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    Latest Episodes:
    Law&Crime's Prime Crime clinches top 4 ranking on Spotify, No. 1 true crime podcast on US charts Jun 20, 2025
    Show notes

    Prime Crime with Jesse Weber (Law&Crime)

    Law&Crime's original docuseries Prime Crime has surged to the No. 4 spot on Spotify's overall U.S. Top Podcasts chart, less than six months after its launch on the platform. The success of the series, hosted and executive produced by attorney and anchor Jesse Weber, marks a significant milestone for both the production itself and for the true-crime genre, as it becomes the only show of its kind in the Top 5 ranks across the United States and only one of two in the Top 10.

    Aside from pulling ahead of longstanding podcast giants such as This Past Weekend with Theo Von and The Daily to secure its spot in the Top 5, Prime Crime also clinched the No. 1 spot in U.S. True Crime, according to Podstatus.

    Despite tough competition within the genre, Prime Crime's rising popularity in the true-crime-specific U.S. charts reflects a broader desire from audiences for coverage that grounds the complex twists and turns of a case in easy-to-follow procedural insight. The show, which covers high-profile cases through a mix of trial coverage, police assets and interviews with those closest to the crime, stands out from the rest of the true crime genre for striking a compelling balance of legal and investigative storytelling without sacrificing narrative flair.

    On Prime Crime's success, Weber states that "This speaks volumes about the remarkable team behind the show and the incredible support we receive from our global audience who recognize and value the importance of these stories."

    Among Prime Crime's recent successful additions to Spotify is its episode covering the case of Ali Abulaban, a well-known TikToker whose wife was found dead in their Southern California apartment despite the couple's online persona reflecting a picture-perfect relationship. The episode received 2.3 million plays on Spotify, as well as 1.9 million views on Law&Crime's YouTube channel of over 7 million subscribers.

    The post Law&Crime's Prime Crime clinches top 4 ranking on Spotify, No. 1 true crime podcast on US charts first appeared on Law & Crime.


    'I will escort you to your demise': True crime podcaster convicted of intimidating public officials named in Facebook post May 23, 2025
    Show notes Podcaster Ashli Ford found guilty of intimidation

    Background: News footage of Ashli Ford outside of court (WTOL). Inset: The logo for Ashli Ford's podcast, "Allegedly" (Patreon).

    An Ohio-based true crime podcaster was found guilty of intimidating city officials in a Facebook post she wrote in 2023.

    Ashli Ford, 40, was convicted of four of the counts against her on Thursday after going on trial for a total of 19 charges, 16 of which were felonies. According to court documents obtained by local CBS outlet WTOL, Ford was found guilty of four intimidation charges and acquitted of the others, which included extortion, telecommunications fraud, and misdemeanor falsification.

    Ford, who is the host of the "Allegedly" true crime podcast, was indicted in March 2024 after a September 2023 Facebook post in which she named several city officials in Norwalk, Ohio, and made a number of allegations against them.

    Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

    The Facebook post in question, published on Sept. 22, 2023, specifically named Norwalk Mayor David Light, law director and prosecutor Stuart O'Hara, safety and service director Michael White, and former Norwalk police chief David Smith and accused them of allegedly corrupt acts.

    All of them were witnesses for the prosecution during the trial.

    Along with her accusations, Ford wrote a series of threats against the city officials, including, "I know that I have you on your knees" and "This is your VERY LAST opportunity to end this in a respectable manner."

    Ford went on to write, "I will slowly crumble the reputation [of] every single person who stands in the way of justice," adding, "I will escort you to your demise in a manner more akin to Malcolm X than Martin Luther King Jr."

    In her post, the screenshot of which was obtained by WTOL from the Erie County Clerk of Courts, Ford claimed that she would expose "every single low down dirty deed" including misspent fines, obscene photos, "shut up settlements," a "human trafficking drug ring," "suicides that ain't suicides," and more.

