campaign to close the prison on the US military base at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. To date, Clive has helped secure the release of 69 prisoners from Guantánamo Bay (including every British prisoner) and still acts for eight more and he talks candidly about the challenges he has faced and how he and other overcame them. 

We’re in Brooklyn with documentary maker Will Francome talking about filming on location worldwide and everything from capital punishment, the American criminal justice system, the people who get let off death row, orphanages in Kenya, standing knee deep in sh*t for hours in Norway, ice caves in the Arctic, Thai Kick Boxing, racism, cocaine, pizza, rats carrying slices of pizza and the town in Nebraska with a population of one person. A wonderfully enjoyable insight into the world of a documentary maker with Will Francome.   On this episode we cover:   Pledging allegiance to the US at 6 days old Living between the US and the UK Growing up English and American Being the unaccompanied minor on the plane Feeling both an outsider and an insider Working at a homeless charity leading to documentary making Colin Firth and Livia Firth getting involved Documentaries about the death penalty The American criminal justice system and capital punishment Anti-death penalty activist Clive Stafford-Smith on The Big Travel Podcast Travelling to death row in Pennsylvania Driving across America in an RV to interview people who had been let off death row for One For Ten His new film The Penalty on Amazon Finding how the same things; racism, bad forensics, corrupt police…playing into every single case of mistaken convictions on death row How the US is great…except for capital punishment, guns, healthcare and racism People in prison for non-violent drug offences The US being the most likely country in the world to imprison ‘A massive rush to over-incarcerate’ 13th documentary on Netflix 100 times more prison time for crack cocaine than powder cocaine the racialising of the US criminal justice system Built in racism in the US criminal justice system Monowi in Nebraska with a population of one person (!) The beauty and contrasting US landscape Working for BBC travel, BBC2, Crimebusters Working from everywhere from New York to the Arctic Having to turn down a gig in Chile to standing in sh*t for hours in Norway The unusual story of Svalbard in the Arctic The Svalbard Treaty sharing between 80 countries Touring ice caves with his Arctic explorer mate The moonscape light in the Alaskan mountains in the middle of winter Recent filming in Kenya, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Nigeria… Feeling happiest in South East Asia Visiting Thai Kick Boxing gyms all over Thailand Being so happy to be beaten up in the ring Absolutely loving Africa Making a film about the pitfalls of orphanages in Kenya How tourists paying to visit orphanages can be traumatic to the children Travelling around with armed guards Many children in orphanages having a living parent The pressures of documentary makers to being impartial and portray truth Living in Brooklyn; noise, honking cars, museums, bars and pizza The food being the best thing Apartments being too small to cook in How months of snow can drive you crazy NYC being a visual feast for film-makers The spectacular feeling of arriving in Manhattan from Long Island New York in the 1980s being a more dangerous place Manhattan losing its crown to areas like Brooklyn The pros and cons of gentrification New York having become a shockingly expensive city Being shocked by more homogenous areas in American Flushing in Queens having more nationalities than anywhere else on earth Being able to eat a different type of restaurant every night of the year Avoiding the bin rats Loving going to the Mets with his brother, taking the ferry from Brooklyn to Manhattan and having the best pizza in the world Being happiest with a slice of pizza and a dive bar Lisa loving coming up with New York Songs (Living for the City, Across 110th Street, Nights on Broadway) How Manu Chao captures the international travelling spirit    

Following the discovery of a strange book, Sarah Green revises the story of the late nineteenth-century poet Lionel Johnson, whose legacy was distorted in the 1950s by a criminal with a taste for fancy bedding; in the US, of 70,000 cases that went to disposition in 2016, more than 99 per cent resulted in conviction. What does this tell us? Clive Stafford Smith explains why American justice is a mirage; since 2015, Refugee Tales – part walking pilgrimage, part protest, part collection of narratives about those unjustly treated by Britain’s immigration system – has become an annual event. David Herd tells us what ground remains to be covered Doing Justice: A prosecutor’s thoughts on crime, punishment, and the rule of law, by Preet Bharara See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week's episode is a matter of life and death. It's bursting with Shauneen Lambe's stories of youth, activism and rebellion; and includes dark tales from Belizean death camps and death row in America's Deep South. No two journeys through a career in law are the same, but this one will stand out even if you're a dedicated listener. Shauneen has clearly found her calling in her multifaceted pursuit for justice. This episode is a worthy listen. And in honour of Shauneen's belief in action and realising one's own potential, we suggest you do it now. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

New Media Central's Associate Editor Jack Oliver Smith interviews human rights lawyer and founder of the charity Reprieve, Clive Stafford-Smith about Krishna Maharaj, a British citizen who was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit more than thirty years ago.

The injustice of the death penalty is something to which Clive Stafford Smith, one of Britain and America’s most powerful lawyers, has dedicated his whole working life. Clive describes Guantanamo Bay (staff have a McDonald’s!), death rows across America, his travels to the families of prisoners across the Middle East and his campaigning against drone strikes in Pakistan with cricketer turned politician Imran Khan. This fascinating insight into a world not often seen is also surprisingly up-beat, with the wit and warmth of a man who loves to ‘work hard and play hard’ never far from the surface.     