Crime Writers On...

The Crime Writers review the second season of Rebecca's favorite true crime podcast from last year, Accused by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Will the story of the unsolved murder of Retha Welch stand up to the success of season one? (Spoiler alert: one of us has issues!)In a pair of true crime podcast updates, we talk about the surprising plea deal made by S-Town subject Tyler Goodson, as well as the maybe-surprising plea in Bowe Bergdahl's case.Our crime of the week will make you high...especially if donuts are your drug of choice. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rebecca met Sarah Koenig!! She fills us in on that awkward encounter.What's the latest with Serial season two subject Bowe Bergdahl? Seems he's made some kind of deal with the government. We invite back retired USMC Lt Col James Weirick of the Military Justice podcast to explain why he thinks some of the early media reports are wrong and what a plea for a lighter sentence might look like.Then the panel digs into the new hit podcast from the LA Times, Dirty John.TO SKIP PAST THE SPOILERS AND JUST HEAR OUR REVIEW, GO TO TIME CODE: 1:03:25This six-part true crime profile looks at grifter John Meehan and the trouble he wreaked on Debra Newell and her family. Judging by your Twitter and Facebook questions, you seemed just as amazed by Debra's willingness to forgive the gold digger as you are in Dirty John's evil designs.In Crime of the Week, how many Facebook likes would you need before your turned yourself into the police? For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewrit

The Crime Writers review the totally not Law & Order take on a famous case: Law & Order: The Menendez murders. Plus, a big setback for Stephen Avery has the panel revisiting our opinions on the Making a Murderer protagonist's guilt. Also in question...the guilt of Scott Peterson. Yeah, we know.In the Crime of the Week, things go wrong when a school administrator tries to pull a silly prank For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did Brendan Dassey's dubious confession on "Making a Murderer" make your skin crawl? The Chief Circuit Judge in his ongoing appeal said it did. But the other two federal judges may be leaning the other way.In podcast news: "Accused" will roll out a new season next month. Also, the teams behind HowStuffWorks and Up & Vanished are getting together to re-investigate a series of child murders in Atlanta that were solved in 1981.This week's podcast focuses on two very different series from Netflix. "The Confession Tapes" shows a series of cases in which the police used questionable techniques to get suspects to confess. Were they falsely given? Were they merely aggressive or provocative ways to get a killer to admit to their crimes?Next, the unexpectedly savvy satire of everything we love about true crime. "American Vandal" may start as a lowbrow take-off on "Serial" or "Making a Murder," but the comedy is surprisingly meta, embracing all tropes of the podcasts and documentaries which have become ubiquitous. I

The Crime Writers change the way we do business because someone told us to. We dive into a bunch of updates on cases surrounding the S-Town podcast and the super-creepy stabbing at the center of the HBO documentary "Beware the Slenderman," plus Kevin holds Rebecca hostage and forces her to watch the rest of that ridiculous Unabomber show.Speaking of being held hostage, will the team force Kevin to listen to even more Someone Knows Something? (Yeah, we hope get to do that!)We then dig in to The Deuce, the latest in prestige TV from HBO and David Simon, the creator of the show that white people LOVE to talk about loving: The Wire.In our crime of the week, a jogger takes a big ol' poop on someone's lawn. No, that really is a thing.   For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weekly episodes have returned (no more goldbricking for Bricker - no more laying about for Lavoie)! The Crime Writers revisit some of the content they've recently discussed and give final verdicts on Homecoming, The Murder of Laci Peterson, and updates in the Slenderman case. Toby offers a preview of next week's topic: HBO's The Deuce. And the blowback about the Payne Lyndsey - Up and Vanished controversy is deafening...not.The panel dives into the new podcast from the Mercury News, "Hanging: The mysterious case of the boy in the barn."In Crime of the Week, how much Liquid Plumber can we get to London?  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Red-eyed and jet-lagged, Rebecca and Kevin are back from Podcast Movement in Anaheim with stories of their exploits with your (and their) favorite podcasters. They'll spill some tea over what caused some controversy a big name - "NOT a podcaster" Payne Lindsey from Up & Vanished - made an audacious, self-congratulatory presentation...and how some even bigger names in the room reacted.Plus, a true crime podcast update! A hungover R&K met up with old friend Lt Col James Weirick for an update on Bowe Bergdahl's court martial and the defense's move that could bode well for the disgraced former POW. (Audio of the full discussion can be found on our website - and beware, it's unedited and was literally recorded in a hotel hallway.)Back in the confines of Square Egg Studio, Lara & Toby chime in on A&E's new limited series, "The Murder of Laci Peterson." So far, the show seems to be playing the story down the middle, not sensationalizing its retrospective of the crime, and is of surprisingly high qual

We're ready for our close ups! Our listeners asked and answered the hypothetical question, "If there were a movie about the Crime Writers, who would be cast to play them?" The results are in from #crimewriterscasting. Let's say three out of the four of us are satisfied with the picks.We grapple with "Black Hands" (see the play on words there?) - a true crime podcast about New Zealand's Bain family murders. Rather than a re-investigation or reexamination of the case, the ten-part series is a deep, DEEP dive into David Bain's second trial with narrator Martin van Beynen's ultimate argument that the jury got it wrong.Then we stream our way through Netflix's new series, "Ozark." With its comparisons to "Breaking Bad," how does this normal-guy-caught-in-a-web-of-criminal-enterprise TV show stand on its own? Have we seen this before? Or is it a fresh take on the emerging genre?In the Crime of the Week: the suggestion box is stuffed with requests to do something about the dead people piling up in the break room.  Fo

The Crime Writers tackle a pair of hot media properties this week with a look at the Discovery Channel's latest foray into crime with Manhunt: The Unabomber. This leads to a heated debate about how FBI profilers are portrayed in crime drama...and Rebecca joins #TeamToby for the first time!Then, a review of the second season of Homecoming, the dramatized podcast with a stellar cast from Gimlet Media. Is the show in a second season slump? Will Rebecca ever stop calling David Schwimmer "Ross from Friends?" We'll answer those questions and a whole lot more.Finally, our Crime of the Week gives the panel a chance to relish Toby's response.  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So that happened...OJ Simpson got early release for his 2007 Las Vegas robbery conviction. After watching the "Parole Hearing of the Century," what do the Crime Writers think? Should the parole board have considered his past arrest in that infamous double murder case when making their decision?Since every other podcast is talking about Game of Thrones this week, we ask Toby to give his take on HBO's swords-and-sex mega-hit. Only problem is...he hasn't watched the first six seasons, so his WTF perspective is completely fresh.Let's travel below The Gnat Line with the new season of "Breakdown." Bill Rankin is back with a new tale of systemic breakdowns in the GA legal system. Episode one laid out the case of Devonia Inman. Are we intrigued enough to keep listening?Next we take a deep dive in the four-part podcast from the Australian Broadcast Company, "Trace." It's "Accused" meets "The Keepers." A woman was killed in her bookstore in 1980. The parish priests, one of whom molested her disabled son, were publicly

As David Lee Roth said, "I heard you missed us. We're back."A one-week break gives us plenty of time to listen to stuff. And catch up on the latest news from the world of true crime.We circle back for a listen to the sophomore installment of "Ear Hustle." Thank you again to Lt. Sam Robinson for approving this story.Lara reports on the whirling dervish that is the Brendan Dassey appeal. He wins. He loses. He loses again. The "Making a Murderer" supporting player isn't going anywhere soon. Will the state give him is court-ordered re-trial or just appeal to higher and higher courts? (Sound familiar, Adnan?)Next we look at Gimlet's new podcast, "Mogul." It tells the story of hip-hop executive Chris Lighty - the most important musical figure you've never heard of. The podcast is part biography/part hip-hop history lesson. Is Lighty's life story strong enough to carry this series and can the podcast appeal to listeners unfamiliar with his music?In Crime of the Week: A Florida man sits on a gun and then exactly what

Love mail galore as listeners weigh in on Ear Hustle, Toby's dog-like voice, and listening to our show during the most important moments of their lives (really!). Then, our take on the not-so surprising (but still upsetting) verdicts in the trials of Bill Cosby and Jeronimo Yanez, the cop that killed Philando Castille.In the back half, we look at a documentary that even Lara Bricker's fire chief husband enjoyed, Sour Grapes on Netflix. This tale of a high-end wine con man had us asking - do we give a crap when a smart guy bilks a Koch brother out of millions of dollars?And in our Crime of the Week, a Maine woman is more badass than we could ever hope to be.  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What should Toby's standard karaoke song be? THE WORLD IS WEIGHING IN.Rebecca heard something in this week's Undisclosed episode on Adnan Syed's cross appeal proceeding that she REALLY wants you to hear. The judges really seem to get it...we think?S-Town is making SO much news as the trial of Tyler Goodson will now incorporate his part in the podcast as evidence. Should Brian Reed have used tape that put Tyler in legal peril? The panel is split. (Note: This episode was recorded before news of Tyler's arrest for animal cruelty.)Ear Hustle is finally here, and - spoiler alert - it's AWESOME. But we review it anyway. In our crime of the week, Florida Man is back! And he REALLY loves Hooters.   For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The State of Maryland got its bite at the apple, asking a three judge panel to reinstate Adnan Syed's conviction. The hour-long hearing dove more into Asia McClain and not-so-much into fax cover sheets. What's next for the "Serial" season one subject?We also talk about the latest epic filing in the Steven Avery case. Will "brain fingerprinting" save the day for the man at the middle of Making a Murderer? And what's up with Brendan Dassey's case?Did we forget to mention the CRAZIEST thing that came out of "The Keepers"? Like a particular body part wrapped in newspaper and thrown on the table during the interrogation of a priest? We're backing the train up so we can unwrap (sorry) that one.The Crime Writers spend more than 74 seconds discussing the podcast "74 Seconds" from Minnesota Public Radio. This look at the fatal shooting of a motorist by a cop (live-streamed on Facebook) tackles the familiar themes of race, violence, and law enforcement training. With some episodes exploring the back story of the player

We start with a pat on the back for Kevin, as our spin-off podcast "...These Are Their Stories" has been nominated for Best TV/Film Podcast by the Academy of Podcasting. No one know how or why the show was picked, but they needed 10 to fill out the category, so...Thanks to the many listeners who helped fill in some of the narrative holes left by "Mommy Dead and Dearest." Among the questions answered from last week include facts about feeding tubes, Dede's medical knowledge, and reasons why she was able to fool physicians into thinking Gypsy was chronically ill.Rebecca comments on the media coverage of the DUI arrest of Tiger Woods. Is it the typical case of a hero plummeting to Earth, or is race playing a role in the negative coverage?Then...the show you've been waiting for...Netflix's "The Keepers." The documentary seemed to have everything: murder, sex trafficking, cover-ups. Despite the great source material, did the filmmakers really make the most of the story that was there? In Crime of the Week, two tea

The crime writers take on the super weird and (sort of) satisfying HBO film Mommy Dead and Dearest. Plus, we explain why we talk about some podcasts and not others, Rebecca asks our listeners for a HUGE favor, and a listener schools the panel on how to pronounce a certain city in Maine.Then, in the crime of the week, we make a BIG decision about doody.  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First: More listener-driven shenanigansNext: The panel makes recommendations for podcasts you should be downloading. Further: Undisclosed just dropped a special pre-appeal episode about the Adnan Syed case. In it, Rabia poses the question of whether justice is served when the appellate judges know less about the case than the general public. The main event: The crime writers discuss Hulu's adaptation of "The Handmaid's Tale." Is the story about a nation of subjugated woman - forced either into servitude, exile, or procreation - a feminist manifesto? From costuming, cinematography, and color schemes, there's much to ponder.In crime of the week: is it wrong that a topless cleaning lady would be arrested for stealing underwear?   For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We open up the mail bag and let you weigh in on our discussions about "13 Reasons Why" and the former-profiler-turned-podcaster who's caused a bit of a dust-up among our fans.Richard Simmons may have lost touch with many people, but his lawyers aren't among them. The now-reclusive fitness guru is suing the National Enquirer for a story saying he's had a sex change operation. He also says he's being blackmailed by (say it ain't so!) former companion Mauro. If the stories are false, we think it should be easy to demonstrate so ("Your honor, we submit exhibit D.").Then we explore the most original entrant in the JonBenet Ramsey look-back-a-thon. Netflix's non-investigation "Casting JonBenet" features average Coloradoans who think they're auditioning for a movie on the case. In reality, the auditions are an excuse to get them to candidly share their thoughts and observations about the crime. And we get to see kids smash watermelons with flashlights for good measure.In the Crime of the Week, what did the drunk dri

We needed that week off. Seems like everyone's got a podcast side gig now. Toby's hosting Radio Free Dystopia, Kevin's making an appearance on Jed Bartlet is My President, and Rebecca is a new permanent panelist on Slate's Mom and Dad Are Fighting.Rebecca didn't get verified on Twitter and she's PISSED!In a true crime podcast update podcast update, we'll give our take on how the experts from Real Crime Profile used their profiling skills on John B. McLemore from S-town. For a character who's so beloved, the enumeration of his less-than-desirable traits has stirred lots of feelings.At the intersection of entertainment and suicide lies Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," the most controversial series of the year. Great acting, interesting plot, but is possible to tackle teen suicide in a way that doesn't make the problem worse? Despite earnest intentions to make the show a conversation-starter, there remain legit concerns that the series irreparably sends the wrong message. In essence, everything that makes 13 Reason g

Did Missing Richard Simmons flush out our favorite fitness guru? The Crime Writers give their take. Plus, Kevin reaches out to Legal Siri (AKA Colin Miller of Undisclosed) to get the latest scoop on the never-ending Adnan Syed appeal.Then, WTF was up with that three-part Investigation Discovery special Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery? Do *any* of the Crime Writers think this case is a mystery? And how does Toby feel about the first I.D. show he's ever been forced to watch? Much less having to talk about it TWICE?? (Listen to Toby on The Blotter Presents with Sarah D. Bunting.)  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.