    WTOL reported that when Ford published the post, she was already facing two criminal falsification charges in connection to accusations she had allegedly made against the Norwalk Police Department. She was ultimately acquitted on those charges.

    Ford is due back in court for sentencing on June 16 and faces nine to 36 months in prison plus a fine of up to $10,000 for each of the four counts.

    In a Facebook post following the verdict, Ford wrote to her audience, "Your support means everything to me. I am okay. God built me to withstand storms like this. I continue to walk in faith and without an ounce of fear. The actions throughout my life will always defend me."

    The post 'I will escort you to your demise': True crime podcaster convicted of intimidating public officials named in Facebook post first appeared on Law & Crime.


    Law&Crime launches new YouTube partnership with Emmy-winning journalist Ashleigh Banfield and her true crime podcast 'Drop Dead Serious' Apr 08, 2025
    Show notes Television journalist Ashleigh Banfield attends the 11th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

    Television journalist Ashleigh Banfield attends the 11th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

    Top legal and true crime studio Law&Crime is teaming up with Emmy Award-winning anchor Ashleigh Banfield to bring her original podcast "Drop Dead Serious" to Law&Crime's YouTube. Starting this weekend, new episodes will premiere on Law&Crime's YouTube channel, home to nearly 7 million subscribers and one of the fastest-growing destinations for true crime content online.

    Known for her gripping, front line reporting on major platforms like CNN and NewsNation, Banfield is bringing her signature storytelling style to the digital space. "Drop Dead Serious" delivers a raw, unfiltered look at the cases that captivated the nation, featuring in-depth interviews, breaking updates, and Banfield's personal insights — all in hourlong episodes designed for YouTube's true crime superfan.

    This latest collaboration underscores Law&Crime's commitment to growing its YouTube-first content slate with bold voices and binge-worthy stories.

    "I've been a super fan of Law&Crime ever since it launched," says Banfield. "So I couldn't be more thrilled to partner up with such a respected team of true crime experts."

    Law&Crime

    Law&Crime

    Law&Crime's partnership with Ashleigh Banfield and the launch of "Drop Dead Serious" mark the latest move in Law&Crime's broader push to collaborate with respected voices in the true crime space. It follows the debut of two new originals — "On the Case" with Chris Stewart and "Law&Crime Investigates" — to build upon the brand's content slate.

    Viewers can watch Banfield's "Drop Dead Serious" on Law&Crime's YouTube channel here.

    ABOUT LAW&CRIME NETWORK

    Law&Crime is the leading platform for legal and true crime content, offering a wide range of programming including live trials, legal commentary and analysis, law enforcement-related footage, and documentary-style crime stories. Its revered network of lawyers, former prosecutors, and law enforcement officials provides unprecedented access to key sources as well as unique insight into the nation's highest-profile and newsworthy cases. Created by award-winning ABC News Chief Legal Correspondent Dan Abrams, the network reaches a massive, multi-platform audience across digital, cable, and social, with its main YouTube channel alone boasting well over 6.5 million subscribers and 4.7 billion video views. Law&Crime prides itself on upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity, offering fact-based reporting.

    Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

    The post Law&Crime launches new YouTube partnership with Emmy-winning journalist Ashleigh Banfield and her true crime podcast 'Drop Dead Serious' first appeared on Law & Crime.


    Law&Crime announces Luigi Mangione true crime podcast ripped from the headlines, launching exclusively on Wondery+ Mar 17, 2025
    Show notes Luigi Mangioni is seen in a graphic promoting Law&Crime's podcast "LUIGI."

    Law&Crime

    Top legal and true crime network Law&Crime announces the first installment of its podcast slate for 2025, "LUIGI," available exclusively on Wondery+ and produced in collaboration with Wheelhouse's Twist Media. From the producer and writer of the smash hit "The Rise & Fall of Ruby Franke" and "KAREN," and hosted by Law&Crime's Jesse Weber, "LUIGI" is more than a true crime podcast – it's an exploration of a uniquely American moment that has further expanded the cultural divide, marked by the unprecedented public response to the allegedly cold-blooded killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on the streets of New York City.

