Courtroom Confidential

Latest Episodes:

Ep 25: Sarah Boone, "I Didn't Ask for This!", Karen Read Demands a Dismissal, 'Treadmill Dad' Sentencing and More! Aug 09, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! This week, I share my insights on some of this week’s updates in the true crime world, including:

- After bulldozing her way through eight attorneys, notorious “suitcase” murderer Sarah Boone now tells the judge she has buyer’s remorse and no longer wants to represent herself.

- Did the jury actually intend to acquit Karen Read of murder for the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe? And more importantly, what is the judge going to do about it?
Additionally, I briefly cover other cases that made headlines this week, including the guilty verdict for Christine Ricci for the stabbing death of her Boston firefighter husband, sentencing for “Treadmill Dad” Christopher Gregor for the death of his son, Chad Doerman’s sentencing for the shooting deaths of his three young sons, and Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen’s three-day hearing. Plus, I give a quick rundown of what’s on the docket for next week.
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This content does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by listening to this podcast.

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Ep 24: "Black Swan" GUILTY Verdict, Ricci Mistress Testifies, Nicolae Miu Sentencing and More! Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! This week, I share my insights on some of this week’s updates in the true crime world, including:

- Despite taking the stand in her own defense, a Florida jury has convicted Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina, of manslaughter for the shooting death of her husband, Doug Benefield, in what has been dubbed the “Black Swan Murder Trial.”

- In another case of marital violence, the murder trial of Christine Ricci, accused of stabbing her Boston firefighter husband, Michael Ricci, in the heart, is now in the hands of a Massachusetts jury.
-Additionally, I briefly cover other cases that made headlines this week, including the sentencing of Nicolae Miu for the Apple River Stabbing, updates in the never-ending YSL RICO trial, a hearing for Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen, and the latest allegations against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in the murder of Tupac Shakur.

Thank you for listening! Please leave us a rating and review, and send this episode to a friend! We appreciate your help and support in getting the word out about Courtroom Confidential.

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YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@CRConfidential
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https://buymeacoffee.com/courtroomconfidential
DISCLAIMER: The information in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This content does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by listening to this podcast.

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Bonus Episode: Dentist James Craig - From Devoted Husband to Heartless Killer Jul 30, 2024

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Welcome to another special episode of Courtroom Confidential: Case Notes! This week, Joshua Ritter dives into the shocking case of James Craig, an accomplished dentist from Aurora, Colorado, who is charged with the heinous murder of his wife, Angela.
From his façade as a loving father and devoted husband to the grisly details of Angela's sudden health decline, Joshua breaks down the evidence, including James’ financial ruin, emails with his mistress and an incriminating search history. Join Joshua as he explores the potential motives and the psychological underpinnings of this calculated crime.

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Ep 23: “Black Swan” Trial Begins, Shocking Not Guilty Verdict for Marcia Thompson, Donna Adelson Hearing Update and More! Jul 26, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! This week, I share my insights on some of this week’s updates in the true crime world, including:

- Notoriously known as the “Black Swan Murder” Ashley Benefield, a Florida ballerina, shoots her estranged husband in what prosecutors allege was a calculated and cold-blooded murder. Her defense maintains she was a battered woman pushed to the brink by her obsessive and abusive ex-partner, Doug Benefield.

- In another case with striking similarities, Marcia Thompson, a U.S. Customs officer, has been found not guilty by a Florida jury for fatally shooting her husband, with allegations of systematic violence again playing a key role.
Additionally, I briefly cover other cases that made headlines this week, including Donna Adelson’s status hearing ahead of her trial for the death of her former son-in-law Dan Markel, a new trial date set for Karen Read, Sarah Boone’s hand-drawn advertisement looking for a new attorney, and the trial for Christine Ricci, charged with the stabbing death of her husband Michael, a Boston firefighter.
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Bonus Episode: Kouri Richins - Children's Grief Author or Calculated Murderer? Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to another special episode of Courtroom Confidential: Case Notes! Today, Joshua Ritter breaks down the case of Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three accused of fatally poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
In April 2023, Richins appeared on a local Utah news program to promote her new book titled, “Are You With Me?” – a children’s book written to help families cope with the loss of a loved one.
To all who watched, she appeared to be a young grieving widow doing her best to deal with the tragic loss of her husband, Eric Richins, who had died the year before.

Within weeks she would become a national sensation when she was arrested and charged with lacing Eric’s cocktail with a lethal dose of fentanyl.

What has unfolded since that time is a sordid tale of forged life insurance policies, botched poisoning attempts and surreptitious attempts to coach witnesses from behind bars.

Thank you for listening! Please leave us a rating and review, and send this episode to a friend! We appreciate your help and support in getting the word out about Courtroom Confidential.
True Crime News: The Sidebar Podcast episode with Richins’ former defense attorney, Skye Lazaro: https://youtu.be/QgkqX1i3Pg8?si=mTV3uDcRpng3Ktnp

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This content does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by listening to this podcast.

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Ep 22: Judge Glanville Kicked From Young Thug Trial, Karen Read Demands Dismissal, Alec Baldwin Aftermath and More! Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! This week, I share my insights on some of this week’s updates in the true crime world, including:

- In a bombshell development, Judge Ural Glanville, who has presided over the Young Thug RICO trial for nearly eight months, has been removed. What does this mean for the high-profile case?

- The Commonwealth strikes back after the defense argued that justice demands acquittal of murder charges against Karen Read, the Boston woman who was charged in the death of her boyfriend, police officer John O’Keefe.

- As the dust settles in the wake of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case dismissal, what could the fallout be for the prosecutor and Hannah Guttierrez-Reed in this courthouse saga?

Plus, I briefly cover other cases that made headlines this week, including the upcoming trial for Ashley Benefield, accused of murdering her husband, a status hearing for Adelson family matriarch, Donna Adelson, who is accused of conspiring to kill her former son-in-law, and the continuation of the trial for Stephan Sterns, the man accused of murdering 13-year-old Madeline Soto.

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News Brief: Alec Baldwin's Case Dismissed! What Happened? Lawyer Breaks It All Down Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

In this special episode of Courtroom Confidential, I break down the shocking dismissal of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice on Friday, July 12, 2024.

In this episode, I cover:
-Crime Scene Technician Marissa Poppell’s Testimony
-Special Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson Resignation
-Prosecutor Kari Morrissey Taking The Stand
-Why Dismissal “With Prejudice”?
-Will This Affect Hannah Gutierrez-Reed?
-Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer Examination of the Evidence
-Brady-Giglio Explanation
-Was Dismissal The Right Decision?
-What’s Next for Alec Baldwin?
-What’s Next for Kari Morrissey?
-And More!
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this podcast is for educational purposes only. This content does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by listening to this podcast.

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Ep 21: Alec Baldwin Opening Statements, Karen Read Double Jeopardy Issues, Matthew Perry Death Investigation and More! Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! This week, I share my insights on some of this week’s updates in the true crime world, including:

- New Mexico prosecutors and Alec Baldwin’s defense attorneys waste no time trading blows as his manslaughter trial gets underway for his role in the ‘Rust’ set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

- Before the dust has a chance to settle, defense attorneys for Karen Read now claim that as many as 4 jurors have come forward to say they had unanimously voted to clear their client of murdering her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
Plus, I briefly cover other cases that made headlines this week, including the latest drama in the YSL RICO trial, updates in Harvey Weinstein’s case ahead of his second trial in New York, potential criminal charges loom in the death of actor Matthew Perry, and a pushed trial date for Madeline Soto murder suspect Stephan Sterns.

Thank you for listening! Please leave us a rating and review, and send this episode to a friend! We appreciate your help and support in getting the word out about Courtroom Confidential.

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Bonus Episode: Alec Baldwin's Trial Kicks Off - 5 Things You NEED to Know! Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to another bonus episode of Courtroom Confidential: Five Things! Today, host Joshua Ritter breaks down the top five things you need to know as Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial begins in New Mexico.
After a long and tortured history, trial is finally set to begin against the established Hollywood actor who is charged in the 2021 on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Prosecutors allege that the set of Western film ‘Rust’ was a disordered disaster waiting to happen, and Baldwin was a centerpiece of that chaos.

The defense, however, contends that Baldwin never pulled the trigger and the shooting, while a terrible tragedy, was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.
Jury selection begins today, July 9th, and the trial is scheduled to last 10 days.

Listen as Joshua breaks down the details of the case and shares his insights on its many developments.

NOTE: On July 8th, during a pre-trial hearing, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled that Baldwin’s role as a producer on the film isn’t relevant to the involuntary manslaughter trial. Additionally, video evidence of Baldwin yelling at the crew or rushing the crew will also be excluded, with Judge Sommer saying that it does not shed light on the key question of the actor’s alleged negligence.

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News Brief: Karen Read, YSL Rico Trial, Lori Vallow, Sarah Boone and More! Jul 05, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Courtroom Confidential with Joshua Ritter! In this special podcast-only episode, I give a quick rundown of the week’s biggest true crime news, including:

- A mistrial declared in the trial of Boston woman Karen Read after a jury could not come to a unanimous decision.

- The YSL RICO trial abruptly halted by Judge Ural Glanville until another judge reviews motions from Young Thug and others who want him recused from the case.

Plus, the latest in the cases of ‘Doomsday Cult Mom’ Lori Vallow in Arizona; Maryland mother Rachel Morin’s accused killer; David Swift, a Tennessee man acquitted of murdering his wife now charged with manslaughter; and Sarah Boone, a Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend by trapping him in a suitcase during a game of Hide and Seek.

Thank you for listening! We will be back next week for our usual Friday episode. In the meantime, please leave us a rating and review, and send this episode to a friend! We appreciate your help and support in getting the word out about Courtroom Confidential.

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