Wrongful Conviction

On October 15, 2015, Quortney Tolliver was attacked with a hammer in her home in Ravenna Township, OH. She woke up from a medically induced coma weeks later with absolutely no recollection of the incident. Nevertheless, Portage County detectives pressed her to identify the person they “found out who did this” – 47 year old David Smith. Ms. Tolliver refused to identify Mr. Smith until she faced her own charges and had a dream with Mr. Smith in it, apparently indicating that he was the perpetrator. Based on Ms. Tolliver’s fraught identification alone, a jury convicted Mr. Smith of attempted murder and sentenced him to 22 years in prison. To learn more and get involved: https://www.kimlawcrimlaw.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kimlawcrimlaw/?hl=en https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/377-jason-flom-with-tyrone-noling-update/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/335-maggie-freleng-with-charles-jackson/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. ​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On May 21, 1988, about 5:00 a.m., the victim, after an argument with her boyfriend, left his parked car and walked alone toward her home in St. Louis, MO. Shortly thereafter, three males pulled their car alongside her, jumped out of the car, grabbed the victim by the hair, pulled her into an alley, pushed her to the ground, and tore her dress. Two of the men held her down, while the third man sodomized and raped her.  The victim identified the rapist as Fredrico Lowe-Bey.  Fredrico Lowe-Bey was charged and convicted for kidnapping, rape, and sodomy of the woman and received consecutive sentences of 35 years for each sex-offense count and 15 years for tampering. Years later DNA testing has "affirmatively excluded Lowe-Bey", though he remains behind bars today. To learn more and get involved: https://centurion.org/donatenow/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. ​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Flom sits down for an interview with Maggie Freleng, the Pulitzer prize-winning producer, journalist and host of Bone Valley Season 3 | Graves County. In this special episode, Maggie talks with Jason about her experiences reporting this show from a small town in Kentucky for over 2 years, and how truth and justice can get lost in the pursuit of retribution. Graves County is out now in the Bone Valley feed. New episodes are available every Wednesday. Subscribers to Lava For Good+ on Apple Podcasts can listen to the entire series today. To learn more and get involved, please visit:  http://apple.co/BoneValley https://governor.ky.gov/contact https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/541-guest-host-maggie-freleng-with-quincy-cross/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. ​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 9, 1997, shortly after midnight in Buffalo, NY, Officers Charles “Skip” McDougald and Michael Martinez were patrolling near Northampton and East Parade in Buffalo’s East Side when they observed what they described as a “suspicious person.” According to police accounts, when they approached, the individual produced a handgun and fired. Officer McDougald was struck in the chest and fatally wounded, and Officer Martinez was shot and seriously injured but survived. Nineteen-year-old Jonathan Parker was convicted for the shooting death of Officer McDougald and the attempted murder of Officer Martinez, and was sentenced to life without parole plus consecutive terms. The prosecution’s case rested heavily on eyewitness testimony and seized items, while Parker has consistently maintained his innocence.  To learn more and get involved, please visit:  https://www.instagram.com/metcalflawnyc/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/159-jason-flom-with-keyontay-ricks/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/s1e1-us-senator-dick-durbin-on-ending-mass-incarceration/ Or call:  Steven Metcalf: 631.521.1499 StevenAlan@metcalflawnyc.com Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. ​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maggie Freleng, along with Executive Producers Gilbert King and Jason Flom bring you the first episode of Maggie’s new documentary series, years in the making: Bone Valley Season 3 | GRAVES COUNTY.  In it Maggie takes us to a small town in Graves County, Kentucky, where a terrible discovery on the front lawn of a middle school invites a string of amateur and professional investigators to try to solve a murder. Maggie is the latest investigator to get pulled in. And she’ll take all of us along as she teases out this complicated web of rumors and lies, and perhaps even the truth. In this special preview of Chapter 1, we hear from Victoria Caldwell. Her account of the killing of Jessica Currin would become the driving force in the conviction of Quincy Cross and others for the murder of Jessica Currin.   