Accessory to Justice

What happens when someone's only way out of imminent danger involves maiming or killing their assailant? How do criminal defense attorneys intervene in cases surrounding intimate partner violence?  On today’s bonus episode, criminal defense attorney Miriam Airington Fisher and intimate partner violence expert Cindene Pezzell from the Battered Women's Justice Project speak candidly about the reality of criminalized survivors of abuse. In other words, we’re talking about cases in which a survivor of domestic abuse carries out an attack against her abuser.Miriam provides a deep dive into her first case involving Battered Woman Syndrome, or more appropriately, Intimate Partner Battery and its Effects. From there, Cindene provides life saving insight and legal background on how stories like these relate to gender based justice in our society. Trigger warning: Today's episode speaks heavily and sometimes graphically about the nature of physical abuse and survivor retaliation. Be sure to take breaks or sit this one out if it is not conducive to your personal well being. We're sponsored by Airington Law, based in Richmond Virginia. Women lead. Justice Served. Hablamos español! Learn more, today. Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Many of us take The Great Outdoors for granted, but for millions of children across The Nation enjoying the education and healing prospects of nature simply is not an option. Many children from lower income neighborhoods do not have readily available access to clean and safe green space. Even more strikingly, the United States park system harbors a deeply racist history. Today attorney Miriam Airington-Fisher is joined by Tanesha and Diane of Blue Sky Fund to talk about the importance of outdoor equity and unconventional learning opportunities for all children regardless of income or racial heritage. Believe it or not, there is a strong intersection between nature and the juvenile justice system. How was the outdoors inspired you?Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

The combination of law, anthropology, and archaeology sounds rather niche, right? Despite the specificity of the work by Greg  Werkheiser and colleagues, Cultural Heritage Partners play a huge role in advocating for the cultural rights of marginalized communities. Today we're exploring questions like: What makes an ethical museum? and What can we be doing to help our Native American Neighbors. Learn more at Culturalheritagepartners.com or @Cultural Heritage Partners Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Have you ever  wondered what "At Will" employment really means? Most employees in this country live under "At Will" employment but that does not mean you do not have rights as a worker. Today we're going over some of the most common forms of workplace discrimination with employment attorney, Sarah Robb. Did you know that your cultural hairstyles, they/them pronouns, and needs as a pregnant person are all protected under the law?!Should you ever need our guest you can find her practice Sarah Robb Law in Richmond, Virginia. Or @SarahRobbLaw on social media! Huge thanks to Sarah. Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Julie McConnell is an attorney and  professor of law at University of Richmond known for her work with the Children's Defense Clinic. She also serves as an expert witness in serious criminal cases involving minors in which the child or teen stands to be tried as an adult or face life in prison. Today we're discussing the grave consequences of juvenile sentencing in America, and how it relates to racial and social justice. Did you know America is one of the only countries that tries children as adults? From the era of "Super predators" to today--How fair is the "Adult sentences for adult crimes" sentiment? Let's talk about it. Perhaps the real true crime is how we treat today's youth. Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

"Marijuana"  "Pot" "Weed" Whatever you are used to calling it. This plant has had a massive impact on American society in its 80+ years of prohibition. Cannabis law and cannabis prohibition affects all of us regardless of our personal attitudes towards the drug. Today, Accessory to Justice is joined by expungement and cannabis expert Sheba Williams of Virginia NORML and NOLEF Turns Inc. to talk about the  class and racial implications of The War on Drugs, medical benefits of Cannabis, and the future of Virginia Cannabis.This episode goes far deeper than the hashtags. Follow us @AccessorytoJustice Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