On this episode we cover:   How Wikipedia describes him One of Britain’s most powerful lawyers How his mum inspired him to help people who are less fortunate Representing people who are hated Krishna Maharaj, the British Trinidadian businessman imprisoned in Florida Death row The Columbian drug cartels Exonerating innocent people in capital cases How some US police feel frame crime suspects ‘The worse the crime the more obvious explanation’ Representing serial killer and paedophile Ricky Langley Lorelei Guillory – mother of murdered boy Jeremy Guillory What motivates him to represent death row inmates His fantastic job His 36 trips to Guantanamo Representing about 88 of prisoners in Guantanamo Guantanamo’s McDonald’s and golf courses Offending the US Army The decent people in Guantanamo How Trump is deranged The 23 people languishing in Guantanamo Last Resort by the Two Magpies Theatre in Bridport A future vision of Guantanamo as a visitor centre Concentration camps near Berlin The books that are banned in Guantanamo (including Jack and the Beanstalk!) The second largest landmine field The future of Cuba Cuba’s new president Miguel Diaz Canel The ‘madman in the White House’ Growing up in Cambridge His mother’s work at King’s College Cambridge Moving to the US age 19 Finding out people on death row have no right to lawyers Loving his life in New Orleans Mardi Gras New Orleans Jazz Festival Setting up a death penalty trial office The prisons he has visited across America Angola Prison in Louisiana Mississippi blues players Describing death row Don Cabana – the decent warden in Mississippi The BBC documentary about death-row inmate Edward Johnson, who he was representing, Fourteen Days in May by Paul Hamann ‘managing to get an innocent person executed at a young age’ Diagnostic and Classification Centre in Georgia The electric chair Obama’s mistakes Attending a Ku Klux Klan The Assassination Programme of the White House ‘Terror Tuesday’ The CIA Concerns about the Trump administration ‘We are all better than the worst 15 minutes of our lives’ Preferring not to represent innocent people How we all do despicable things His new book about his father being bi-polar Mental health disorders Alain de Botton How we will all ask each other ‘how are you mad’? Travelling around the Middle East to find prisoner’s families Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan His terrifying detainment by the Jordanian Secret Service Being interrogated by the head of Secret Service Being in Pakistan with Imran Khan How Imran wont play for Clive’s local cricket team in Dorset (Mapperton Marauders!) Travelling to Waziristan to protest against drone strikes US drone strikes hitting schools and funerals The 16 year old who was killed after their meeting Asking the White House not to kill them The terrible driving skills in Pakistan Why the chaos was caused by the West Tony Blair ‘You can bomb the world to pieces but you can’t bomb it into peace’ The conflict in Syria What politicians really should be doing about conflict in the Middle East Reasons to be cheerful How the charity is funded Running a charity with strong principles Three months in Corsica – aka the ‘happy’ story at the end Writing his new book Learning the drums through his son John Bonham and Led Zeppelin Corsican goat-herders with guns The unfortunate story about the family dog Having a theme tune for each capital case he takes on His appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs His wild nights of partying in New Orleans His awful dancing

Miranda Seymour reveals the peculiar circumstances surrounding the marriage of Lord Byron's daughter and his super-fan, William King; just how seriously should we be taking the Virtual Reality revolution? Tom Rachman cautiously probes the frontier of what is possible; Death Row attorney Clive Stafford Smith shares the story of Billy Neal Moore, a tale of murder, hope and Mother Theresa; and finally, before the winner of the Republic of Consciousness Prize for small presses is revealed, the TLS's Fiction editor Toby Lichtig meets Neil Griffiths, the prize's founder, to find out more See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A special end-of-year edition of the podcast, with highlights, including: Sudhir Hazareesingh came on thew show back in March, ahead of the French election, to share his thoughts on Emmanuel Macron, the underdog philosopher-politician soon to become President; before Weinstein and #metoo, Charlotte Shane drew our attention to problems and divisions in feminism, and called for responsible, serious literature to take things forward; Clive Stafford-Smith, liberal lawyer and campaigner against the death penalty, on the rise of 'kill lists', an almost-blatant programme of state-sanctioned murder that goes on around the world; finally, in 2017 we marked the bicentennial of the death of Jane Austen by inviting Austen expert Claire Harman for a game of “rank your favourite Austen novels”. A refresher for regular listeners and a sampler for newcomers – with thanks to all. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Stig Abell and Thea Lenarduzzi – 'Few people are aware that every week the White House indulges in Terror Tuesday, where the US President personally approves people for death without any legal process at all' – so says Clive Stafford Smith, who joins us in the studio to chart the global proliferation of modern state-led assassination and the moral, legal and human 'collateral damage'; Lamorna Ash, fresh from a week's research aboard the Cornish deep-sea trawler Crystal Sea, offers insights into the distinct rhythms, language and politics of Britain's beleaguered fishing industry See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Clive Stafford Smith, lawyer and campaigner against miscarriages of justice, joins us in the studio to discuss his time defending death-row prisoners in Guantánamo and elsewhere, the "integrity" of the system, why torture doesn't work, and whether the age of mass incarceration might finally be drawing to a close. We end with Helen Mort reading her new poem, "Glasgow". Presented by Stig Abell and Thea Lenarduzzi. Discover more at www.the-tls.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Historian Simon Schama joins Philip Dodd to discuss his book and TV series The Story of the Jews. Stephen Hopgood and Clive Stafford Smith debate the pros and cons of the human rights industry, and whether it has shifted to serve Western interests. Director Beeban Kidron on her documentary InRealLife, which explores the impact of the internet on children and young people.

A long-distance motorcycle rider who has ridden solo around the world, Lois Pryce is a co-founder of the Adventure Travel Film Festival. Her first trip was from Alaska to Buenos Aires and since then she has travelled across Africa from Tunis to Cape Town and has just returned from Brazil where she led an all women team of motorcyclists. She also plays banjo in a bluegrass band called 'The Jolenes' who are performing at the festival. 'The Adventure Travel Film Festival' runs from August 17th-20th in Sherborne, Dorset. Clive Stafford Smith is a lawyer specialising in defending people accused of the most serious crimes. He's also the founder and director of Reprieve. Based in the US for 26 years, he now works from the UK where he continues to defend prisoners on Death Row. In his book 'Injustice' he examines the case of Kris Maharaj who has been on Death Row for 25 years. 'Injustice' is published by Harvill Secker. Christos Tsirogiannis is a forensic archaeologist who investigates the theft of antiquities from ancient sites and museums. For several years Christos was the only archaeologist working for the Greek Police Art Squad in his native Athens. Now based at Cambridge University, he says the plundering of ancient artefacts is increasing as countries with the richest archaeological heritage are sinking further into financial crisis. Nick Phillips is starring in In Water I'm Weightless performed by National Theatre Wales as part of the London 2012 Festival. Nick was a trained dancer who broke his back in an accident 15 years ago and now uses a wheelchair. Taking a provocative look at the body and disability, In Water I'm Weightless is performed by a cast of six actors and dancers with disabilities. In Water I'm Weightless is at the Cardiff Millennium Centre July 26th-August 4th. Producer: Paula McGinley.

