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  • Locked Up for ZERO Crime—How It Happens: With Professor Jessica Henry

    Locked Up for ZERO Crime—How It Happens: With Professor Jessica Henry
    2025/07/07
    In this episode of Stuck, host Andrew Wildes sits down with Professor Jessica Henry—attorney, former public defender, Montclair State University scholar, and author of Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes That Never Happened. They unpack the startling reality that up to 40 percent of U.S. exonerations involve “no-crime” convictions—cases where police, prosecutors, or flawed forensics pinned an offense on someone even though no illegal act occurred. From Andrew’s eye-opening Linstead case in Jamaica to Texas death-row prisoner Robert Robertson’s pending execution, the conversation exposes systemic failures and maps out practical reforms. Key Themes ➤ “Smoke but No Fire”—crimes that never happened ➤ Startling data: 40 % of U.S. exonerations are no-crime cases ➤ Police field-test errors and mass drug-charge dismissals ➤ Forensic fraud: arson myths, shaken-baby triad, lab scandals ➤ Prosecutorial overreach, plea-deal coercion, and cognitive bias ➤ Role of race and poverty in wrongful arrests ➤ Independent experts vs. junk science in court ➤ Death-row and life sentences for nonexistent offenses ➤ Plea bargains trapping the innocent to “go home” ➤ Structural fixes: training, funding defense, lab oversight, police reform Timestamps & Chapters 00:00 – Intro: “Where There’s Smoke…” — Andrew’s Linstead Lock-Up Story 03:02 – Meet Professor Jessica Henry; Her Wrongful-Conviction Research 05:46 – One-Third? No—Now 40 %: The Data That Shocked Henry 09:07 – Harris County Field-Test Fiasco: Thousands Pled to Lint & Tylenol 11:55 – Forensic Fraud Gallery: Annie Dookhan, Fred Zain, Dr. West 14:50 – Arson Mythology & Cameron Todd Willingham’s Execution 18:05 – Shaken-Baby Syndrome, Cognitive Bias, and False Murder Charges 21:11 – Robert Robertson: Death Row for a Tragic Accident—Call to Act Brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Wave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Frequency Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Professor Jessica Henry Website: https://www.jessicahenryjustice.com Podcast: Just Justice (available on all major platforms) LinkedIn: Jessica Henry X (Twitter): @jhenryjustice More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew Wildes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tallawah Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 分
  • Bert Samuels, Top Jamaican Lawyer Exposes the Justice System

    Bert Samuels, Top Jamaican Lawyer Exposes the Justice System
    2025/06/15
    In this episode, Andrew Wildes engages with Bert Samuels, a prominent Jamaican lawyer, to discuss the pressing issue of wrongful convictions in Jamaica. The conversation begins with a tragic case from 1983, leading to a broader exploration of the systemic issues contributing to wrongful convictions, including police and prosecutorial misconduct, the role of defense counsel, and the harsh conditions of detention. Samuels shares his extensive experience in criminal law, highlighting the need for accountability and reform within the Jamaican legal system. The discussion also explores personal motivations for advocating for justice and the importance of upholding integrity in legal practices. Key Themes ➤ Public pressure and assumptions of guilt ➤ Police misconduct and planted forensic evidence ➤ Suppressed evidence and prosecutorial abuse ➤ Defense lawyers as last line of defense ➤ Coerced confessions from brutal jail conditions ➤ Duty counsel’s role in protecting suspects ➤ Delayed justice and abandoned appeals ➤ Speaking truth without fear or favor ➤ Justice, faith, and fearless legal advocacy ➤ Urgent need for systemic accountability Chapters 00:00 – Diane Smith’s murder, public outrage, Dennis “Shorty” Jenkins charged, venue change due to mob threats 06:15 – How wrongful convictions happen, parallels with U.S. and U.K., systemic flaws seen in Jamaican courts 12:52 – Defense expert uncovers planted evidence, forensic misconduct, collusion between police and scientists 18:11 – Suppressed video in Sangster & Dixon case, ID parade manipulation, rare prosecutorial discipline 25:27 – Defense counsel vigilance, catching altered documents, coaching of witnesses, early courtroom tactics 30:40 – Coerced confessions, poor jail conditions, duty counsel impact, the culture of forced admissions 36:19 – Appellate delays, constitutional rights violated, Kartel retrial statistics, systemic backlog failures 41:55 – Why Bert Samuels never sought QC/KC status, radical faith, personal experiences, commitment to justice Brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Wave⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Frequency Network⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Bert Samuels More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew Wildes⁠⁠⁠⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tallawah Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tallawah on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 分
  • Against All Odds: Lescene Edwards’ Last‑Chance Appeal

    Against All Odds: Lescene Edwards’ Last‑Chance Appeal
    2025/06/07
    London. Busy, iconic, known for its postcards and palace guards. But for Lescene Edwards, there’s only one building that matters: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest court of appeal. From 4,000 miles away—locked inside one of Jamaica’s toughest prisons—he’s watching, clinging to every word. It’s been nearly 19 years since the mother of his children, Aldonna Harris, was shot dead with his service weapon. From day one, Edwards has said it was suicide. The police called it murder. A jury convicted him. In this gripping second chapter of Stuck, we take you inside the courtroom in London, where his lawyers argue that the crime was impossible, the trial was unfair, and the evidence used to convict him was fundamentally flawed. With new expert testimony, scientific breakthroughs, and undeniable questions of fairness, the case pushes Jamaica’s justice system—and its failures—into international view. Key Themes The Privy Council: Jamaica’s highest legal authority Discredited forensic methods and wrongful convictions The power imbalance between prosecution and defense Mental health, suicide, and societal silence What exoneration really costs—after 19 years in prison Timestamps & Chapters 00:00 – London Calling: The Final Stop for Lescene Edwards 01:22 – A Murder Charge Without Murder? 04:48 – The Handwriting Trap: Rewriting the "Suicide Note" 07:35 – Impossible Crime: Blood, Ballistics, and the Bathroom Door 10:50 – Gunshot Residue and Discredited Science 13:42 – Why Fresh Evidence Matters (and Why Courts Resist It) 16:15 – The Government's Defense (and the Judges Push Back) 19:05 – A Stunning Admission: “It's Just Impossible” 21:40 – The System Failed. Now What? 23:55 – Lescene Edwards Speaks: On Time, Trauma, and the Men Still Inside Brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Wave⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Frequency Network⁠⁠⁠⁠. More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew Wildes⁠⁠⁠⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠Massif Studio Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tallawah Website⁠⁠⁠ Tallawah on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Music Credits Music by Rockot from Pixabay⁠https://pixabay.com/users/rockot-1947599⁠ Track: ⁠https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=174661⁠ Music by Paolo Argento from Pixabay⁠https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296⁠ Track: ⁠https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=215184 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 分
  • Legal Expert: How to fix wrongful convictions in Jamaica - Insights from Kent Roach

    Legal Expert: How to fix wrongful convictions in Jamaica - Insights from Kent Roach
    2025/05/31
    In this episode of Stuck, host Andrew Wildes discusses the complexities of wrongful convictions with Professor Kent Roach, exploring real cases, the role of DNA evidence, the impact of eyewitness testimony, and the systemic issues within the justice system. They delve into the psychological aspects of denial surrounding wrongful convictions and the importance of legal education and reforms to prevent such injustices. The discussion also touches on the implications of the death penalty and the need for better forensic science to ensure accuracy in convictions. Key Themes Richard Catchway's case exemplifies a false guilty plea. Wrongful convictions are often underestimated in their prevalence. DNA evidence has limitations and is not available in all cases. Eyewitness testimony is a significant factor in wrongful convictions. Legal education can raise awareness about wrongful convictions. The death penalty's ethical concerns regarding wrongful convictions. Systemic reforms are necessary to improve the justice system. Forensic science plays a crucial role in preventing wrongful convictions. Psychological denial about wrongful convictions is common. Collaboration among legal professionals is essential to address wrongful convictions. Chapters 00:00 – The Case of Richard Catchway: A Wrongful Conviction 03:00 – Wrongful Convictions: Insights from Professor Kent Roach 05:50 – The Role of DNA Evidence in Wrongful Convictions 08:50 – The Impact of Eyewitness Testimony and Identification Issues 12:08 – The Importance of Legal Education and Awareness 15:09 – The Death Penalty and Wrongful Convictions 18:07 – The Need for Systemic Reforms in Justice 21:10 – The Role of Forensic Science in Preventing Wrongful Convictions 24:08 – The Psychological Aspects of Wrongful Convictions 27:04 – Building a Better Justice System: Lessons from Canada and Beyond Resources 📘 Get Kent’s Book: Wrongfully Convicted (Updated and Expanded Edition): Guilty Pleas, Imagined Crimes, and What Canada Must Do to Safeguard Justice Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored; however, it contains an affiliate link. If you click and make a purchase through this link, I may receive a commission. 🎧 Listen to the Interview: Professor Kent Roach on the Charter A Course Podcast – S4E1: Constitutional Remedies Connect with Kent Roach 🔗 Faculty Page – University of Toronto Faculty of Law 🔗 LinkedIn Profile Brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠The Wave⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠The Frequency Network⁠⁠⁠. More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠⁠⁠Andrew Wildes⁠⁠⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Massif Studio Website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Tallawah Website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Tallawah on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 分
  • Police Officer’s 19‑Year Fight to Prove He Didn't Murder His Kid's Mom

    Police Officer’s 19‑Year Fight to Prove He Didn't Murder His Kid's Mom
    2025/05/22
    On Friday, the 5th of September 2003, a single gunshot wound ended the life of Aldonna Harris Vasquez. Immediately, all suspicion fell on the only person who was in the room with her that day: Lescene Edwards. The police started with suspicion, and the prosecution settled on a story that was salacious and simple: a police officer who killed the mother of his children and staged it to look like a suicide. The motive? Jealousy. The method? Deception. He forged a suicide note, and there was no gunshot residue on her hand, so she couldn’t have fired the gun. From that day in 2003, Lescene Edwards never wavered in his account of what happened in that room—it would take more than 19 years, the intervention of Jamaica’s Court of Appeal, and ultimately the UK Privy Council, before the system admitted what really happened: this was not murder. In this episode of Stuck, host Andrew Wildes revisits one of Jamaica’s most devastating wrongful convictions. From biased police tactics to flawed forensic evidence, we unpack how the justice system failed—and what it cost one man, his family, and the country. Brought to you by ⁠⁠The Wave⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠The Frequency Network⁠⁠. More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠⁠Andrew Wildes⁠⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠The Tallawah Group⁠⁠. ⁠⁠Massif Studio Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tallawah Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tallawah on LinkedIn⁠⁠ For sponsorship inquiries, contact: ⁠⁠hello@MassifKroo.com⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 分
  • Unfair Game Play Twice – A Serial Rapist Roamed Free While Innocent Brothers Faced Trial in Jamaica

    Unfair Game Play Twice – A Serial Rapist Roamed Free While Innocent Brothers Faced Trial in Jamaica
    2025/05/03
    It began with a crime that shattered a community: five women and girls, taken from their home in Irwin, Jamaica, and assaulted in a nearby field. The island was horrified. The police promised swift justice. Days later, two young brothers—Kieran and Sheldon Brissett—were arrested and paraded as the face of evil. But there was one problem: they didn’t do it. In this premiere episode of Stuck, host Andrew Wildes unpacks how a justice system designed to protect the innocent turned its back on science, due process, and truth. Despite volunteering their DNA, and despite that DNA ruling them out as a matter of scientific fact, the Brissett brothers were dragged through the courts while the real perpetrator, Patrick Green, continued raping—again and again. Green would later confess to over 20 rapes. But for over a year, while his spree continued, the system focused its full weight on two innocent men—ignoring warnings, evidence, and history. With exclusive insight from renowned Jamaican attorney Bert Samuels, this episode exposes the hidden cost of prosecutorial overreach, systemic failure, and public pressure. It’s a case study in how wrongful convictions happen—not just through error, but through willful neglect. This is the story of what happens when the cry for punishment drowns out the demand for justice. And why, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Key Themes: Wrongful convictions in Jamaica The limits of DNA evidence Prosecutorial misconduct and systemic failure The case of Patrick Green, a serial rapist Public pressure, media, and justice The culture of “put it up and see what happens” in courtrooms The voices of victims, families, and communities in fear Timestamps & Chapters: 00:00 – Content warning & introduction 01:45 – The Irwin incident: what happened on September 24, 2012 06:50 – Public outrage and calls for extreme punishment 09:12 – Arrest of the Brissett brothers and their voluntary DNA 12:45 – Prosecutors push forward despite exonerating evidence 16:40 – Patrick Green’s crime spree begins 20:20 – July 22, 2013: A trial that ends in a single day 23:00 – Green strikes again—while the state looks the other way 26:15 – Green’s eventual capture by community intervention 29:00 – The system's failure: Who else paid the price? 32:30 – Interview with Bert Samuels on prosecutorial culture 36:40 – The Winston Hamilton case: déjà vu in court 41:10 – From punishment to prevention: What real justice looks like 44:00 – Final reflection: justice for one, justice for all Brought to you by ⁠The Wave⁠ on ⁠The Frequency Network⁠. More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of ⁠Andrew Wildes⁠—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by ⁠Massif Studio & Production⁠ and ⁠The Tallawah Group⁠. ⁠Massif Studio Website⁠ ⁠Massif on LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Tallawah Website⁠ ⁠Tallawah on LinkedIn⁠ For sponsorship inquiries, contact: ⁠hello@MassifKroo.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 分
  • Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica with Andrew Wildes

    Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica with Andrew Wildes
    2025/04/23
    What happens when the justice system gets it wrong? Every week on Stuck, Jamaican lawyer and journalist Andrew Wildes tackles the problem of wrongful convictions in Jamaica. Hear about the innocent, imprisoned and ignored, the lawyers battling to free them, and the experts demanding change. Brought to you by The Wave on The Frequency Network. More About Andrew Wildes Explore the work of Andrew Wildes—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy. Website Instagram LinkedIn Facebook YouTube For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica. Production, Distribution, and Marketing Produced by Massif Studio & Production and The Tallawah Group. Massif Studio Website Massif on LinkedIn Tallawah Website Tallawah on LinkedIn For sponsorship inquiries, contact: hello@MassifKroo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 分