Motive

Introducing - You Didn't See Nothin May 01, 2023

Here's another podcast we think you'll find interesting. Twenty-five years ago in Chicago, a little boy named Lenard Clark was beaten into a coma just for being Black. Almost overnight, the news stories turned to racial reconciliation and forgiveness. From writer Yohance Lacour, You Didn't See Nothin is an investigation into how that happened, and a memoir of coming-of-age in Chicago. Full series available now.

6: Aftermath Mar 02, 2023

Anti-violence worker Cecilia Mannion confronts her desire for revenge after the car her kids are riding in is shot up 20 times. Meanwhile outreach workers in Garfield Park are trying to slow a string of shootings stemming from the theft of an $8,000 necklace. And Joey finally goes to the police station to make an identification, but there are problems.

5: Collateral Damage Feb 23, 2023

A 14-year-old boy whose father was wounded in a gang shooting faces down threats of violence and the temptations of joining a gang. Meanwhile, a person who killed one woman and wounded another will avoid criminal charges.

4: Getting In And Getting Out Feb 16, 2023

The gang murder of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams shook Chicago and affected many of the anti-violence workers on the West Side. As former gang members they sympathized with Jaslyn’s dad, Jontae, his desire to spend time with his daughter and how that put her at risk of violence. Jontae still struggles with the guilt. And when he decided to help police catch his daughter’s killers his gang friends turned on him. **Content warning: This episode contains uses of the n-word.

3: Underpaid And Underappreciated Feb 09, 2023

Gunshot victim Joey struggles to get police to arrest the man he believes seriously wounded him and killed his neighbor. Meanwhile, low-pay and job insecurity make it harder for anti-violence workers to do their jobs and build a life for themselves.

2: De/Escalation Feb 02, 2023

Sirenzo Strong spends his work days trying to talk to gang members in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood. Part of his turf is the site of a former housing complex, Rockwell Gardens. When former residents return to the old neighborhood, so do the old gang allegiances and grudges.

1: After The Gunfire Jan 26, 2023

Former gang members are out on Chicago’s streets trying to slow the relentless violence. A man shot 11 times hides with his kids at home.

'Motive' Season 5 Podcast Trailer Jan 17, 2023

On the West Side of Chicago, a father is seriously wounded by an apparent gang shooting. The worker who comes out to help him heal mentally and emotionally is a former gang member herself. She is part of a growing army of anti-violence workers fighting to bring peace to the streets of Chicago. In Motive Season 5, WBEZ criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith takes listeners out to the streets where workers are trying desperately to prevent shootings and help the victims of gun violence. Episode 1 coming January 26th. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.

Bonus: Prisoncast Dec 14, 2022

In this bonus episode of Motive, we bring you some excerpts from a special project we created. After a years-long investigation into prisons, we wanted to make something that wasn’t just about people in prison, but also for them. In August of this year we collaborated with radio stations across Illinois to create a broadcast that was heard in prisons statewide. We played sounds incarcerated people requested to hear from the other side of the prison wall, and dedications for sounds that family members thought would be important to their loved ones. People requested simple sounds from the outside world, like babies laughing, rain on a tin roof, the waves of Lake Michigan. We also played people’s music requests and even an original song, “Bring It Back”, created by some students of the Rebirth of Sound program, inside Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois.

Motive Presents “Through the Cracks” Jun 02, 2022

From our friends at WAMU and PRX. When 8 year old Relisha Rudd disappeared from a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C. in 2014, nobody noticed. By the time authorities formally declared Relisha “missing,” 18 days had passed since she’d been spotted at school or the shelter where her family lived. Seven years later, Relisha has never been found. Through The Cracks investigates gaps in our society and the people who fall through them, and in this first season, host Jonquilyn Hill asks if Relisha’s disappearance was, as the city later claimed, unpreventable

7: Where Life is Precious, Life is Precious May 19, 2022

Prisons helped rural towns, while Black communities in Chicago paid a heavy price. Now, rumors swirl that parts of Pontiac prison may close.

6: The Prison Sweepstakes May 12, 2022

In the 1980s Illinois leaders held a competition, where rural towns competed to “win” prisons and the jobs that come with them.

5: The Trial May 05, 2022

Two Illinois prison guards were tried for beating Larry Earvin to death. We try to make sense of the trial and what it says about prisons?

Update: The Trial, and Other News Apr 25, 2022

A short update on Motive Season Four.