James O'Brien is joined by Mitch Benn of The Now Show, writer of Drop the Dead Donkey and Outnumbered Andy Hamilton, Observer journalist Miranda Sawyer and human-rights lawyer and founder of Reprieve, Clive Stafford Smith. Covering all the week's news including the amazing Dr Fox and a genuine scoop on the USA's use of drones in Pakistan. With on- and off-mike contributions from Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the death row lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. Clive Stafford Smith spent more than 25 years representing people on death row. He's saved hundreds of lives and counts his clients among his friends. He says his work is his calling - one he was drawn to after writing an essay on capital punishment while at school. Initially he thought it was a history essay and was appalled to find the death sentence was still in use. He planned to become a campaigning journalist, but a summer spent meeting prisoners on death row inmates convinced him that he would be able to achieve more by representing them directly. So he trained in law and set up his own legal practice to enable him to do so. He has received several awards for his work including, in 2002, the OBE.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]Favourite track: Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis Book: The Koran (in Arabic and English) Luxury: My computer

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the death row lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. Clive Stafford Smith spent more than 25 years representing people on death row. He's saved hundreds of lives and counts his clients among his friends. He says his work is his calling - one he was drawn to after writing an essay on capital punishment while at school. Initially he thought it was a history essay and was appalled to find the death sentence was still in use. He planned to become a campaigning journalist, but a summer spent meeting prisoners on death row inmates convinced him that he would be able to achieve more by representing them directly. So he trained in law and set up his own legal practice to enable him to do so. He has received several awards for his work including, in 2002, the OBE. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis Book: The Koran (in Arabic and English) Luxury: My computer

In this episode of Bloody Angola:A Podcast by Woody Overton and Jim Chapman, We continue to cover the stories of those inmates eventually executed at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, from the crimes to their final walk.#Louisianastateprison #AngolaPrison #BloodyAngola #TrueCrime #Podcast #WoodyOverton #Podcasts #Deathchamberpart2 #deathchamber #Execution #ConvictOur Sponsors for this episode have a great deal for you!GET 16 FREE MEALS PLUS FREE SHIPPING AT HELLOFRESH!HelloFresh delivers step-by-step recipes and fresh, pre-portioned ingredients right to your door. First, you set your meal plan preferences with options for carnivores, vegetarians, calorie-counters, and more. You'll choose from 30+ delicious weekly recipes carefully put together by the amazing chefs!Click Here to Take advantage of 16 FREE MEALS and FREE SHIPPING!Full Transcript Death Chamber Part 2[Bloody Angola theme]Jim: Hey, everyone, and welcome back to Bloody- Woody: -Angola.Jim: A podcast 142 years in the making.Woody: The complete story of America's bloodiest prison. Jim: And I'm Jim Chapman.Woody: And I'm Woody Overton. Thank y'all for listening and liking and sharing. Please continue to do so. Leave us a review wherever you listen up in your podcast. And Patreon members, we appreciate y'all, you rock. Thank you for your continued support. This one, we're going back to one that got a whole lot of interest and-- [crosstalk]Jim: People loved it.Woody: Well, I love it.Jim: Yeah.Woody: I guess, you're twisted y'all, right? We're going to tell you about- Jim: Death chamber.Woody: -death chamber stuff.Jim: Yeah, Part 2.Woody: Execution. Yeah, Death Chamber Part due. Jim: Part duh.Woody: Duh.Jim: Yeah. So, we're going to get into it and what we do with these folks-- If you hadn't listened yet, you can go back and listen to Death Chamber Part 1. The good thing about these is we cover just individual convicts that were executed at Angola. We tell just a little synopsis of their crime, and they got some really interesting final words in there for these guys.Woody: [crosstalk] -things like that.Jim: People just loved it the first time, so we're going to continue with it. I'll start out with our first convict up for, I guess, grabs today, and that is Leslie Lowenfield. Leslie Lowenfield was executed in 1988, and he rode the lightning.Woody: Yeah, he graduated-- [crosstalk] Jim: Electrocuted. Gruesome Gertie. Woody: Gruesome Gertie.Jim: He had a seat in that chair. And to tell you a little bit about this guy, he was a native of Guyana. He came to Louisiana from Canada in 1981, and he met his primary victim, which was a lady named Sheila Thomas.Woody: I think he's well-traveled. I think Guyana is like in Africa or somewhere.Jim: Yeah, then he goes to Canada.Woody: And then he comes to south, to Louisiana.Jim: He figured it out. He figured out the USA was where he wanted to be, I guess. And we didn't want him here after--Woody: To make [crosstalk] Gruesome Gertie.Jim: Yeah. Sheila Thomas was his primary victim. She was a deputy sheriff in JeffersonParish, Louisiana,-Woody: JP. Yeah.Jim: -which is around the New Orleans area.Woody: Actually, it's one of the largest parishes geographically, because it expands all the way around Orleans, all the way down to Grand Isle. Did you know Grand Isle is in Jefferson Parish?Jim: I did not.Woody: Absolutely. There it cut across all that marsh and everything else, land wise,Tangipahoa is the longest parish in the state. North and south, I think JP is the biggest. Jim: Interesting. I didn't know Tangi was the longest.Woody: Yeah, Tangi is longest state north and south. Very longest parish--[crosstalk]Jim: Very interesting. So, Sheila Thomas was a deputy sheriff. And Ms. Thomas, along with her daughter, young daughter, who was Shantel Osborne moved in with Lowenfield in the summer of 1981. So, you can already see. Uh-oh.Woody: Right.Jim: Lowenfield and Ms. Thomas, they lived together off and on for about a year. During that year, Ms. Thomas left Lowenfield on three separate occasions and returned to live with her mother. So, they're probably fighting, having arguments.Woody: Off and on. Went off and on.Jim: Yeah. Lowenfield became increasingly bitter following each separation. So, every timeshe would leave, he would get more and more pissed.Woody: Right.Jim: When Ms. Thomas returned to her mother's home for the last time, he repeatedly threatened and harassed Ms. Thomas and her mother, victim, Myrtle Griffin. In the late afternoon of August 30th, 1982, Owen Griffin, Sheila Thomas' stepfather, was in a vacant lot near his home in Marrero, which is like an outskirts of New Orleans. He was playing cards with friends. Owen Griffin, all of a sudden, hears shots ring out from their home. He runs to the house, rushed inside, where more shots were fired. When police arrived, they found five bodies sprawled about the living area of the house, they found the bodies of Sheila Thomas, her four-year old daughter Shantel, Owen Griffin, his wife Myrtle Griffin,Woody: Wow.Jim: -and Carl Osborne, the father of Shantel. All of the victims had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, each had been shot in the head at close range.Woody: That's crazy. Well, think about that last seconds when you're sitting there and whatever pops off and he shoots the first one. You're like, "What the f--?" And then boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.Jim: Just blasting--[crosstalk]Woody: You're just sitting there. You know, I'm sure someone trying to scramble and getaway, but he's close enough to shoot them in the head. Jim: No doubt about it.Woody: No mercy. Animal.Jim: No mercy, and total animal. And he goes to court, gets convicted, gets sentenced to death. And eventually, as a matter of fact, in 1988, he does get executed. His final statement included remarks directed at his two attorneys, Wayne Walker and John Craft, who had worked on his trial and appeal. His last words were, "I hope you feel satisfied. Don't give up on me. Although my life will be over