In Her Defence: 50th Street

The first two episodes of In Her Defence will be released on October 10th. Follow now so you don’t miss a new episode.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca.Support journalism like this by subscribing to The Globe and Mail. Our listeners get a special discount on new subscriptions at www.globeandmail.com/podcastdeal. 

Wes Naslund gets a phone call from his brothers at the farm. Friends and family describe the domestic abuse they suspect was going on in the Naslund house. A fight at the bar leaves Miles seriously injured, and things at the farm reach a breaking point.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing domestic violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal.Our theme song is The Fighter, by Jenn Grant.

Helen Naslund speaks from prison for the first time. Helen describes how she met and married Miles, and the only time she tried to leave. Early one morning in September 2011, two gunshots crack through the house.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing domestic violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal.Our theme song is The Fighter, by Jenn Grant.

Wes Naslund talks about growing up with his father. Miles Naslund is reported missing, but no one seems to care he’s gone. Helen and her family live with a haunting secret. One day in 2017, almost exactly six years after Miles was reported missing, two men show up at Helen’s work.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceEmail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdealTheme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.

Helen is interrogated by police officers who say they understand the abuse she’d been living with, and know that something had to happen for her to get free. Someone she loves has betrayed her. Her life – and the lives of her sons – are all on the line.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

The 1987 case of Angelique Lavallee provides a roadmap for the “battered woman defence.” Canada’s first female Supreme Court justice, Bertha Wilson, attempts to expose systemic sexism in the justice system. Helen is charged with first-degree murder, and has to decide whether to accept a plea deal or go to trial.Elizabeth Sheehy’s book is Defending Battered Women on Trial: Lessons from the Transcripts.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

Helen is sent to prison for the death of her husband. Around the country, people object to her sentence and the way she’s treated in court. In the isolation of prison, Helen wonders whether she’s done something wrong by accepting the deal, and has to consider what to do next.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceEmail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

Appealing a plea deal is a long-shot, but defence lawyer Mona Duckett wants to take it on. The Crown says justice has been served. The Court of Appeal considers Helen’s future.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

Did Helen really kill Miles? A burning question remains. As Helen works toward release from prison, we think about what made Miles who he was, and consider the legacy of his violence.Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefenceE-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.comIf you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.caNew subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

In this special bonus episode, our host Jana Pruden sits down with Crime Story’s Kathleen Goldhar to discuss the question, “How should we deal with women who kill their abusers?” You can listen to more incredible tales of true crime every week on Crime Story. Find them in your podcast app, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/DreYfAFBPlus, details of In Her Defence season 2 are coming soon!

Do you recognize this man’s voice?Coming this fall, In Her Defence: 50th Street investigates the unsolved murder of Amber Tuccaro, who disappeared from the Edmonton area in 2010. Amber left an important clue: A haunting recording of what appear to be the final moments of her life – and the voice of the man who may be her killer.Do you have information about Amber’s murder? Contact reporter Jana Pruden at jpruden@globeandmail.com or by phone/ text at 780-265-5262The portrait of Amber is by Lauren Crazybull. The show’s theme song is “No Surrender” by Ms.PAN!KResources for people affectedSupport for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society www.irsss.ca.The Indian Residential School Survivors Society also offers 24-hour support through the Lamathut crisis line toll-free at 1-800-721-0066.The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.First Nations, Inuit and Métis seeking immediate emotional support can also contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.Learn moreNational Centre for Truth and ReconciliationTruth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to ActionReclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls