Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien

In 1964, Mary Pinchot Meyer was shot in broad daylight in Georgetown, Washington, DC. Just 45 minutes after Mary’s death, her killer had been arrested. Or, so the police claimed. Only one woman dared to defend him: civil rights lawyer Dovey Johnson Roundtree. Join journalist Soledad O’Brien as she unravels the whole story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a baffling mystery in 1964. Mary Pinchot Meyer - a socialite and painter connected to politicians and artists alike - was shot in broad daylight on a Georgetown towpath. Nobody knew what to make of it. A Black man soon became the suspect. But was he her killer or a scapegoat?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dovey Johnson Roundtree became a lawyer at a time when no one wanted Black women to amount to anything. She’d grown up with the KKK terrorizing her neighborhood. A lucky break landed her at Spelman. Her intellect got her into Howard Law. But it was her courage that made her take on the daunting case of Ray Crump Jr. — the Black man accused of killing Mary Pinchot Meyer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Pinchot came from a rich, eccentric family. The kind of folks who rode horses naked on their estate and hobnobbed with Kennedys. She was fiercely committed to world peace, but ended up marrying a CIA man named Cord Meyer. It was only after a tragic accident that she became known for her distinctive paintings. What started as a hobby became a lifeline in the years before her death.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a whole year, Dovey retraced Mary’s last steps on the towpath in order to build her defense. Meanwhile, the aggressive, gum-smacking prosecutor portrayed Ray as a ruthless killer without morals. Dovey had to convince the jury that Ray was innocent—otherwise he would face the death penalty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the year before her death, Mary was coming into her own as a painter. She was experimenting with her art and drugs. But what Dovey didn't know at the time of Ray's trial was that Mary was having an affair with a very powerful man: President John F. Kennedy. We've got the love letter to prove it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A witness for the prosecution said he saw Ray after Mary's murder. But did he? Dovey's final defense hinges on one important piece of evidence: Ray Crump himself. By then, he'd spent 18 months behind bars, some of it in solitary confinement. Would he go free? And if he did, would he ever recover?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lost diary and a mysterious phone call cause conspiracy theorists to wonder if Mary knew too much. If so, did the CIA take her out? The theories might seem far-fetched. But unsolved murders beg for explanation - it's embedded in our psychology to want answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A murder in Georgetown brought together many people. Some were famous. Others deserved to be. Now, Mary's paintings hang in the Smithsonian. Dovey was a civil rights pioneer who became a minister too. Their paths never crossed in the District, but now, their legacies are forever intertwined. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi, Murder on the Towpath listeners! We wanted to share an episode from a show we think you'll enjoy: SNAFU with Ed Helms.  SNAFU with Ed Helms, America’s favorite podcast about history’s greatest screwups, is currently back for its 4th season with even more SNAFUs -  one per episode, to be precise. And this time around, Ed ropes in a cavalcade of smart, hilarious guests to help unpack what these blunders, fiascos and faceplants say about who we are (spoiler: we’re basically just toddlers with nukes).  Think of it as part history lesson, part hangout pod, and part group therapy for humanity. About this episode: Sophia Bush is a history nerd. Ed and Sophia geek out with an oddly prescient historic whodunnit when they uncover the Heist of the Mona Lisa in 1911. Spoiler Alert: The Louvre never learns. Subscribe to SNAFU with Ed Helms on your favorite podcast app or through the iHeart website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Murder on the Towpath listeners! We wanted to share an episode from a show that we think you'll enjoy: Here We Go Again with Kal Penn.  Each week, Kal Penn takes today’s trends and headlines and asks: Why does history keep repeating itself? From the new space race and plane delays to fad drugs and movie remakes, our guest's answers will make you feel better about everything. In this first episode, Kal sits down with legendary science educator and TV presenter Bill Nye the Science Guy. From the Cold War to today, space has always been about flexing power. So, why do we keep turning space into a race? What does that say about the future of space exploration -- and about humanity? Subscribe on your favorite podcast app or through the iHeart website. About this episode: Kennedys, Clintons, Bushes, Trumps. For better of worse, their names are synonmous with American politics. We're rapidly approaching the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. But if we openly revolted against the monarchy that long ago, then why does America continue to prop up dynasty families? Or are there signs the dynasty is finally on its way out? Presidential historian Alexis Coe guides us through America's history of powerful political families and what it all means.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.