This week I am joined by fair housing advocate Helen Hardiman to discuss housing discrimination and housing as a civil right! Many regions in America are facing a house crisis, and sometimes it may not be obvious when discrimination occurs. In fact, many landlords may not even know they are executing unfair practices!Don't be the person to say "Not In My BackYard"Where would you be without a roof over your head? Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Welcome back to Accessory to Justice by Airington Law! This season explores all things civil rights law with a focus on how system inequality affects America's  Black, Brown, and Disabled children.  Most of the issues we explore this season affect our youth in ways some cannot imagine. This episode features seasoned civil rights attorney and writer, Bianca White. We're breaking down the The School to Prison Pipeline--What is it? and how does it contribute to racial violence and mass incarceration?Do police really make schools safer? Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Today we're taking a deep dive into the world of Cannabis legalization and reform for our state of Virginia! You may think the battle for cannabis justice is over but we still have a long way to go on the fronts of consumer safety and criminal defense. J.M Pedini is the Executive Director of Virginia NORML as well as the development director for the national body of NORML. We cannot think of a better person to have on the show to talk about medical cannabis, consumer safety and justice! Special thanks to J.M. Since recording this episode, a lot has gone down in the general assembly. Stay informed with Virginia NORML's bill tracker. https://www.vanorml.org/2022_legislationhttps://www.vanorml.org/actJ.M and associates also go live on Facebook everyday at 4pm to answer your burning questions! Next week we're talking The Death Penalty and conviction integrity. A serious but necessary look at the inequities of serious conviction. All third part tracks licensed through Audiio.com Media inquiries email Community@AiringtonLaw.com Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Part III of The Framing of Mario Eubanks is now available. This episode platforms the voice of Mario himself, alongside his attorney. This is the single most important installment of this audio documentary. However, if you are new to Accessory to Justice, please go listen to Part I and II of The Framing of Mario Eubanks. Mario Eubanks is an innocent man behind bars! Knowledge is power, and we invite everyone near and far to education themselves on the case of Mario Eubanks. Want to help? Share this podcast and all other material on Mario found on our social media, @AiringtonLaw using the # FreeMarioEubanks. Right now, there is a pardon waiting for the governor of Virginia. Use your voice and let Governor Youngkin and The Secretary of the Commonwealth Pardons Division know that we the people do not stand for wrongful conviction. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for sample scripts and letters. Pardons Division contact804-692-2542pardons@governor.virginia.govPost Office Box 2454Richmond, Virginia 23218-2454 Office of The Governor contact:804-786-221Office of the GovernorP.O Box 1475Richmond, Virginia23218All third party tracks licensed through Audiio.com Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

The Framing of Mario Eubanks is finally ready! This is Part I of III covering the wrongful conviction of Mario Eubanks, featuring Mario's attorney Miriam Airington-Fisher. Listen to hear a professional break down of the murder, conviction, and post conviction proceedings. Don't know about Mario Eubanks?Over 25 years ago Mario, a 15 year old kid got swept up in a murder case that did not involve him at all. Mario has been in prison ever since his conviction at the age of 17. 24 years later his case has been lost in all the noise and ignorance. We're trying to change that by telling the world about his case. In the coming weeks you will hear from Portia, Mario's wife, and Mario himself. Please stay tuned. Join our movement share this episode with #FreeMarioEubanks, let's muster up some star power and get some pressure for his exoneration. If you know anything about the 1996 murder of Wade King, or Mario Eubanks please email us at Community@Airingtonlaw.com.  *All licensing for intro and background tracks obtained through Audiio:Tree Tops by Astro Mouse, Locked Out & Felony Love by Jay Warren, and No Crime by Keston Wright Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Do you know Mario Eubanks? Probably not. However, you may have seen programs such as Making a Murderer (2015) or When They See Us (2019). What if we told you these are not isolated cases?It is time to learn his name. Mario Eubanks, was ripped away from his friends and family over 25 years ago. He was a 15 year old boy, from The South Side of Richmond, Va, arrested and convicted for a murder he did not commit. Tune in next month and get educated--listen to his attorney, Miriam Airington-Fisher, his wife Portia, and Mario himself. Never before has his story been published. We must hold the criminal justice system accountable. Learn his name. Say his name. #FreeMarioEubanks  Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Get a taste of what's to come! Having a hard time waiting? Follow us on all major social media platforms @AiringtonLaw Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Join us for this bonus interview with The Sistas in Prison Reform! Today you'll hear from Juanita Belton, Paulettra James, and Santia Nance about their initiatives to facilitate second chances and help end the decades long trend of needless incarnation. These women were inspired to organize after loved ones Jerry, Sincere, and Quadaire found themselves convicted and incarcerated in early adulthood. Remember the Tough On Crime, era of the 1990s? What if we told you that many communities are still dealing with the consequences of these ineffective and dangerous policies? Perhaps you know all too well about the effects of over-policing and mandatory minimums. Learn more at sistasinprisonreform.com/ or @TheSip2021 on major social media platforms. We also invite you check out Quadaire and Santia's website, brilliancebehindbars.com,  highlighting the intelligence, passion, and resilience of incarnated individuals.   Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Let's discuss how the justice system really works. Spoiler alert, it's not always based in integrity. Meet some attorneys trying to fix that, Doug Ramseur and Emilee Hasbrouck. We're talking The Death Penalty, violent crime defense, and The [former] Conviction Integrity Unit. Doug, Emilee, and Miriam discuss the power of believing clients and working towards a world where everyone may receive "a rich man's defense."You may contact The Ram Law Firm at (804)-404-2654 or Ram@TheRamFirm.com All third party tracks licensed through Audiio.com Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Today defense attorney, Miriam Airington-Fisher and, polygraph expert, Ken Mikionis talk all things polygraphs! How do they work? Why do we use them? Ken is a retired FBI agent, who entered the private sector to help criminal defense attorneys in their pursuit of justice! Today Ken explains why some polygraphs are far more useful than others, and how they can be used as an accessory to justice. We know you're going to learn a lot, maybe bust some myths you've been holding as fact. New to Accessory to Justice? Please, stick around and explore our other topics such as the wrongful conviction story of a man named Mario Eubanks, and the concerns of our Autistic community members regarding schools and law enforcement with Terra Vance and Kate Jones of Neuroclastic. Keep up with all things Airington Law on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and Linked In--@AiringtonLaw All 3rd party tracks licensed through Audiio.com: Relax by Tiger Run, Frik by Rococo Disco, That's Why by Veter, and Labanero by Kaspian Kornelius Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