    All episodes of "LUIGI" will be available exclusively on Wondery+ starting on March 24, and can be listened to HERE. Get an exclusive listen HERE and watch the video trailer HERE.

    In a case that has captured headlines since December of last year, authorities claim 26-year-old Luigi Mangione took an Ivy League education and significant planning to make a fatal statement about the rising cost of healthcare in America by allegedly shooting Thompson on his way to an investors' meeting. Law&Crime invites listeners into a thorough journey through the five-day interstate manhunt for the alleged extremist, all while also provoking reflection on the rampant and polarizing network of TikTok-driven supporters who rose up around him in the aftermath.

    Over the course of 4 initial episodes, "LUIGI" offers listeners legal insight into the still unfolding case that has already been dubbed the trial of the decade, while also exploring its position within a heated national conversation on corporate power and class divide. Through all-new court documents and key interviews with attorneys, analysts, investigators and others close to the case, "LUIGI" captures a culture at its tipping point and brings together the two divergent narratives that have exploded online: Mangione as a suspected calculated monster, versus a vocal internet discourse that has rallied in support of the #FreeLuigi movement.

    "LUIGI" is the first of six Law&Crime-produced podcasts to be released on Wondery+ in 2025. Last year "The Rise & Fall of Ruby Franke" hit the #1 spot in true crime on Apple Podcasts and has amassed nearly 5 million downloads to date.

    ABOUT LAW&CRIME NETWORK

    Law&Crime is the leading platform for legal and true crime content, offering a wide range of programming including live trials, legal commentary and analysis, law enforcement-related footage, and documentary-style crime stories. Its revered network of lawyers, former prosecutors, and law enforcement officials provides unprecedented access to key sources as well as unique insight into the nation's highest-profile and newsworthy cases. Created by award-winning ABC News Chief Legal Correspondent, Dan Abrams, the network reaches a massive, multi-platform audience across digital, cable, and social, with its main YouTube channel alone boasting well over 6.5 million subscribers and 4.7 billion video views. Law&Crime prides itself on upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity, offering fact-based reporting.

    Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

    The post Law&Crime announces Luigi Mangione true crime podcast ripped from the headlines, launching exclusively on Wondery+ first appeared on Law & Crime.


    'They're monsters': Father of Oklahoma sleepover massacre victim wants yard signs, posters identifying convicted sex offenders May 11, 2023
    Show notes

    

    The father of one of the teenagers allegedly murdered by a convicted sex offender at a sleepover in Oklahoma is advocating for stronger laws in hopes of protecting families from a similar fate.

    Ivy Webster, 14, was sleeping over at her friend Tiffany Guess' home in Henryetta earlier this month when Tiffany's stepfather, convicted sex offender Jesse McFadden, shot the two girls and Tiffany's mother, Holly, in the head, the Oklahoman reported. Police say that McFadden also killed Tiffany's siblings, 15-year old Michael Mayo and 17-year-old Riley Allen, as well as her friend Brittany Brewer, 15, before taking his own life. Tiffany was 13 years old.

    McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and was released from prison in 2020 — serving less than 17 years of his 20-year sentence, according to Fox 23 News. He was allegedly due to appear in court the day after the murders on charges stemming from allegations that while in prison in 2016, he used a contraband cellphone to exchange explicit photos with an underage girl.

    Ivy's father, Justin Webster, told Law&Crime's Sidebar podcast that he has already jumped into action, proposing The Knights Law in Oklahoma to ensure sex offenders serve their full sentence.

    "They're monsters and need to be locked up for life or put to death," Webster said. "If sexual offenders have the ability to destroy a child's life with their acts that they do, whether they murder the child or not, that child will have PTSD. They will have to go through counseling their entire life. If they can destroy a child's life, they should lose all their rights."

    The Websters said most interactions with McFadden occurred while dropping off Ivy at his house or welcoming Tiffany at theirs, and when the families went kayaking and fishing together at Jim Hall Lake.

    "My wife and I, we felt he was kind of socially awkward, kind of weird," Webster recalled. "But we didn't know the personal side to him, and just knowing who he was based off our interactions, there was never any signs of maliciousness. He was a monster in disguise and really good at what he did."

    Webster said he did not know about McFadden's criminal history. In fact, he said he was concerned to learn that McFadden's name only appears on the federal sex offender registry, not the local Oklahoma list.

    While Webster urges parents to "look at every avenue, every resource given to continue to try to see if your children are going to a safe place," he has grander ideas of spotlighting local perpetrators.

    "We need signs in their front yards saying that they're sexual predators," Webster said. "We need signs at our schools with every sexual predator within a certain limit, and that will help parents recognize their sexual offenders within their local area. Our Walmarts, public libraries."

    He also emphasized the need for pictures of the offenders to be publicized as well.

    "Who cares about shaming them?" Webster asked. "If they want to live in a town where they're not wanted, then good, get out and leave. And that's my message to them."

    Webster said that he and his family were "baffled" walking through the property where their daughter was killed. On their third visit, they found sex toys, bondage gear, padlocks, and chains lying about — much of which was Webster said was purchased the day before the murders.

    "But as far as our kids going over there and staying the night there, they never said anything to us," Webster said. "So I don't know where he hid most everything he had in that house or how he did it."

    In that last visit, the families learned it will take six months to a year to comb through all the evidence.

    "I feel like some weight has been lifted off because I was fighting so dang hard to try to get that proper investigation into that property," he explained. "It did feel relieving a little bit to know that we were getting the justice, or at least the investigation to get the justice that all of us victims and victims' families need and have to understand."

    Above all, Webster said he speaks out for Ivy, to keep her story alive.

    "Ivy was the most amazing girl, and she did not deserve this. She was loved by everybody," her father said, tearing up. "She is truly missed, not by just our family, but an entire community."

    He mentioned the thoughtful notes written by her classmates that now fill her locker. He reminisced about how much Ivy and Tiffany loved playing softball.

    "And that's the other thing about this story, is we didn't just lose Ivy," Webster said. "It was just a weekend before that we were telling Tiffany that we're going to give her a key to our house because of how much she was here and how those two girls were connected at the hip. They did everything together."

    He said that Tiffany's siblings were also regular visitors to his home.

    "And Michael and Riley, they were always at our house," Webster said. "And we loved that whole family dearly. And all of them need to be recognized for how good of kids they were and how magical they were. And they didn't deserve this. They should still be here. And that's the frustrating part, is if our law enforcement agencies didn't fail us and our [Department of Corrections], our system here in Oklahoma didn't fail us, they would be here today."

    The post 'They're monsters': Father of Oklahoma sleepover massacre victim wants yard signs, posters identifying convicted sex offenders first appeared on Law & Crime.


    Law&Crime Network Drops New 10-Part Podcast Series Chasing Ghosts: The Hunt for the D.C. Snipers Apr 03, 2023
    Show notes

    The Law&Crime Network just released a brand new podcast, Chasing Ghosts: The Hunt for the D.C. Snipers, about the manhunt for a serial killer who targeted people living across the Washington D.C. region.

    Thirteen people were randomly shot — in just three weeks — back in October 2002. As each new victim was gunned down, the FBI and local detectives struggled to track down a killer — until a single tip helped them piece together the murder mysteries.

    (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

    Journalist Tony Holt hosts the 10-part series, which takes a magnifying look at one of the most devastating killing sprees in U.S. history.

    Holt, a writer for one of Law&Crime's other podcasts, Court Junkie, was drawn to cover this case because he reported on the trial for one of the defendants in 2003.

    "At the time, it felt like I was in the middle of the biggest news story on American soil," he explained. "As the years went by, I started thinking about revisiting the case and telling the story through a historical lens."