You can hear Chapter 2 right now in the Bone Valley feed. New episodes of Bone Valley Season 3 | GRAVES COUNTY are available every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. To binge the entire season, ad-free, subscribe to Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts. Tomorrow we’ll bring you the next, new episode of Wrongful Conviction. Graves County is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the night of February 4, 2011, Avalisa Morris was shot and killed at a birthday party in the basement of a two-family home in Queens, NY. The fatal gunshots were fired from outside the party, through the closed door of the entrance to the basement. Even though no eyewitnesses placed Allen at the door with a weapon, he was tried under an acting-in-concert theory, and convicted of second‑degree manslaughter and related firearms charges. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. To learn more and get involved, please visit:  https://www.instagram.com/brukky_freewise/ https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2024/09/18/tim-pearson-investigation https://jacobin.com/2024/10/timothy-pearson-nyc-asylum-seekers https://www.netflix.com/title/80187052  Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Season 1 of Bone Valley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King tells a story of a man, Leo Schofield, fighting to prove his innocence in the case of his wife Michelle’s murder. In Season 2, “JEREMY” Gilbert King brings us a story about her actual killer, Jeremy Scott, fighting to prove his guilt. The State of Florida does not believe either man. Bone Valley Season 3 | GRAVES COUNTY is a new story about a new case. A story that shares many familiar themes with the first two seasons of Bone Valley - an unspeakable crime, a dubious investigation, half-truths that ensnare innocent people, and heartbroken families caught in the middle. GRAVES COUNTY is hosted by Maggie Freleng, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and one of the hosts of Lava For Good’s Wrongful Conviction and is executive produced by Gilbert King. Maggie is going to take us to a small town in Graves County, Kentucky, where a terrible discovery on the front lawn of a middle school invites a string of amateur and professional investigators to try to solve a murder. Maggie is the latest investigator to get pulled in. And she’ll take all of us along as she teases out this complicated web of rumors and lies, and perhaps even the truth. Bone Valley Season 3 | GRAVES COUNTY will be available every Wednesday beginning September 17 wherever you get your podcasts. To binge the entire season, ad-free, starting September 17, subscribe to Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18-year-old Jessica Currin’s burned and decomposing body was discovered on August 1, 2000 behind Mayfield Middle School in Mayfield, KY. Jessica had lacerations on the back of her head, nose and chin, and stab wounds. The medical examiner also believed she had been strangled but there was no evidence to support this theory. The case went cold for a few years, until a couple of supposed eyewitnesses came forward, motivated by promises of reward money, and told inconsistent stories that they and multiple others had kidnapped, killed, and raped Jessica. They said Quincy Cross was one of the people involved, and that he was the person who hit and strangled Jessica. Based on this unreliable testimony, as well as a jailhouse snitch, and despite a lack of physical evidence connecting him to this crime, Quincy was convicted of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Jessica Currin and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Maggie Freleng talks to Quincy Cross and Miranda Hellman, Quincy's attorney.  To learn more and get involved, please visit:  https://www.change.org/p/free-quincy-cross www.kentuckyinnocenceproject.org Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s, the US found itself wrapped up in the “Satanic Panic” - a general state of fear revolving around Satanism and satanic ritual, real or imagined. On May 5th, 1993, in West Memphis, AR, three 8-year-old boys—Steven Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers—were reported missing. Their lifeless bodies were found the following day in a Robin Hood Hills creek, naked and hogtied. Christopher Byers had suffered lacerations, and his genitals had been mutilated. Details of the bizarre and brutal scene in Robin Hood Hills brought Satanic Panic to a fever pitch in the largely conservative Christian city of West Memphis. Coming off their first film success with Brother’s Keeper, documentarians Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky were tapped by HBO documentaries to head down to get the story. Joe Berlinger sits with Jason Flom and recalls his experience of the case, the moments that inspired his fight for criminal justice reform, and the films and events that have helped shape public opinion of wrongful convictions. Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calvin "Cal" Harris was charged with the murder of his estranged wife Michele Harris, who disappeared in September 2001 from their home in Spencer, NY. Despite no body being found, Cal was tried four times and eventually acquitted in 2016. He later filed federal and state lawsuits alleging malicious prosecution and evidence fabrication. His case highlights investigative tunnel vision, suppressed evidence, and ongoing questions about who was truly responsible for Michele's disappearance. To learn more and get involved: www.findmicheleharris.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@thecalharrispodcast7593/streams Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On February 1, 1997, Charles Newsome, a member of the 18th Street Group was murdered while driving through the Mayfair Apartments in West Memphis, AR. The city was caught in a wave of retaliatory violence between two groups: Foxwood and 18th Street. Kendrick Gillum, who was loosely affiliated with Foxwood, became a suspect based on inconsistent and coerced witness testimony from a single eyewitness who initially told police that he did not see anyone at the scene of the crime. The State had no evidence Kendrick was ever at the crime scene, never established motive, and had the testimony of Tarsha LeFlore who confirmed he was with her at her apartment the night of the shooting. Nevertheless, Kendrick was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. To learn more and get involved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLX2P0bt49Uhttps://www.instagram.com/freekendricgillum/?hl=enhttps://www.unjustandunsolved.com/post/episode-10-demarco-wilsonhttps://lavaforgood.com/podcast/017-jason-flom-and-barry-scheck-with-jason-baldwin/https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/073-jason-flom-with-damien-echols-live-from-the-church-of-rock-and-roll/https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/095-jason-flom-with-joe-berlinger/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On August 10th, 1994, a man and a woman were in a van in West Philadelphia, when two males approached. One blocked the passenger door, while the other shot the man before he could get out of the van. The witness identified 16 year old Johnny Berry from a photo, but rescinded the ID at a preliminary hearing. Inexplicably, Johnny was re-arrested and sent back to juvenile detention, where he met Tauheed Lloyd who had admitted to being one of the assailants. When Lloyd refused to clear Johnny's name, they fought. Months later, Lloyd was arrested in an unrelated incident, and his gun matched the murder weapon. Unaware of this evidence, Lloyd thought Johnny had snitched. In turn, he gave false testimony for leniency and out of spite, sending Johnny away for life without parole. Years later, Lloyd's attempted recantation was silenced by threats of perjury and another murder prosecution. It took a slew of Supreme Court rulings on juvenile life sentences and the Philadelphia CIU to right this wrong. To learn more and get involved, visit: berryjohnny1111@gmail.com https://lavaforgood.com/with-jason-flom Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 12, 1994, 19-year old Steven Smith was killed after being struck by a single bullet to the head in Newport News, VA. Within weeks three individuals, two teenage boys, and one in his twenties, were arrested for the crime. Darryl Hunter, his older brother Nathaniel Pierce, and his friend Reginald Fletcher, were each tried and convicted solely on witness testimony. They were sentenced collectively to over 200 years in prison. Since then, a dozen witnesses have recanted, claiming that the government coerced them to testify against the Virginia 3. To learn more and get involved, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luexJ3hrGHU https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/319-jason-flom-with-terrence-hobbs/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/523-jason-flom-with-lerico-kearney/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On September 8, 1985, dozens gathered on Keeler Avenue in Chicago, IL for a friend's birthday party. In the early morning hours, while walking back to the party after getting cigarettes, 19-year-old Ivan Mena and 21-year-old Bouvier "Bobby" Garcia broke up a fight between 16-year-old Reynaldo “Scooby" Munoz and another partygoer. Munoz walked home after that fight, but Mena and Garcia returned to the party. Shortly after, around 4am, Mena and Garcia were shot. Garcia survived, but Mena did not. Within days, Munoz was arrested for the shooting, and as a result of misconduct from since-disgraced Chicago police detective Reynaldo Guevara and his partner Ernest Halvorsen, Munoz was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 60 years in prison. To learn more and get involved, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/bonjeanlawgroup/?hl=en https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/423-jason-flom-with-fabian-santiago/ Wrongful Conviction with Ben Bowlin is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the evening of April 14, 1996, Edward Binion was shot in the head during a home invasion in Chicago, IL. After a series of arrests, since-disgraced Cook County Detectives William Moser and James O’Brien were led to 16-year-old Robert Johnson. Johnson was with his grandmother at the time of the shooting and no physical evidence implicated him. Nevertheless, he was convicted and sentenced to 80 years in prison.  To learn more and get involved, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-roberts-journey-to-freedom https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/211-jason-flom-with-marcus-wiggins/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/399-jason-flom-with-sean-tyler-and-reginald-henderson/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/421-jason-flom-with-james-gibson/ https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/360-wrongful-conviction-false-confessions-midnight-crew-update/  Wrongful Conviction with Ben Bowlin is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.