The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case - Shannon Lynch, New America

Latest Episodes:

Revival Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Two decades later, the Catherine Fuller murder case is cracked open again—with the support of a dogged reporter, the Innocence Project, and a team of expert lawyers. And in a moment of hope, it goes all the way to the Supreme Court, where only 2 percent of cases are accepted.

Through The Trenches Aug 23, 2023

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An unchecked theory leads to the incarceration of eight young Black men. What is it like to live in prison for decades for a crime you didn't commit? The accused share their firsthand experience, and criminal justice reform experts Reuben Jonathan Miller, Josie Duffy Rice, Christine Montross, and Melissa Segura "zoom out" to discuss the long-term impacts of incarceration.

Fox Guarding the Henhouse Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

As the accused prepare for trial, the theory of a "vicious gang killing" is presented as fact by the media. Listeners discover that key evidence was hidden from the defense attorneys by the prosecutors. This represents a constitutional violation of the Brady rule, which requires the disclosure of any material evidence.

Like Dominoes Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

A series of chain reactions resulted in police arresting 17 young Black people for the murder of Catherine Fuller. Four charges were dropped, and two suspects pleaded guilty to lesser crimes. Meanwhile, 11 of the arrestees—all of whom maintained their innocence—prepared to face the biggest murder trial in Washington, DC's history.

The False Confession Trap Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Intense interrogation tactics and a threat of life in prison leads to a coerced confession, setting off a chain reaction that would ultimately lead to 17 arrests. False confession experts Jim Trainum and Marissa Bluestine weigh in on why innocent people confess to crimes they didn't commit.

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Prisoners of Their Initial Hunch Jul 26, 2023

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An anonymous tip led to a theory of a "violent gang attack" that captured detectives' imaginations—without any physical evidence. How could the DC justice system mishandle this case so egregiously from the start? In a city built by slave labor and steeped in racial politics, you don't have to look too hard to find answers.

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October 1st, 1984 Jul 19, 2023

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New America's Shannon Lynch revisits the 1984 murder of Catherine Fuller that rocked Washington, DC. The story starts at the scene of the crime—an alley near the busy intersection of 8th and H Streets Northeast—and unveils the fateful tip that caused investigators to settle quickly on a theory of the murder.

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Trailer: What Happened at 8th and H? Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

On October 1st, 1984, Catherine Fuller was brutally killed in the H Street Corridor in northeast Washington, DC. Her murder not only scarred the nation's capital for decades, but it also resulted in the arrests of 17 young Black Washingtonians—the most arrests in D.C. history for a single murder. Of those charged, eight young men were sentenced to life in prison.

They always maintained their innocence.

Years later, evidence previously hidden by prosecutors was discovered, ultimately leading to the case being reopened in the early 2000s. Now, almost 40 years after they were convicted, the accused men—for the first time, in their own words—recount their decades-long saga with false confessions, U.S. prisons, and the American criminal justice system that failed them. Listeners will also hear from attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, and criminal reform advocates to help shine a light on the flaws and biases of our legal system still present today.

This is The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case.

Host: Shannon Lynch

Executive Producers: Jason Stewart and Shannon Lynch

Cover art: Samantha Webster

Editorial and PR support: Jodi Narde, Joe Wilkes, and Molly Martin

Social Media: Maika Moulite