tonight, because the one responsible is out there."Woody: Wow.Jim: Yeah. Deny it to the end. "There is no reason to hold anything against me. And the rest who would lie when I'm gone, the body will be gone, but the spirit will live on. Mr. Walker and John Craft, your job was more important than my life. I hope you feel satisfied. Thank you to all of you, and peace."Woody: Did he say peace?Jim: He said peace. That was his final words.Woody: Peace-- [crosstalk]Jim: How dare he use the word.Woody: Right. Road to hell. Yeah.Jim: [chuckles] Yeah.Woody: [crosstalk] -use a moniker.Jim: But here's an interesting thing about this entire case. Dale Brown, the head basketball coach at that time, actually attended his execution.Woody: Oh, I didn't know that.Jim: They had been corresponding since Dale Brown toured Angola years earlier with the LSU basketball team actually became friends, and he attended that execution. I found that very interesting.Woody: Wow. That's crazy. So, that was the real deal execution. Gruesome Gertie. I got to sit in probably around that same time, and the chair would not, obviously, get executed, but think about the difference between what they do now. They just put him asleep, in a Gruesome Gertie,-Jim: Oh, yeah.Woody: -they strap you in and you about to ride, "rahhh." Jim: Yeah, lights.Woody: Yeah, lights in. And off-on. rahhh. They don't just hit him once. They did it like, three or four to five times. So, fuck him, and he got what he deserved.Jim: Yeah. And don't use our peace anymore. [laughs]Woody: Yeah. Never use the peace. Tell the devil peace, son of a bitch. Jim: That's right.Woody: All right. I'm going to take you to a guy named Timothy Baldwin. And the date of the murder was April the 4th, 1978. He killed a lady named Mary James Peters. Now, what's unusual about this killing one person and getting a death penalty? Well, Mary James Peters was 85 years old. That's bad, right?Jim: Yeah. Elderly.Woody: But she was blind.Jim: Oh, my God. That's horrible.Woody: He beat her to death with a skillet, a stool, a small television, and a telephone. You would think, me being retired from, say police, I would have all these pronunciations correctly, but I'm going to say this one wrong, because every time I say it, somebody corrects me. But I say Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, which is, y'all, is all the way up northeast in Louisiana. Great fishing and hunting. He was electrocuted in Louisiana on September 10th, 1984. Let me tell you about the case.Timothy Baldwin, and his wife Rita, and their seven children were neighbors of Mary James Peters in West Monroe, Louisiana. Again, y'all, that's way northeast Louisiana. He was roommates with them from 1971 until 1977. Mrs. Peters was godmother to their youngest, Russell. During the latter part of their stay in West Monroe, William Odell Jones also resided with the Baldwins. Okay.The group went to Bossier City for six months, and now, y'all, Bossier City is on the other end of the north part of state by Shreveport. All right, so probably about a three-hour drive. The group went to Bossier City for six months and then moved to Ohio. The oldest daughter, Michelle, remained in West Monroe with one brother. A second son entered the service. Marilyn Hampton and her three daughters stayed with the Baldwins in Ohio. Marilyn, Timothy Baldwin, and her children then left, accompanied by Jones. Baldwin and Jones worked together in the business of installing aluminum siding. After the departure of her husband, Rita Baldwin got into financial difficulties and was picked up on bad check charges. Her four younger children went to live with Michelle in West Monroe. Meanwhile, Timothy Baldwin, our bad guy, Jones, Marilyn Hampton and her three children led an itinerant existence. Their last means of transportation was a 1978 black Ford van which had been rented in Tampa, Florida.On April 4th, 1978, Marilyn Hampton and Timothy Baldwin drove the van to West Monroe. Jones and the children stayed at a cabin in Holmes State Park, near Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi is not that far. Ouachita, however you want to say it in the Monroe is pretty much on the Mississippi, Louisiana. And just north of that is the Arkansas line. So, about an hour from there to Jackson. So, Baldwin and Marilyn Hampton visited Michelle's apartment in West Monroe but left there around 8:00 PM. Shortly thereafter, a van was seen parked in front of Mrs. Peters' house. A man and woman were observed leaving the residence between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Shortly before their departure, passersby saw and heard indications that someone in the Peters' home was being beaten.Baldwin testified in his own behalf and admitted that he and Marilyn visited Mrs. Peters that evening but denied the murder. Mrs. Peters, who was 85 years old, was beaten with various things, among them a skillet, a stool, and a telephone.Jim: Oh, my God, and this is a blind woman. Woody: Right.Jim: She doesn't even know it's coming at. Woody: Right. Yeah.Jim: Poor. Damn.Woody: That's unimaginable, right? Jim: Poor lady. Argh.Woody: Think about the one I had Ms. [unintelligible [00:12:39] had the 57 blows. It was from a base and a Coke bottle, but she was on a walker and stuff. But at least she could see it coming, yeah?Jim: Yeah, that's awful.Woody: Anyway, she remained on the kitchen floor overnight and was discovered the next morning shortly before noon by an employee of the Ouachita Council Meals on Wheels, who was bringing her noon meal. Although helpless and incoherent, Mrs. Peters tried to defend herself against the police officers and the ambulance attendant who took her to the hospital.Jim: Poor woman, man.Woody: She doesn't know who they are. Jim: Yeah.Woody: Dr. A. B. Gregory saw her in the emergency room around 12:30 PM on April 5th, 1978, and found her in a semi-comatose. Her left cheekbone and jawbone were shattered. She had brain damage from multiple contusions and lacerations. According to Dr. Gregory, Mrs. Peters could not communicate rationally. She died of the injuries the following day. Dr. Frank Chin, who performed the autopsy, attributed her death to massive cerebral hemorrhage and swelling, secondary to external head injuries. So, brain bleeds ultimately killed her and it didn't kill her instantly. Can you imagine that, living there, laying there on the floor all night?Timothy Baldwin and Marilyn Hampton were subsequently located in El Dorado, Arkansas. Remember, y'all told you, Arkansas is just north. Timothy Baldwin signed consents for the search of their motel room and the van. Two blue bank bags, one empty and one containing savings bonds and certificates of deposit payable to Mary James, were found in the van. Jones, to whom Marilyn Hampton and Timothy Baldwin had made statements both before and after the crime, helped police officers locate a safe that had belonged to the victim in the LaFourche Canal in West Monroe. Baldwin's finger and palm prints were found on various items in the Peters' home, a cigarette lighter, a television set, and a coffee cup.Baldwin was found guilty, and the jury did what they should have. They recommend the death sentence. So, Timothy George Baldwin was executed on September 10th, 1984. Baldwin was convicted of beaten to death the 85-year-old blind woman, Mary James Peters. And Peters, who was a former neighbor of Baldwin's and the godmother's of his youngestchild, was beaten with everything I told y'all about. Baldwin maintained his innocence and gave this final statement. He said, "I've always tried to be a good sport when I've lost something, and I see no reason not to leave this world with the same policy. After all, it was a hell of a battle. I therefore congratulate all those who have tried so hard to murder me. I definitely have to give them credit as it takes a very special kind of person to murder an innocent man and still be able to live with themselves."Jim: Victim [unintelligible [00:15:37], huh? Woody: Burning in hell.Jim: Yeah.Woody: I'm going to tell you something. Jim: Hella jail as usual.Woody: Hella jail. But you go through all these years, he sat on death row for shorter time than they do now. You know, you're strapped down and that's going to be your last words. I'm thinking about trying to find me some Jesus.Jim: Amen.Woody: Even if I don't believe them and be like, "Oh, Lord, if you could please forgive me ifyou're really there and bring me home." But he's saying, "Mm, I didn't do it."Jim: What a horrible human. Wow. Yeah, we're getting real on this one. Look, these guys, they were executed. So, you're going to hear some disturbing stuff, but we're real with this stuff.Woody: Executed for a reason.Jim: That's right. I'm going to tell you about Sterling Rault. And Sterling Rault was executed, y'all, by electrocution, Gruesome Gertie in 1987, August 24th to be exact. And this is an interesting case, because a lot of these guys that end up on death row and executed, they come from really hard upbringings, and a lot of them didn't have money their whole lives. Sterling Rault was a little bit different. He had a good job, he was a Comptroller at a company called LUTEX. And there was a lady there named Janie Francioni. And Mike, if he were here, could help me pronounce that Italian last name.Woody: Right. [crosstalk] -for sure.Jim: But we're going to go with Francioni. She worked as a secretary. On the evening of March 1st, 1982, which was a Monday, fellow employees observed Rault and Francioni leaving work together in her car. Less than an hour later, three U.N.O. students, which is University of New Orleans inside of New Orleans, they saw the two struggling in the campus parking lot. Francioni screamed at the students, asked them to call the police and make him leave her alone, because he was attempting rape. The students closest to the car observed what appeared to be splashes of blood on her clothing. Rault repeatedly said he had to get her to the hospital, before throwing her into the car from the driver's side all the way to the passenger's side and driving away.Woody: He was saying [crosstalk] the witnesses.Jim: Yeah.Woody: "Oh, I got to get her to the hospital." [crosstalk]Jim: Basically, grabbed her and threw her so hard into the car, she went straight into the passenger seat. So, he was probably a strong guy.Woody: Right.Jim: Approximately 9:20 that evening, a state trooper driving north on Paris Road in an isolated area of New Orleans East stopped to investigate what appeared to be a brush fire and discovered a burning female body.Woody: Ah, worse way.Jim: Close by were partially used five-gallon cans of gasoline and Francioni's blood stained car, which smelled strongly of gasoline. So, he's trying to burn the car in her. A spent bullet was even found on the floor of the car. The victim had a man's belt wrapped around her neck and a jagged wound on the right side of her neck. She had been shot twice. One bullet had struck her in the thigh, traveling into the abdomen, through the small intestines, stomach and liver before exiting the left side of her chest. The pathologist actually testified that this that this would have caused extensive slow bleeding. The wound would have been very painful and would have resulted in death in less than a matter of hours.The second bullet entered directly into the abdomen, and damaged blood vessels in the right kidney and the large blood vessel known as the interior vena cava, before lodging in the spine and would have also caused really rapid bleeding. That wound would have been fatal in 5 minutes or 10 minutes. So, we're painting a picture of here is how she suffered. It was just horrible. The victim was dead-- [crosstalk]Woody: [crosstalk] twice. Yeah.Jim: Yeah. The victim was dead when the neck wound was inflicted and she was set on fire. Thank, God. Her fingernail scrapings have human blood on them. So, she fought. She's a fighter. Janie Francioni had been with her mother and a friend during the preceding weekend and had had no sexual encounters. I'm sure they tested for that. Her mother took her to work on Monday morning. However, she had engaged in sexual activity 12 to 24 hours prior to her death. Vaginal swabs showed semen fluid but no sperm. Sterling Rault had a vasectomy in 1979.When police searched the area, they detected movement under a nearby bridge. As they approached, a man broke out and ran. After a brief chase, he turned around, threw up his hands, and hollered, "I'm Sterling Rault".Woody: Ran like a bitch.Jim: Yeah. He appeared quiet, calm and relaxed. He was dressed in casual clothing. He was lacking a belt. What his detective brain can put two and two together on that one. And he had a strong aroma of gasoline. So, there were several fresh red scratch marks across his chest. His right hand was swollen. After being advised of his rights, he claimed two men in ski masks kidnapped him and Francioni and raped her. Of course.Testimony at the trial revealed that Rault had been embezzling funds from LUTEX, and his secretary was about to basically ride him out. So, in December, 1981, .25 caliber semi-automatic weapon had been sold to a buyer with a driver's license in the name of Jerry Jones. In executing a search of Rault's residence, they recovered a gun box or the pistol, a box of .25 caliber cartridges and a Mississippi driver's license in the name of Jerry Jones.Woody: Jerry Jones.Jim: So, there it is. They end up taking him to court, obviously, and he gets the death penalty. So, he got executed on August 24th, 1987. He was convicted of raping, stabbing, shooting, and burning the body of Jane Ellen Francioni, a 21-year-old secretary, as we told you. And his final statement was, "I would like the public to know that they are killing an innocent man at this time."Woody: Yeah, three for three. All innocent, huh?Jim: Crazy. "I pray that God will forgive all those involved." How nice of you. "I, personally, do not hold any animosity towards anyone. The country professes to be 'One nation under God,' but the death penalty goes against the word of God. Into the arms of--" [crosstalk]Woody: So does murdering, shooting, laid twice, and choking her with a belt and everything else.Jim: Yeah. "Into the arms of love of God I now go. I love y'all. May God bless y'all." There was a little write up in the paper shortly after these. It was interesting, because he was fighting to try to get these stays of execution, as are typical, but unsuccessful. He rode the lighting as he deserves.Woody: I'm so glad Gruesome Gertie was still involved in all these stories. Jim: Yeah.Woody: I just think that's such a good way for them to go. I know so many people hate the death penalty, and I don't want anybody that's innocent, but these people-- [crosstalk]Jim: Hear some of these stories. You know what?Woody: It's like having a migraine. Everybody knows about someone, not someone about murder, but unless you're going through it, unless it's your loved one. I've seen people who said before their family members got murdered, they were against the death penalty. And after their family members got murdered, they wanted the death penalty.Jim: Yeah.Woody: You understand it, but you don't get it. Jim: That's right.Woody: Well, let's take to our next winner, Antonio James. And, y'all, he's a murderer during some robberies, and he killed two people in January of 23rd, 1979, and was arrested on the 26th of 1979. He was born in 1954, so he was at 1964, 1974, so he was like 24, 25. This happened in Orleans Parish. He actually, this winter, got lethal injection instead of Gruesome Gertie.Jim: Got the needle.Woody: Right, got the needle. Let me tell you about it. So, James had amassed a very extensive juvenile and criminal record by the time he was tried for the murder of-- He murdered two people, y'all, Henry Silver, age 70, and Alvin Adams. I don't know what Adams age was. But James had amassed a very extensive juvenile and criminal record by the time he was tried for the murder of Silver. The post-sentence investigation report-- Let me tell you about that. Anytime you get convicted of any crime, especially you're going to do a lot of time, there's actually a division of the parole officers and probation officers who do, what they call a PSI, presentence investigation report on you, and they tell your whole priorcriminal history, work history and everything else, drug use, whatever, and then they write a synopsis on whether to tell the judge whether or not they're likely to offend again.Jim: Yeah.Woody: So, that helps the judge determine how many years or whatever they're going toget.Jim: I didn't know that.Woody: Unless it's automatic life in prison. The post-sentence investigation report prepared for the sentencing court listed 37 juvenile incidents. 