Court Junkie

In August 2014, 22-year-old Christy Mack and her friend Corey Thomas were abruptly awoken in the middle of the night by Christy's ex-boyfriend, an MMA fighter named War Machine.   What followed was a brutal attack that would land both of them in the hospital with severe injuries, and cause War Machine to go on the run. War Machine was captured and went on trial in March 2017. Christy had to face her attacker in court and recount brutal details from not only that night, but from throughout their relationship. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music in this episode from freemusicarchive.org under Attribution license: Haka by Rocco Granata - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rocco_Granata/Works_1733/Rocco_Granata_-_04_-_Haka Eyelids Grow Heavy by Master Toad - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/

In this Court Junkie Brief, I interview Dave Wenger, a prosector from Pennsylvania. We talk about the process of a plea deal, what factors go into the decision to offer one, and I ask him to defend some arguments against the idea of guilty pleas. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

In November 2010, 20-year-old Cody Legebokoff was pulled over by an RCMP officer while speeding away from a dark abandoned road. Little did the officer realize that his actions that night would be stopping a serial killer in his tracks. This episode covers the case and trial of Cody Legebokoff, one of Canada's youngest serial killers. Thank you to Mark Nielsen for helping me cover this story. You can find Mark's full coverage of the Cody Legebokoff case from the Prince George Citizen here, including the audio from Cody's interrogations - http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news/legebokoff-trial Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music in this episode is from freemusicarchive.org under an Attribution license: Never Asked by Unheard Music Concepts: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Unheard_Musi

In Part 2 of this episode, you'll hear about the third arrest in the murder of 62-year-old Sheila Von Weise-Mack. And with this arrest, comes some additional shocking evidence against Heather and Tommy, in the form of their own words. You'll also hear how Heather and Tommy are coping at the Kerobokan Prison in Bali, and what's next in the investigation. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

In this episode, I explore the case of Sheila Von Weise-Mack, a Chicago mother who was murdered while on vacation in Bali with her 19-year-old daughter. After wheeling a suspicious-looking suitcase out into the lobby upon checkout from their resort, Sheila's daughter, Heather Mack, and Heather's boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, flee the scene.  Investigators are horrified to find Sheila's body inside the suitcase.  Justice in Bali is a lot different than justice in other parts of the world. In Part 1, you'll hear details of the crime, as the court in Bali hears them.  Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music by: No Other Choice by Lee Rosevere - Licensed under attribution license. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_Inspired_by_MiNRS/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_Inspired_by_MiNRS_-_11_No_Ot

In the early morning hours of June 14, 2007, a 32-year-old man is found walking down the side of a frontage road off I-55 in Channahon, Illinois. He's bleeding and seemingly in shock. A passerby calls 911 and investigators arrive at the scene. They find the man's wife and three children, dead in the family's SUV.  In this episode, I cover the trial of Christopher Vaughn, a husband and father accused of killing his wife and three children.  A special thank you to Jon Seidel, a reporter with the Chicago Sun-Times for contributing to this episode. You can follow him on Twitter at @SeidelContent. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music by: No Other Choice by Lee Rosevere - Licensed under attribution license. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_Inspired_by_MiNRS/Lee_Rosevere_-_Mus

In this episode, I cover former NFL player Aaron Hernandez's harsh fall from grace. In 2015, Aaron was convicted of the murder of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd. As he sits in prison, he is now preparing for yet another trial, scheduled to begin next month. I speak with Kevin Armstrong (@KevinGArmstrong) from the New York Daily News about Aaron's arrest, trial, and upcoming trial. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music by: I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/ramblinglibrarian/41284  No Other Choice by Lee Rosevere - Licensed under attribution license. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_Inspired_by_MiNRS/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_Inspired_by_MiNRS_-

Kelsey Smith was just 18 years old when she was abducted from a Target parking lot in Overland Park, Kansas in June 2007. Finding her would take a battle with a cellular phone company and heartbreaking surveillance video from Target, that shows that no one is ever really safe, even if you're running a simple errand in broad daylight. A special thank you to Kelsey's mom, Missey Smith, for speaking with me for this episode. To learn more about the Kelsey Smith Foundation and the Kelsey Smith Act, please visit kelseysarmy.org. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music featured in this episode:    - Summertime instrumental 1 by cdk (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/cdk/13112    - Like Music (cdk Mix) by cdk (c) copyright

In this episode, I take you behind-the-scenes of each case I covered in the Court Junkie podcast, as well as go over the latest updates. You'll also hear from Pravin Varughese's mom and family friend, as well as other Court Junkies.  Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music featured in this episode: - Improvisation On Friday... by Alex (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/AlexBeroza/17253 Ft: The3amAssociation - CAliformia Road by dilating_times (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/dilating_times/44880 - summertime instrumental 1 by cdk (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/cdk/131