4: No Justice in Politics Apr 18, 2022

A man goes into prison with a 7 year sentence. But ends up getting 97 more years. How does that happen? And what do small town politics have to do with it?

3: The Major and Her Crew Apr 11, 2022

State investigators interrogate a high-ranking prison guard, who is accused of coordinating attacks on prisoners.

2: Us and Them Apr 04, 2022

Damaria Bates and Jimia Stokes started their jobs as mental health workers, full of hope. But soon, they saw signs of severe abuse-- mentally ill prisoners with injuries, drenched in tear gas. When they tried to report the problems, they say fellow staff retaliated against them. In this episode we go behind the walls with the two women, as they try to make changes from the inside out. As two of the only black women on the mental health staff, they say they navigated racism and harassment. They began to feel like it was impossible to do the job they came to do. Sign up for the Motive newsletter for the latest episode drops, behind-the-scenes stories, additional content and updates on events. http://wbez.org/motivenewsletter

1: The Blind Spot Mar 28, 2022

Men in an Illinois prison said they were beaten in a spot with no security cameras. But no one took action, until someone died. Exposing violence and cover ups, Season 4 of Motive investigates the hidden world of big prisons in small towns. Places where everyone knows each other and difficult truths get buried. Sign up for the Motive newsletter for the latest episode drops, behind-the-scenes stories, additional content and updates on events. http://wbez.org/motivenewsletter

'Motive' Season 4 Podcast Trailer Mar 14, 2022

Exposing violence and cover ups, the new season of Motive investigates the hidden world of big prisons in small towns. Places where everyone knows each other and difficult truths get buried. Sign up for the Motive newsletter for the latest episode drops, behind-the-scenes stories, additional content and updates on events. http://wbez.org/motivenewsletter

8: Bloodlines Oct 23, 2020

Clark Martell was at the vanguard of reviving the white supremacist movement. Then, he disappeared. His trail reveals how sex, money, and blood have kept the movement alive.

7: Tipping Point Oct 16, 2020

Atomwaffen was the most extreme white supremacist group, pushing for societal collapse. Today, their ideas are on the streets.

6: The New Nazis Oct 09, 2020

How did President Trump, the border wall, and the 2017 Charlottesville rally play into the education of a white supremacist?

5: What To Do With Christian Oct 02, 2020

Christian Picciolini grew a violent hate movement for eight years. After he left, it continued to grow. What's his role in fixing the harm?

4: Boots To Suits Sep 25, 2020

Daytime TV discovered neo-Nazi skinheads and it was a ratings bonanza. But it also helped to grow the hate movement across America.

3: Union And Division Sep 18, 2020

The Chicago Area Skinheads are, by some accounts, the first racist skinhead crew to organize in the U.S. What drew in those young recruits? And how one brutal event brought them down.

2: Romantic Violence Sep 11, 2020

It was the ‘80s. Reagan was president. And for angsty, angry teens, the punk scene provided family and expression. Until the Nazis showed up and ruined everything.

1: The Hate Crate Sep 04, 2020

A shy kid from Chicago shaves his head and prepares for an inevitable race war. In the early 1980s, it looked like organized white supremacy was declining in the U.S. But a generation of racist skinheads breathed new life into the movement.

Season 3 of Motive examines the origins of the youth white supremacist movement in America. Episodes are released every Friday.

'Motive' Season 3 Podcast Trailer Aug 21, 2020

To understand the white supremacist movement today, look at the last time a wave of hate pulled in young Americans. A preview of WBEZ’s new season of Motive, coming September 4, 2020.

8: The ‘After’ Mar 27, 2020

“Nobody talks about ‘the after,’” one woman said about sexual assault. “The during is terrible, but it’s the after, that’s the hard part.”

On the final episode of Motive, the “remembering it for the rest of your life” part of the story.

7: La Manada, The Wolfpack Mar 20, 2020

The verdict in a 2016 gang rape case known as La Manada, or “The Wolfpack,” ignited mass protests across Spain. It kicked off Spain’s #MeToo movement and prompted a call for change to the country’s sexual assault laws.

On today’s episode, the case and the fierce debate that followed.

6: The Investigation Mar 13, 2020

A Spanish prosecutor opened a criminal investigation in the spring of 2018. Almost two years have passed. We go to Spain to see what’s happening.

Preview: Season 2 Q&A Mar 06, 2020

The powerful investigative work of the Motive podcast is directly supported by WBEZ members.

Your donation today is critical to the future of Motive — and all of the investigative reporting that comes from WBEZ.

Plus, when you donate, you’ll be invited to join us for a virtual Q&A after this season wraps. Submit your questions in advance and then join us live to get a behind the scenes look at Season 2 — along with updates on any new developments.

Make your donation today and get all the details at wbez.org/support.

5: Did Anyone Know? Feb 28, 2020

While studying abroad in Spain, Hayley McAleese and Carly Van Ostenbridge reported to both the police and their school that they had been sexually assaulted. It didn’t go as expected.

4: Can’t Tell Anyone Feb 21, 2020

Most of the women in this story did not go to the police. And while some told a friend, family member or therapist what happened, most say they tried to bury it and move on.

Why? And what made these women decide to finally break their silence?

3: Blackout Feb 14, 2020

“If you’re robbed while you’re drunk everyone still understands that’s a robbery,” says a former prosecutor. “Or if you’re beaten up while you’re drunk, everyone still understands that’s an assault.”

In today’s episode, we look at the double-standard often applied in cases of sexual assault.

2: Gabrielle Vega Feb 07, 2020

Gabrielle Vega alleges her tour guide raped her in 2013. Nearly five years later, she learns she’s not the only one and decides to do something about it.

1: Lauren Bajorek Feb 06, 2020

A college student dies on her 21st birthday in Spain. Authorities rule her death an accident. Years later, questions arise after a TV segment airs about someone she was with that night.

'Motive' Season 2 Podcast Trailer Jan 24, 2020

A story of years of silence, how it was broken, and the young women who are finally coming forward to seek justice. A preview of WBEZ’s new season of Motive, coming soon.

10: Mother's Day Nov 22, 2019

The big question is ... why?

For photos, video, court documents and more visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

9: Batman On The West Side Nov 15, 2019

Now a multi-millionaire, T.J. could have done anything. But he called himself Batman and started a violent gang war.

For photos, video, court documents and more visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

8: T.J. Versus The City Of Chicago Nov 08, 2019

T.J. gets angry watching a heavyweight match between two persuasive Chicago lawyers. One side claims the police framed T.J. for a murder. The other side claims that T.J. is a murderer.

For photos, video, court documents and more visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

7: Inmate K51114 Nov 01, 2019

In prison, T.J. becomes a part of the gang hierarchy and dives deep into religion. Not long after inmate number K51114 is released, cracks start to appear.

For photos, video, court documents and more visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

6: Mousey Is Dead Oct 25, 2019

Brian Nelson was the leader of T.J.'s gang: The Simon City Royals. Nelson spent almost thirty harrowing years in prison. What was left when he came out?

For photos, video, court documents and more, visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

5: The Fairytale Ending Oct 18, 2019

After his conviction is overturned, T.J. leaves prison and begins enjoying his freedom. Meanwhile, Frank receives some emails from a mysterious man telling him he's got the story all wrong.

For photos, video, court documents and more, visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

4: What Really Happened At The Honey Baked Ham Oct 11, 2019

In 1993, a young man was murdered in front of a Honey Baked Ham store on Belmont Avenue. We return to the scene of the crime to find out what happened on the night that put T.J. in prison for 16 years.

For photos, video, court documents and more, visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

3: A Boy Enters And A Man Leaves Oct 04, 2019

T.J. is charged with murder and sent to juvenile jail. Although only 13 when arrested, he's prosecuted as an adult.

For photos, video, court documents and more, visit the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

2: Violated Into The PeeWees Sep 27, 2019

A fellow gang member and T.J.'s mom describe the young T.J. before the arrest that put him away for so long. And we hear T.J.'s version of the night of the murder.

1: A Shooting From A Mercedes Sep 20, 2019

While driving a Mercedes convertible, multi-millionaire T.J. Jimenez shoots a man in the legs. It's all captured on video. We begin our story outside the jail in downtown Chicago.

See photos, video, court documents and more of the reporting behind this episode by visiting the Motive page at the Chicago Sun-Times.

'Motive' Season 1 Podcast Trailer Sep 06, 2019

It’s a cruel sociological experiment. Lock up a 13-year-old boy for a murder that he swore he didn’t commit. Release him as a 30-year-old man. Then, give him $25 million. New from WBEZ Chicago, Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

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