    (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

    Holt was a newspaper reporter for 20 years, and wrote for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Washington Examiner, and was the founder and host of Sun Crime State. A Virginia native and long-time Floridian, he now lives in Arkansas with his love, Brandie.

    You can start binging all 10 episodes of Chasing Ghosts: The Hunt for the D.C. Snipers now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

    More Law&Crime Network Podcasts

    Law&Crime Sidebar

    Law&Crime Sidebar is the must-listen podcast for true-crime and unbiased analysis. It dives deep into the biggest stories in twenty minutes or less. Join Law&Crime's Jesse Weber and Angenette Levy each morning for the latest news on the legal stories everyone is talking about.

    Devil in the Dorm

    Devil in the Dorm tells the horrifying story of a middle-aged man who moved into his daughter's college dorm and created what has all the hallmarks of a cult. Over the decade that followed, he extorted millions of dollars from vulnerable young adults through violence, psychological torture, and forced sex work. Actress and Director Elisabeth Rohm narrates Law&Crime's 6-part investigative series.

    Court Junkie

    Court Junkie shines light on the injustices of our judicial system. It delves into court documents, trials, and Jalali interviews those close to the cases to help tell their stories.

    The post Law&Crime Network Drops New 10-Part Podcast Series Chasing Ghosts: The Hunt for the D.C. Snipers first appeared on Law & Crime.


    'Unlike Any Other Type of Homicide': How Lindsay Clancy Mirrors Andrea Yates Case Feb 17, 2023
    Show notes

    

    About two decades ago, Andrea Yates made headlines when she was accused and later convicted of drowning her five children in a bathtub in Texas. Her attorney at the time recently thought back to the high-profile case, following news that Massachusetts nurse Lindsday Clancy was charged with murdering her three children.

    George Parnham, who represented Yates in 2001, calls the two cases "strikingly similar."

    "When I read about [Clancy's] case, I immediately thought of Andrea's case," he said on Law&Crime's Sidebar podcast. He recalled how Yates waited until her husband went to work to go through with her plan to kill her children, just as Clancy sent her own husband out before strangling her children — Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months — with exercise cords.

    "The similarity is such that they both knew that the husband would stop them from doing what they were doing with the lives of the children," Parnham said. "The husbands realized that … how idiotic it is that they would take the lives of those that they gave life to."

    "And this is unlike any other type of homicide," he continued. "This strikes at the very core of our own notions of who we are."

    Both husbands, Rusty Yates and Patrick Clancy, appeared blindsided, never imagining such a tragedy was possible in their families. In a statement, Patrick Clancy even asked for his wife to be met with forgiveness.

    "The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone — me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients," Patrick Clancy wrote on a GoFundMe page. "The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace."

    Clancy, who pleaded not guilty, is paralyzed after jumping out a window following the deaths of her children. Prosecutors say this was a premeditated attack, part of a murder-suicide plot. The defense has made statements about postpartum depression, although Clancy has never been diagnosed.

    Parnham said being diagnosed with postpartum depression is "basically insignificant," yet the issue is "crucial."

    "This is a situation where no one can basically understand why a mother would take the life of a child," Parnham explained. "And I would suggest to the attorneys that the first thing … is to contact an expert, get up to speed. The lawyers need to be educated by experts to be able to ask the right questions of the expert and make certain that the expert is so geared to talk in simplistic terms, to explain these things to not only the lawyer, but the eventual jury, because the jurors will look upon that individual as the individual that can guide them through this horrific situation."

    "It's vitally important to understand postpartum, to get a grip on it," Parnham continued. "And ironically, mothers will understand the whole issue of postpartum because giving birth is not only a physical act, but it has an enormous mental impact on the mother. And as a consequence, and for instance Andrea's case, in the case of this young woman, it's something that we have to deal with."

    Parham said he was determined not to put Yates, who was in a psychotic state, on the stand. She believed that if her children grew up in a world of evil, their chances of going to heaven were rare. "They would all be sent to hell if they were allowed to exist," he recalled.

    Yates was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but that conviction was overturned. In a new trial, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity — she was reported to have postpartum depression, psychosis, schizophrenia. Now Yates is spending her days in a Texas mental health hospital.

    When it comes to the discussion of premeditation, Parnham said these crimes don't just happen, they're not "spur of the moment."

    "These are situations that develop over a period of time," he said. He thinks back to Yates, who was reported to have difficulties in high school and went through bouts of time not speaking to anyone, "absolutely silent."

    "And Lord knows what was going on in her mind at that particular period of time," he continued.

    But he said what he finds interesting about Clancy's case is that she jumped out the window.

    "For lawyers to take a look at that particular situation, it is not too far-fetched to believe that that mother wanted to be with her children in death," Parnham suggested. "And this is the reason why and plausible reason why she did what she did after the deaths of her children. [District attorneys] will try to find motives that they can rely upon to offset the mentally illness that will be presented by experts, defense experts, and convincing a jury to do the right thing."

    The post 'Unlike Any Other Type of Homicide': How Lindsay Clancy Mirrors Andrea Yates Case first appeared on Law & Crime.


    'An Act of Pure Evil:' Legendary Homicide Detective Reacts to Aiden Fucci Guilty Plea Feb 07, 2023
    Show notes

    

    Former homicide detective Fil Waters doesn't use the term "psychopath" loosely. But that's exactly how he would describe 16-year-old Aiden Fucci, who recently pleaded guilty to stabbing his 13-year-old classmate 114 times.

    "In this case, this is an act of pure evil," Waters said in an extended interview with Law&Crime's Sidebar podcast. "This individual decided that he was wanting to fulfill some need that he had to go out and kill someone."

    On Monday, Fucci confessed to killing cheerleader Tristyn Bailey in early 2021. This didn't surprise Waters, who said there was a "treasure trove of evidence."

    "The 12 sheets of evidence that they accumulated in this case, recovered, was amazing," the veteran detective said. "It was irrefutable. And they even recovered the weapon."

    The list continued: "They've got trace evidence, they've got digital evidence, they've got videos, they've got res gestae statements," Waters pointed out. "I don't know that I have seen a case, at least in recent history, that has this many affirmative links that kind of closed the loop. And you've got the full picture of what happened here in this particular murder."

    After being taken into custody, Fucci allegedly told officers that he and Bailey were arguing when he pushed her to the ground and she hit her head. When he started to cry and punched the back of the seat, the officer asked him if he was okay. Fucci responded: "I'm going to get arrested for this bull****." Waters said these res gestae statements, the legal term for the narrative Fucci shared with officers, are "critical."

    As were the scratches and cuts reported on Fucci's body, which point to defensive wounds, to Bailey trying to defend herself before succumbing to her injuries.

    "It looks like he may have a cut to his hand and that may have been in the midst of the stabbing," Waters noted. "I'm telling you, almost every stabbing case that I have worked where there was this volume of stab wounds, the suspect has inadvertently cut themselves because once they start getting into it, especially when you've got … 114 stab wounds, he's not really looking at where he's going with this."

    Waters distinguishes Fucci as a psychopath because the teenager had "talked about wanting to do something like this, killing somebody, seeing how it felt," according to statements from some of his classmates.

    Waters' definition of a sociopath is a person who "commits a crime of murder and feels justified in what they did." A psychopath, he said, will commit a sociopathic act and enjoy what they're doing.

    "When you talk about 114 times that he stabs this girl, this young lady — clearly for me he defines himself as a psychopath," Waters continued. "He was enjoying what he was doing."

    It's possible there was also a sexual component, Waters suggested.

    "I noticed in that in the litany of the listing of all the evidence, they took a sexual assault kit test," he said. "I don't know that he actually committed the act, but I think that there was a sexual component to this murder and may have fulfilled some sort of excitement in that area for him."

    Now that Fucci has pleaded guilty, the case is expected to go into sentencing.