A conversation on systemic ableism. What if we told you the mainstream conception of the Autistic experience is not accurate? What if we told you that these misconceptions pose genuine material danger for our Autistic community members? Terra Vance and Kate Jones of NeuroClastic are here to lead the conversation surrounding law enforcement and Autism. Today we're discussing the School to Prison Pipeline, clearing the air on common Autistic behavior patterns, and conceptualizing a future that honors the differences of Autistic people. Get ready to take a critical lens to The Deficit Model, and celebrate the Autistic mind with this collaboration! Autistic liberation is the future. Are you listening? ###As promised, here's the rundown of the case of a man named Matthew Rushin, Matthew Rushin is a young Black man from Virginia Beach. Matthew is Autistic. In 2019, Matthew was in a car accident, that severely wounded others. Police swarmed Matthew and deemed him guilty of intentional harm. To them, it appeared that Matthew was attempting to take his own life with no regard for others. This was not the case. In reality, Matthew experienced an autistic meltdown, emerging research likens these meltdowns to that of a seizure, rather than a Non-Autistic bout of distress. As you may imagine, a serious car accident is not a safe place, neurologically, for an Autistic individual. Like in many cases, Matthew was offered a plea deal, i.e."Plead guilty, and we'll have mercy on you." The negotiation tactics involved rely heavily on, what some may call, "reading between the lines"-- something that is not apart of the Autistic experience. His loved ones believe he was intentionally mislead for the sake of winning a conviction. Matthew just wanted to return home to his mother and sisters, so he accepted the deal. Matthew was sentenced to 50 years, 40 years suspended, 10 to serve. In November of 2020, Governor Northam granted Matthew Rushin a condition pardon. Matthew returned home with the help of his post conviction attorney Miriam-Airington Fisher, with the guidance of Terra Vance, and Sen. McClellan's push for SB 1315 (now a law decriminalizing Autistic behavior). Matthew deserves an absolute pardon and his support network have not stopped trying to get him the justice he deserves. Learn more under the #JusticeforMatthewRushin and AiringtonLaw.com ###All third part tracks licensed through Audiio: Sober by VIBES, Excavate by Marshall Usinger, Grounded by Jameson Nathan Jones, You Said it, I Said it, We all Said it by Charlie Schafer, Stay Awhile by The Spacies Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.

Stop! If you have not listened to Part I of our series, go listen, then return. Seriously it will take you less than 20 minutes. Accessory to Justice is back for Part II of our series, The Framing of Mario Eubanks. This week you'll be hearing from his wife and biggest supporter, Portia. Portia and Mario have been together for almost 10 years now. In this episode Portia describes her beautiful relationship with Mario, in their (we'll say) inter-carceral relationship. This woman is so strong and a great representative for the community of women whose spouses live behind bars. If you still are not convinced of Mario's innocence, you must hear this testimony from his wife. As always, like and share to join our movement with the # FreeMarioEubanks. *Third party tracks licensed through Audiio: Tree Tops by Astro World 2am Ft. Jake Larson (instrumental) by Mum Child Last Light by Saint James Last Signal by Liam Beck Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram for more. @AccessorytoJustice All third party audios licensed through Audiio.com. Our show is purely for educational purposes and cannot replace official legal council.