We all have cases that we follow and that stick with us, whether it's on a personal level or because we're oddly fascinated with them. In this episode, I count down the top cases that affected me the most this year.  Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music featured in this episode: - Improvisation On Friday... by Alex (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/AlexBeroza/17253 Ft: The3amAssociation - CAliformia Road by dilating_times (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/dilating_times/44880 - summertime instrumental 1 by cdk (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/cdk/13112 - Falling In b

In August 2012, 66-year-old John Wise went to the Akron General Medical Center to visit his ailing wife of 45 years. He would leave there in handcuffs. It's a case that isn't as it seems and the twists and turns may leave you with more questions than answers. It's a case that begs the question, does the act outweigh the intent? Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. 

In this Brief, I speak with Russ Richelsoph, a criminal defense attorney from Tempe, Arizona. Russ talks about how he chooses his expert witnesses, what sort of credentials expert witnesses need to have (the answer might surprise you), and what it's like to cross examine an expert witness. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

In Part 2 of this episode, Kristine and her newly-formed defense team fight to win back her freedom. Armed with advances in fire science, a potential Brady violation, and some shocking revelations about the State's evidence at trial, Kristine and her team fight till the very end. A special thank you to Kristine Bunch for helping me tell her story. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie. Music featured in this episode: Like Music (cdk Mix) by cdk (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/cdk/48915 Ft: Phasenwandler Homesick (Keymix) by keytronic (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/Keytronic/47457 Ft: Kizzylotus Paper Planes - Durden ft. Ai

In part 1 of this episode, you'll hear about one woman's nightmare come true. In 1995, 21-year-old Kristine Bunch was abruptly awoken in the early morning hours to discover that her house was on fire. After escaping the flames, she watched in horror as firefighters were unable to save her 3-year-old son who was still trapped inside. Within hours of being released from the hospital, she discovered that detectives had a theory about the fire - someone had started the fire on purpose, and their main suspect was Kristine.  A special thank you to Kristine Bunch for helping me tell her story. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.   Music featured in this episode: Like Music (cdk Mix) by cdk (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.

In this Court Junkie Brief, I speak with Alan Hirsch,  a professor and chair of the Justice and Law Studies program at Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Alan has also testified as a false confessions expert in over 25 different trials across 16 different states. We talk about why people falsely confess to crimes they didn't commit, the different techniques law enforcement uses in their interrogations and cases involving false confessions. Visit Alan's website - http://www.truthaboutfalseconfessions.com/.   Note: At the time of this recording, Brendan Dassey was set to be released from prison. However, after this was recorded, the federal court blocked his release. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

Ryan Poston and Shayna Hubers had been dating on and off for about a year when one night in October 2012, a 911 call was placed from Ryan's condo. When officers arrived, they found Ryan dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Shayna claimed it was self-defense even though Ryan had been shot 6 times. I'll go over Shayna's bizarre behavior, the details from the trial, and tell you about a shocking new development that just might change everything. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

On February 24, 1986, John Ruetten came home from work to find his newlywed wife on their living room floor, dead from 3 bullet wounds to the chest. Investigators concluded it was a burglary gone wrong, but the case went unsolved for decades. 23 years later, DNA testing that hadn't been available before was conducted and who the new evidence pointed to was shocking.  In Part 2, you'll hear the conclusion of Stephanie's interrogation, the evidence presented at trial, and the final outcome of the case. Check out the full unedited interrogation - https://youtu.be/JT21CI4GRUM  Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

On February 24, 1986, John Ruetten came home from work to find his newlywed wife on their living room floor, dead from 3 bullet wounds to the chest. Investigators concluded it was a burglary gone wrong, but the case went unsolved for decades. 23 years later, DNA testing that hadn't been available before was conducted and who the new evidence pointed to was shocking. In Part 1, you'll hear the details of the crime, how the investigation progressed over the years, and audio from a very interesting interrogation. Check out the full unedited interrogation - https://youtu.be/JT21CI4GRUM Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

Trying someone for murder without knowing the location of the victim's body happens a lot more than you might think. The phrase "no body, no crime" just isn't true. I spoke with Tad DiBiase, a former federal homicide prosecutor and expert on no body murder cases, about the first no body case he tried, what the stats on these types of cases are, and how these cases can affect jury selection.  Court Junkie Briefs are additional episodes I've created that focus on a singular courtoom-related issue. I'll be speaking with legal experts, analysts, attorneys, forensic pathologists, etc., to help us all get a better understanding of our justice system.  Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.

I'm excited to announce that I'll be releasing an additional episode series called Court Junkie Briefs. These episodes will focus on a singular courtroom related issue, such as inadmissible evidence and how it can affect a case, murder without a body cases, sunshine laws, and more. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes. Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie.