American Justice Podcast

In Episode 15, Season 3 of the American Justice Podcast, Scott and C. Derick dissect the sad case of Terance Calhoun, a Detroit man who spent 15 years in prison for assault and rape but was cleared of the crimes after undisclosed DNA results proved his innocence. They go through how an innocent man with cognitive dissonance was allowed to plead no contest even though witness descriptions and DNA evidence did not link him to the crimes.

00:50 Introduction

14:07 The Story of Terance Calhoun

16:40 The Numerous Rape and Assault Cases in Detroit

18:45 Detroit as One of the Most Violent Cities in the Country

24:15 The Guy With the Puzzle Tattoo

32:00 A Composite Sketch Leads to the Arrest of Terance Calhoun

36:25 Terance Allegedly Confesses Committing Two Cases of Assault and Rape

37:23 Victims Identify Terrence in a Photographic Lineup

38:18 Terance is Arraigned in Court For Assault and Rape

39:05 Terance Pleads No Contest, and The Court Learns He Has Cognitive Dissonance

41:13 Terance is Sentenced to 17 to 32 Years in Prison

42:30 DNA Results Come Back But Are Not Presented to the Courts

44:16 DNA Evidence Again Proves Terance is Innocent

45:47 Key Elements Missed by the Prosecution

48:00 The Conviction Integrity Unit Looks Into Terance's Case

50:00 DNA Evidence Confirms Two Different Men Were Responsible For the Crimes

53:40 Detective From the Original 2006 Investigation Presents "New Evidence"

56:14 Terance is Released After 15 Years in Prison

58:15 Witness Identification is Often Inaccurate. Here's Why

58:41 Reasons Why an Innocent Man Would Plead No Contest

01:00:38 Michigan Laws on Wrongful Imprisonment and Compensation

01:01:50 Parting Thoughts

#Terance #Calhoun #wrongful #convictions #rape #assault #detective #misconduct #DNA #criminaljusticesystem #compensation #criminaljusticereforms #demandjustice #murdercase #murdermystery #murder #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #police #unsolved #truecrimeobsessed #truecrimefan #unsolvedmysteries

Call to Action

In episode fourteen, season three of the American Justice Podcast, Scott and C. Derick break down the gruesome murders of 29-year-old Doris Wahington and Her 13-year-old daughter Nishonda. They discuss how prosecutorial misconduct and contradictory eyewitness testimonies meant 23+ years for Darryl Howard, even after no DNA or biological evidence connected him to the crime scene.

04:45 The Case of Darryl Howard

09:12 The Death of Doris Washington and Her 13-year-old daughter Nishonda

12:45 The Risky Life of Doris Washington Before the Gruesome Murder

14:30 Darryl Is Questioned By the Police After Getting Shot 5 Times and Survived

17:10 Police Link Darryl's Shooters With Another Unsolved Double Murder

18:40 Darryl Reveals He Believes The New York Gang Killed Doris and Her Daughter

20:23 Witness Statements and The Corced Testimony of Sex Worker

23:55 Darryl is Arrested and Charged with Arson and Murder

24:02 Authorities Test DNA From the Rape Kits

26:10 Several Witnesses Testify Against Darryl

30:22 Contradictory Statements From Witness Recounts

33:50 Main Witness, Angela Oliver, Recants Her Statement in Court

35:40 Lead Detective Testifies Against Darryl

37:30 Darryl's Defence Pokes Holes in The Case to No Avail

41:40 Darryll is Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison For Second Degree Murder and Arson

42:32 The Innocence Project Looks Into Darryl's Case

43:50 DNA to The Rescue, or Maybe Not

46:07 Undisclosed Prosecution Documents Exclude Darryl From the Murder

50:00 Darryl's Hearing is Vacated Without Hearing

51:20 Darryl is Released on Bond After 23 Plus Years in Prison

53:20 The Jury Awards Darryl $6 Million in Damages

55:37 Will Darryl Ever Get Compensated?

59:01 Lawyers Continue to Fight For Darryl's Compensation Money

01:01:00 Doris and Her Daughter Nishonda Deserve Justice

01:04:01 Parting Thoughts

#Darryl #Howard #wrongful #convictions #criminaljusticesystem #compensation #criminaljusticereforms #demandjustice #doublemurdercase #murdermystery #murder #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #police #unsolved #truecrimeobsessed #truecrimefan #unsolvedmysteries

Call to Action

In Episode 13, Season 3 of the American Justice Podcast, Scott and C. Derick tackle the tragic tale of Kirk Bloodsworth, a waterman and decorated Marine who was charged and convicted for sexual assault, rape, and first-degree murder of nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton in 1984. They discuss how an innocent man was convicted of a rape-murder he didn't commit, only for DNA evidence to exonerate him and link one of his prison mates to the crime.

05:57 Introduction

07:55 Factors That Led to the Arrest of 23-year-old Kirk Bloodsworth

09:45 Kirk is Arrested Even Though Physical Description of Suspect Does Not Match His Appearance

10:46 Witness Misidentification and Wrongful Convictions

11:39 Kirk is Charged with First Degree Murder, Sexual Assault, and Rape

13:46 The Trial: Five Witnesses Testify Against Kirk

16:58 The Lack of Physical Evidence In Kirk's Case

17:39 Kirk is Found Guilty and Sentenced to Die in a Gas Chamber

18:11 Glaring Holes in Kirk's Case

19:19 The Drama of Faulty Investigations and Questionable Persecution

20:01 The Retrial: Kirk Gets Two Life Sentences

23:25 Kirk is Released After DNA Evidence Proves He Wasn't at The Scene of the Crime

24:25 Kirk Becomes the First Deathrow Inmate to Be Exonerated By Post-Conviction DNA Testing

25:09 DNA Testing Links Kirk's Prison Mate, Kimberly Shay Ruffner, To The Murder of Dawn Hamilton

26:32 Mr. Ruffner is Fomarly Charged with Dawn's Murder

27:58 Kirk Becomes a Wrongful Conviction Advocate

30:32 Compensation For Wrongful Convictions

33:15 Parting Thoughts

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In Episode 12, Season Three of the American Justice Podcast, Scott Poggensee and C. Derick Miller talk about the William Dillon case. He is a man who spent 27 years behind bars for a murder DNA proves he didn't commit. William was wrongfully convicted in 1981 based on questionable eyewitness identification and unreliable testimony from a jailhouse informant. He shares what it's like being investigated, prosecuted, and jailed for 27 years for a murder he didn't commit. Hear from his own words as he talks to Scott Poggensee about his experiences and what it's like now being exonerated. Also, don't forget to stick around for the outtakes. You won't be sorry you did!

Resources