37. That's the ones that they called [crosstalk]. That's the ones that they called him for. Think about all the ones he got away with.Jim: Probably double it.Woody: Right. James was ordered confined to the Louisiana Training Institute at age 14.And, y'all, that is basically the Angola, we need--[crosstalk] Jim: LTI.Woody: LTI.Jim: [laughs] That's what you used to call it.Woody: That was right down the road from me. We're going to actually cover that one day, because that's real shit there too. But most of these guys, a lot of them go to death row. But anyway, he was locked up in basically juvenile prison which was a very bad place at age 14.In 1973, he was convicted of attempted armed robbery and sentenced to serve three years at the state penitentiary. During this period of confinement, he was convicted of attempted simple escape. He was released in 1975. I don't understand all these years, because armed robbery carries 99 attempted, I think is 40 up to, and then the simple escape alone is 10 years. Anyway, he was released in 1975. In 1978, he was charged with aggravated rape. That's a mandatory life, if not death penalty. But the charge was later refused by the prosecution.James was convicted of the first-degree murder of Alvin Adams on January 23rd, 1979 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Okay. The first-degree murder, he could have got the death penalty. He was convicted on January 26th of 1979. So, just shit, three days later, armed robbery of Robert Hooten and was sentenced to 99 years for this offense, the maximum under Louisiana law. Now, we go to Henry Silver.On January 1, 1979, James approached 70-year-old Henry Silver as the latter was getting out of his car in his neighborhood in New Orleans. James placed a gun to Silver's head and demanded his money. When Silver shouted for help, James placed the gun under Silver's right ear, cocked the hammer, and fired a shot into Silver's head. James then rifled through Silver's pockets and removed his wallet containing $35. He drove away in a nearby waiting car. Silver died a few hours later at Charity Hospital.Now, let me tell y'all this, I used to go there all the time back in the day. It's closed now after Katrina, but Charity Hospital was rated as the number one trauma center in the world for gunshots [crosstalk] you know why? Because it handled all New Orleans shit. In the 1990s, the Orleans was the murder capital of the world. So, I've seen some crazy shit in there. But anyway, he obviously lived on the machine for overnight. James was arrested on January26th, 1979 when he bungled another armed robbery attempt and was shot with his own gun. He was indicted for first degree murder.At trial by Orleans Parish grand jury indicted in first degree murder. In December 1981, jury found him guilty as charged at a trial where the principal witness against James was his accomplice, Levon Price. After deliberation, the same jury unanimously recommended that the defendant be sentenced to death. Rightfully so.Jim: Yeah.Woody: So, let's go to March 1st, 1996. All these years later, that's 15 years later, Jameswas executed by lethal injection at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, listeners know it as- Jim and Woody: Bloody Angola.Woody: -at the age of 42. The execution team had difficulty locating a vein to insert the catheter into his arm in order to commence the execution. Our hero, Warden Burl Cain requested that James make a fist in order to assist the process. James complied to this request. James declined to give a final statement. However, when Warden Cain later said that James stated, "Bless you," as he was strapped to the execution gurney. His last meal was fried oysters and crab gumbo.Jim: Wow. Good choice. I'd say that. Woody: It made me hunger.Jim: Yeah, dang.Woody: James' execution was the subject of an ABC News documentary on Prime Time Live. In the UK the BBC broadcast a 40-minute piece on April 18th, 1996 on Radio 4 about this case, with particular reference to the role of the British lawyer Clive Stafford Smith in providing adequate defense. So, there you go.Jim: Yeah. Antonio James, we talked about him a little bit on our-- [crosstalk] look, go back and listen to that series, the Burl Cain series, we just wrapped up.Woody: Three or four parts.Jim: Well, it was three parts.Woody: Three parts and then me and Kelly. So, it's four parts. Jim: Yeah. So, the patron, we did an episode with Kelly Jennings. Woody: That's right.Jim: Only available to patron. So go join that patron. Listen to that one. But we discussed Antonio James, and it was interesting. That was the second execution for Burl Cain and the one that he said, "I'm going to do this one right:"Woody: Because the first one-- y'all, go listen to series.Jim: It's really good.Woody: Super powerful. Burl, we're still waiting on you to come on the show, buddy.Jim: You know what I notice about that whole thing? Yes, we are. What I notice about that whole thing is, he's the first one we've come across today that didn't blame it other people.Woody: Yeah, that's right. The first one that didn't-- [crosstalk] Jim: He just said, "God bless, and I'm out."Woody: Yeah, God bless and riding out.Jim: Yeah. At least took it like a man. That's right. So, John Ashley Brown. Let's get to him. John Ashley Brown was executed by lethal injection in April of 1997. I'm going to tell you a little bit about this crime. On the night of the murder, Mr. Laughlin and his wife had eaten dinner at a restaurant near the corner of Dauphine and Touro Streets in New Orleans. Very famous.Woody: Yeah.Jim: Yeah, area of New Orleans. At approximately 11:45 PM, they left the restaurant and began walking to their car, which was located about a block away. Brown exited a nearby vehicle and he confronted the Laughlins. He pinned them against their car, and demanded money from Mr. Laughlin. Mrs. Laughlin screamed and ran back towards the restaurant. When she returned to the scene, her husband was dead.According to NOPD, who had arrived at the location, the victim who had arrived at the location, the victim was found lying face down in the street and bleeding profusely. An autopsy later revealed that Mr. Laughlin had been stabbed 13 times.Woody: It's a lot.Jim: Mrs. Laughlin provided the police with a description of the perpetrator and the vehicle which she had seen him get out of prior to the attack. She also told police that a woman with dark hair had been driving. So, Sergeant James Scott of the NOPD was stopped at a traffic light when heard the description of the crime and saw the suspect being broadcast over the radio. He looked to his left, and there's Brown sitting in a vehicle that matched the description given by the victim's wife. And there was a female at the wheel of the car.Brown's vehicle was pulled into a nearby service station, and Sergeant Scott followed, believing that the occupants of the car might be the suspects. The officer watched as the woman put gasoline in the car while Brown walked over to a water hose and he began washing his hands. He then-- [crosstalk]Woody: [crosstalk] -blood all over him.Jim: He then re-entered the car. Good point. Sergeant Scott approached the vehicle and ordered Brown to step out and place his hands on the hood, when Brown did so, the police officer observed scratches, marks and droplets of blood on his forearms. He also observed blood between Brown's toes, which were visible through the sandals that he was wearing. In plain view on the floor of the car was a New Orleans shopper's card which belonged to the victim. Wow, the evidence is mounting up, right?Woody: Right.Jimmy: He was arrested, taken into custody, and a search yielded Mr. Laughlin's wallet. A second search pursuant to a properly secured warrant led to the discovery of a Bowie knife which had been concealed underneath the front seat of the car on the passenger side. Mrs. Laughlin positively identified Brown from lineup and basically nailed that, "This is the guy that attacked my husband and killed--"Woody: For those of you who don't know, Bowie knife is a big ass knife.Jim: Yeah. So, obviously, he goes to court, he gets convicted, he gets sentenced to death. And on April 24th, 1997, he was put to death by lethal injection at Bloody Angola. His final words were, "Let my baby sister know I love her and the rest of my family, for supporting me. I love you very much. I'm ready to go now." As he felt the lethal drugs enter his system, Brown stated, “Wow.”Woody: Really?Jim: That's it.Woody: Wow. That's crazy.Jim: Pretty crazy stuff. And those final words, man. But I guess, credit to the guy for not denying it.Woody: Yeah, saying, "You got me bad. Go find the real murderer," and all that shit, right? Jim: Yeah.Woody: And he said, "Wow."Jim: "Wow," when he felt that stuff-- [crosstalk]Woody: [crosstalk] -saw face of Jesus. Jim: Yeah, it could be.Woody: All right. So, now, y'all, we're going to take you to our next, whatever you want to call him. His name is Willie Watson, and he's a murderer. And not only he is a murderer, he's a rapist and a kidnapper and a robber. This offense took place on April 5th, 1981. And Willie Watson was born in 1951. And he killed a lady, Kathy Newman, who was 25 years old, who was a Tulane University medical student. If you don't know that, if you're not from Louisiana, Tulane is basically the Harvard of the south. He did so by shooting her in St. Charles Parish.On the evening of April 5th, 1981, Willie Watson abducted Kathy Newman, a third-year Tulane University medical student, at gunpoint as she arrived at her apartment building in the Carrollton section of New Orleans. Very familiar with that. Watson forced Newman to drive to an isolated area in St. Charles Parish, which would be towards El Paso, he drove her across the bridge, anyway, where he robbed her of her jewelry and raped and sodomized her. [unintelligible [00:37:42]Watson then instructed Newman to dress herself, and as she did so, he shot her in the back of the head, killing her. Watson later confessed to the murder, stating that he shot Newman because he feared that she could identify him. On June 5th, 1981, Watson was found guilty of first-degree murder. And Willie Watson was executed on July 24th of 1987. Watson was convicted of the kidnapping, rape and murder, like we told you, of Kathy Newman. When they asked if he had any last words, Watson calmly shook his head, "No." Let me read you the article.Jim: Mm, no last words.Woody: This article is from The New York Times. It's right up after execution, dates July 25th, 1987, New York Times. "Willie Watson went calmly and silently to his death in an electric chair of Gruesome Gertie." They didn't say that, y'all, it's me.Jim: [laughs]Woody: "Early today, for the rape, robbery and murder of the Tulane University medical student. He was the sixth murderer executed in Louisiana since early June and the second this week--" [crosstalk]Jim: Wow. They making it happen back in those days.Woody: The student, Kathy Newman, 25 years old was abducted, raped, and shot. Now, not just raped, y'all, sodomize I'll say, also and shot to death in 1981. Mr. Watson, 30, confessed that he killed her, attributing the crime to his drug addiction while an adolescent growing up in New Orleans housing projects. Look, back then they were real and legit projects. Did I ever tell you about that? You could be on where Mike's house is on St. Charles and go two blocks in any direction, they had the project-projects. The big high rises and shit. They had their own New Orleans police authorities for it. It was so bad. They wouldn't go in there in the daytime unless they had three units at a time.Jim: Wow.Woody: But anyway, this is a-- [crosstalk] Jim: So, he grew up rough.Woody: That was rough shit, the concrete jungle. So, the execution, which had been scheduled for midnight, was delayed two hours after the US Supreme Court rejected Mr. Watson's appeal on a 4-to-4 tie vote. And Mr. Watson's lawyers made a last-minute plea to Governor Edwin W. Edwards, my boy, in Baton Rouge, and he refused the final statement. At 1:58 AM, Mr. Watson walked into the death chamber. His head had been shaved of the shoulder-wide afro, because he had a big fur, y'all, hairstyle he had the day before when he appeared at the state Pardon Board in a futile appeal.Asked if he wanted to make a final statement, Mr. Watson shook his head, "No." He was then strapped into the wooden electric chair before his face was masked. Y'all, they do that because the eyes fry out of the head and the scalp will catch on fire. Before his face was masked, he looked at his spiritual adviser, Sister Lee Scardina, and mouthed ''I love you, Sister Lee.'' Then he received the first of four jolts. Remember I told you earlier, hit it, they go, "Hit it. [imitating electric sound]." Turn it off. And they did, "Hit it," four times. Anyway. So, then he received the first of four jolts of electricity at 2:02 AM. He was pronounced dead at 2:09 AM. After it was over, the spiritual adviser went to Jed Stone, Mr. Watson's lawyer, who was outside the death chamber, and cried on his shoulder. Outside the prison, six advocates of the death penalty marched in the darkness.Now, I remember back in those days that basically the neighbor in parish where I grew up and-- Shit, I remember, they were rolling [unintelligible [00:41:39] Governor Evers was in office. My mom was on the parole board, parole and pardon board. Anyway, he was good friends with my dad.Jim: Wow. That was like six minutes, they were jumping.Woody: Yeah, they give him for a minute, turn it off, give him another minute, and then--[crosstalk]Jim: Good. Very good.Woody: Nothing more but fuck you. Jim: Yeah. [crosstalk]Woody: Killed 25-year-old, she was going to be a doctor. He raped her and butt raped her.Jim: Awful. All right, we're going to tell you-- Look, and this one's disturbing, so prepare yourself. But we're going to tell you about Andrew Lee Jones. And he was executed by electrocution on July 22nd of 1991. Tell you about the crime. On February 17th, 1984, 11-year-old Tumekica Jackson was living with her mother, grandparents in the Scotlandville section of Baton Rouge. Tell them about Scotlandville, Woody.Woody: Yeah, I'm just going to tell you. I'm about to do a full-blown episode. I have all the research and everything on this case, and it's bad.Jim: Yeah.Woody: Scotlandville, y'all, it's in north Baton Rouge almost to Baker, what they call Baker, Louisiana, which is really Baton Rouge just runs into Baker. It's all still east Baton Rouge Parish.Jim: Bad part of Baton Rouge.Woody: Yeah, it's-- [crosstalk]Jim: A lot of gang activity in that area. It used to be way back in the day, a decent area.Woody: Decent. Back in this time, it wasn't that bad. But this dude is that bad. Again, Real Life Real Crime original episode, you're going to get all the details, we'll get you.Jim: There you go. So, at 04:00 AM on February 17th of 1984, the grandmother discovered that the child, the 11-year-old Tumekica Jackson was missing from her bedroom. The police discovered that someone had broken the screen of the rear den window and had opened the back door. In the muddy ground, near the house, police obtained a cast of an imprint made by the left shoe from a pair of size 8 1/2 tennis shoes. There were no signs of a struggle inside the house. The investigation immediately focused on Jones because his stormy romantic relationship of several years with the victim's mother. It had been broken off the week prior to this incident. The victim knew Jones well, and he had been in the home many times. On the evening of the child's disappearance, Jones had called the mother's home three times and had told the grandmother that he would not be responsible for his actions,-Woody: Not going to be responsible.Jim: -if the mother continued to refuse to see him. About 6:30 AM, the police went to the apartment where Jones lived with his sister, Terry Jones, and his half-brother, Abraham Mingo. Jones told the police he had been home all night, and Mingo and Ms. Jones confirmed his story. A few hours later, Ms. Jones called the police and said she may have been mistaken about that. After questioning her further, the police obtained a written consent to search the apartment. When no one answered the officer's knock, Ms. Jones used her key to open the door and officers found Jones in the bathroom washing a pair of size 8 1/2 tennis shoes. The bath tub was full of dirt and leaves. The officers seized the tennis shoes and a pair of green gloves, and they requested that Jones give them a statement. After signing a waiver, Jones gave the police a tape-recorded statement in which he denied any knowledge of the offense.Woody: "I don't know nothing."Jim: Lack of evidence, so