    "I know there's a mandatory 40 years," Waters said, "but I can't imagine the judge giving just the mandatory minimum on this case."

    The post 'An Act of Pure Evil:' Legendary Homicide Detective Reacts to Aiden Fucci Guilty Plea first appeared on Law & Crime.


    'Chills Artistic Expression': Constitutional Law Expert Raises Concern Over Use of Rap Lyrics in Young Thug Trial Feb 02, 2023
    Show notes

    A constitutional law expert believes attorneys should be "very wary" before presenting lyrics as evidence of crime, especially in the case of rapper Young Thug and his link to the alleged gang "Young Slime Life," better known as YSL.

    Kermit Roosevelt, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the presentation of rap lyrics in court could mislead a jury.

    "I think the greater problem is the standard evidentiary issue of, is this going to help us get to the truth or is it going to mislead the jury?" Roosevelt suggested in an extended interview on Law&Crime's Sidebar podcast. "Because there are lots and lots of people who rap about crimes and it's a persona and it's the life that they're describing, but it doesn't mean they did it. So I think most of the time this is going to be inaccurate and inflammatory."

    This leads to a First Amendment issue, he continued.

    "If things that you say in music, in art, in dramatic presentation of a different persona, if that can be used against you, that is going to chill your artistic expression," Roosevelt explained. But "it's just a persona. And then you've got some unrelated crime and the government wants to bring this in basically to show that he's a bad person and a criminal, that shouldn't be allowed."

    LISTEN: You Can Find Law&Crime's Sidebar on Apple Podcasts

    That also raises concerns about the 14th Amendment, whether presenting rap lyrics is inherently racist and discriminatory.

    "I think there is an element of that. If you're taking an art form that's predominantly associated with Black culture and you're showing that to a white jury, and the white jury doesn't understand that people describe crimes and say that they've committed crimes, but of course, they don't mean that literally," Roosevelt said, "I think you do have the real danger of misleading the jury."

    Rap is a different form of artistic expression than, say, country music, where it's more common to write about or claim responsibility for crimes. Roosevelt brings up Taylor Swift's "No Body, No Crime" as an example.

    "She describes killing her friend's abusive husband. She'd never get convicted of that because, you know, she's not referencing a particular crime," he said. "And also, no one's going to think that Taylor Swift is a killer just because she wrote this imaginative song about it. But I think there is a greater danger of that with young black men."

    More Law&Crime Coverage: Former 'Real Housewives' Celebrity Lawyer Tom Girardi Accused of Stealing Millions from Plane Crash Victims

    In the end, the government has to look at lyrics on a case-by-case basis, Roosevelt said.

    "You have to ask, is there a connection between this particular lyric and this particular crime so that it's not being used just to make the jury think this is a bad, violent person who boasts about engaging in criminal activity, but [rather] this person knows something about the crime that only the perpetrator would know," he suggested. "Or maybe this lyric explains the meaning of this acronym. I think that actually could be useful. But in general, I would be very wary."

    He also said he doesn't think lyrics should be used as the only or strongest piece of evidence.

    More Law&Crime Coverage: Florida Man Bit Head Off Girlfriend's Pet Python During Heated Domestic Dispute: Police

    "I'd be astonished if someone could be convicted just on rap lyrics," he admitted. "There have been cases where someone sends a threatening communication to an ex-wife or something. And then I think they try to defend on the grounds that, 'oh, I was just writing a rap,' and there, where the communication itself is the crime, I'm much less sympathetic to protection. But it's very, very common in rap music to assume the criminal persona and talk about killing people and dealing drugs and so on. And without a pretty strong specific connection to a specific crime, I think that should be kept out."

    The post 'Chills Artistic Expression': Constitutional Law Expert Raises Concern Over Use of Rap Lyrics in Young Thug Trial first appeared on Law & Crime.


    Law&Crime Releases New Podcast Series: 'Devil in the Dorm' Exclusively on Wondery+ Jan 30, 2023
    Show notes

    LISTEN: 'Devil in the Dorm' only on Wondery+

    Host and Actress Elisabeth Rohm Takes Listeners Inside the Case of Convicted Sex Offender Larry Ray

    NEW YORK, NY – Law&Crime, the leading live trial and true-crime network, announces the launch of its narrative podcast series, "Devil in the Dorm," hosted by actress Elisabeth Rohm. The twisted new series will be exclusively available ad-free on Wondery+ starting on January 30.

    The six-part podcast series will dive into the case of Lawrence "Larry" Ray, a man who moved into a dormitory at Sarah Lawrence College in 2010 while his daughter attended the school. Ray, a now convicted racketeer and sex trafficker, preyed on students and is often described as the leader of a "sex cult" at the college.

    Rohm brings her firsthand perspective to the project as a graduate and former board member of Sarah Lawrence College. Rohm, who also serves as an executive producer on the series, will take listeners through Ray's intrigue-filled backstory, his first exposure to the students through his daughter, his decade-long campaign of exploitation, and his conviction by a federal jury on crimes that put him away for decades. Mining the case's expansive court record, Rohm will navigate the often-startling, harrowing, and complicated facts of the case — and she will provide personal reflections on the case as an alum.

    Larry Ray at the Pierre Hotel with cash

    Larry Ray sports a robe from the Pierre Hotel on the left. Prosecutors found this photograph of cash among the image files seized in his case.

    LISTEN: 'Devil in the Dorm' only on Wondery+

    "I feel a sense of responsibility to tell this story not only in our podcast but in our upcoming feature film in development at Lifetime. It's a story I feel deeply connected to having been an alum of Sarah Lawrence and the mom of a teenager," said Rohm. "I hope it is a reminder for all of us to never turn a blind eye on our children, and that this podcast and forthcoming movie begin a conversation so that this type of victimization never happens again."

    "The case serves as a terrifying wake up call to any parent who has a child in college, or is heading off to university," said Rachel Stockman, president of Law&Crime. "We are thrilled to work with Wondery+ and Elisabeth who bring a deep compassion for these young victims, and a unique perspective to our storytelling."

    Larry Ray throws and pins Felicia Rosario

    Larry Ray can be seen throwing and pinning his alleged victim Felicia Rosario to the ground in a disturbing video released during his trial.

    Stockman, Stephen Tolkin and Sam Goldberg also serve as executive producers on the podcast, which was produced and edited by Brad Maybe, written by Law&Crime's Adam Klasfeld, Eileen Macfarlane and Emily G. Thompson of The Shattered Window and Morbidology.

    LISTEN: 'Devil in the Dorm' only on Wondery+

    About Law&Crime

    Dan Abrams, CEO and Founder of Abrams Media

    From the high-profile cases to the most compelling local trials, Law&Crime is the 24/7 linear and OTT network offering daily live trial coverage and expert legal commentary and analysis. Created by TV's top legal commentator and attorney, Dan Abrams, Law&Crime is dedicated to exploring the always intriguing world of the law while also offering original crime stories and legal programs to a broad, multi-platform audience.

    About Elisabeth Rohm

    Elisabeth Rohm

    Elisabeth Rohm is an American-German actress and director. Rohm's third feature, Girl in Room 13, starring Anne Heche, premiered on Lifetime in 2022. She also directed Switched Before Birth starring Justina Machado and Girl in the Basement with Judd Nelson for Lifetime. Rohm is also an Emmy Award-nominated actress for her starring role on Law & Order. She's also known for her work on Heroes and Jane the Virgin, among many others. Rohm won a SAG Award for Best Ensemble for David O. Russell's American Hustle and later reunited with him on Joy. Rohm is repped by Buchwald and Luber Roklin.

    LISTEN: 'Devil in the Dorm' only on Wondery+

    The post Law&Crime Releases New Podcast Series: 'Devil in the Dorm' Exclusively on Wondery+ first appeared on Law & Crime.


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