The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case

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  

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.   Follow New America on all platforms and use #TheAlleyPod to share your thoughts.

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.   Follow New America on all platforms and use #TheAlleyPod to share your thoughts.

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. Follow New America on all platforms and use #TheAlleyPod to share your thoughts.

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.  

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. 

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.

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. 

Six of the surviving accused men adjust to life outside of prison walls. In a final act, they consider a last-ditch effort to clear their names and bring justice to light: a presidential pardon.  -- If you want to support a presidential pardon for the men from the 8th and H case, there are 3 things you can do. First, start conversations about the 8th and H case. Discuss it with your friends and family. Write to your member of Congress to make sure they know about it. Post about it on social media and tag the White House. Use the hashtag #TheAlleyPod to join in the conversation with others. Second, if you’d like to write a letter of support to be included in the pardon application, you can email it to the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project at 8thandH@exonerate.org. And third, share this podcast with as many people as you can.  If you have questions about any of this, you can email me directly at LynchS@newamerica.org.

In the summer of 2024, the men from the 8th and H Case submitted applications for a Presidential pardon. Lawyers Shawn Armbrust (Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project) and Eden Schiffmann (Williams & Connolly) share what went into this arduous process. Chris Turner discusses the immense impact a Presidential pardon would have on his life. ---- There are two critical actions you can take to support the pardon effort. First, you can go to 8thandHjustice.com  to add your name to the list of supporters. It takes no more than two minutes. There are two separate links: one for former or current DC residents and one for non-DC residents. You can find this on the "get involved" page. Second, share your thoughts about the case on any social media platform using the hashtag #8thandHJustice. In recent years, we've seen the power of social media in influencing Presidential pardon decisions. Your posts can increase public pressure, making it more likely that the 8th and H case will catch the president's attention.