they had to allow him to leave with his sister. But approximately 06:00 PM, the victim's partially nude body was found in a drainage canal.Woody: In a ditch.Jim: An autopsy established a child had been beaten, raped and manually strangled. The police again questioned Mingo. Although he initially told conflicting stories, he eventually gave a detailed account of his activities with the defendant on Friday night and Saturday morning. According to Mingo, he and Jones were out with the defendant on Friday evening, but dropped him off in Scotlandville. About 1:00 AM, Mingo and Jones went to the Snowflake Lounge, but Jones left alone about 30 minutes later, and Mingo returned to the apartment.Now, at some point between 04:30 AM and 05:00 AM, Mingo was awakened by Jones, he knocked on the door, whereupon he let defendant in and went back to bed. When Mingo and Jones were alone in the apartment later that morning, the defendant told him that he should've stayed home, that he did something he didn't want to do, and that he done fucked up. Jones gave Mingo a TG&Y bag and asked him to throw it away, which he did without looking inside. At Mingo's direction, police recovered a TG&Y bag from a dumpster near a grocery store. The bag contained socks, a pair of blue jeans and a pink sweatshirt, which were wet, muddy and stained. Of course, they put some analysis on that and identified the stain is a mixture of blood and semen fluid.Woody: This is before DNA.Jim: Mingo also told the police about a pair of boxer shorts that he had found in the bathroom of the apartment. The shorts belonged to Mingo, but Jones had worn them on Friday night. Pursuant to Mingo's written consent, the police recovered a pair of stained brown and white boxer shorts. Analysis confirmed the presence of blood and semen fluid on the boxer shorts. On the basis of this information, they finally got a warrant. They arrested Jones. Jones gave a videotape statement in which he asserted that he and Rudolph Springer had gone to the victim's house on Saturday morning to commit a burglary. They were scared of being recognized, so Jones remained in the car while Springer entered the house. When Springer returned carrying the victim, Jones got in the backseat and pulled his cap over his face.After a few minutes, Springer drove Jones to his apartment. That was the last time the defendant saw the victim. That was his story, they didn't buy it. And eventually, he gets sentenced to death.So, he was executed on July 22nd, 1991, by electric chair. While he did not make a final statement, at a pardon board hearing three days before he was executed, he said, "There's a possible chance I did it. A possible chance I didn't do it. If I had not been drunk, nothing like that would have happened. I'm like anybody else. I don't want to die or anything like that." So, that was his statement after that. I hate it when it involves children. It's disgusting.Woody: Yeah, I actually have some more in-depth knowledge on that case. I'm going to bring it to you on a original RLRC episode in the future.Jim: Oh, very good.Woody: He is a real piece of shit. I know of Mingo personally, and I'll explain all that. Jim: I look forward to that, fellas.Woody: Right. Let's take to the next one. John Brogdon. I'm going to give you the facts of the case. On the evening of October 7th, 1981, Rubeta Brown and her 11-year-old sister, Barbara Jo, walked to a convenience store near their home in Luling, Louisiana. Y'all that is in St. Charles Parish. Again, down there in the El Paso area and all that kind of outside NewOrleans, but across the swamp. So, they walked to use the telephone. 19-year old Brogdon and his 17-year old friend, Bruce Perritt, arrived at the store while Rubeta was on the phone.Perritt approached Barbara Jo and put his arm around her. Rubeta called her sister away, and the two left. On the way home, Barbara Jo asked her sister if she could visit a neighbor's home for a few minutes. Rubeta allowed her sister to leave her to do so. Rubeta went to the neighbor's house, about 10 minutes later to pick up Barbara Jo. Barbara Jo wasn't there. And after short search in the neighborhood, Rubeta informed her mother that Barbara Jo was missing. And they called the sheriff's office.After that, a friend of Barbara Jo's came forward to say that he had seen Barbara Jo earlier that evening in a car seated between Brogdon and Perritt. Two men discovered Barbara Jo's body later that evening behind a levee. Again, y'all levee are high dirt walls, usually dirt, sometimes cement, hold back the rivers in the water. But anyway, they saw him behind the levee in Luling. And look, you get no fucking business being behind a levee, period.Jim: Yeah, especially in Luling.Woody: Right. Perritt's car was found parked a short distance away. Two other men later informed authorities that they had seen Brogdon and Perritt walking on the road near this levee. Brogdon was without a shirt and appeared disheveled. Brogdon and Perritt were arrested that evening at Brogdon's home on suspicion of Barbara Jo's murder. After being informed of his Miranda rights at the sheriff's office, Brogdon waived his right to counsel and confessed to the murder and aggravated rape of Barbara Jo. In his statement, Brogdon told how he and Perritt tortured and killed her. Instead of visiting the mother's home that night, Barbara Jo had returned to the convenience store and met with Brogdon and Perritt. The confession-- Well, that's their story, y'all. Confession admitted that after they picked her up at the convenience store, Brogdon and Perritt drove her to the levee where her body was later found.They repeatedly raped her and forced her to perform oral sex on them. All during these acts, they beat Barbara Jo with their fists. They also broke bottles on the cement and then stabbed her repeatedly with the edges. Perritt also struck Barbara Jo in the head with a brick that he found lay nearby. Brogdon then beat her with the brick. The two also used pointed sticks to pierce her body. Brogdon and Perritt left the scene of the crime and Perritt's vehicle when they heard another car approached and they hauled ass in Perritt's vehicle.Brogdon was convicted by St. Charles jury of murder and aggravated rape and sentenced to death. So he was executed on July 30, 1987. Brogdon and his co-defendant Bruce Perritt were convicted of raping, beating. We told you about all that. Perritt received a life sentence, y'all, because the jury deadlocked in the penalty phase. I don't know what fucking--Jim: Some juror. Yeah.Woody: -idiots on that jury. Brogdon made no formal final statement. As he turned to seathimself in the electric chair, his last words were, "God bless y'all." It's crazy, right? Jim: Horrible.Woody: We do some really uplifting stories. We've done some great, great shit. But sometimes, you got to let it be known. Wow.Jim: How the cow eats a cabbage.Woody: Right. [crosstalk] -the worst fucking place in the world.Jim: Yeah. These people that are getting executed are not always angels. Woody: They did everything to that girl. Poor-- [crosstalk]Jim: Blind woman. That's just awful. Thank y'all so much for supporting us. We hope y'all enjoyed this episode. We've got a Part 3 that we'll drop at some point that you'll really like as well. But we just thank y'all for all you do for us.Woody: Definitely patron members, hope you're enjoying your commercial free, early releases, and all your bonus episodes, and everything else. And you want to be a patron member, you can go to patreon.com, type in Bloody Angola.Jim: Yes. And it'll pull it right up.Woody: Follow us on Facebook, and look for Bloody Angola announcements and everything Real Life Real Crime, including Real Life Real Crime app, and follow our other show, Real Life Real Crime Daily, [crosstalk] me and Mike Agovino.Jim: Yeah, absolutely.Woody: Original Real Life Real Crimes like the one I'm going to tell you about with Mingoinvolved in it. It drops on Tuesdays as of now, y'all. Jim: Until next time, I'm Jim Chapman.Woody: And I'm Woody Everton.Jim: Your host of Bloody-Woody: -Angola.Jim: A podcast 142 years in the making.Woody: Complete story of America's bloodiest prison.Jim and Woody: Peace.[Bloody Angola theme]Our Sponsors:* Check out Factor and use my code bloodyangola50 for a great deal: https://www.factor75.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy