Criminal Records Podcast

Aaron Burr

September 10, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.5 MB

As we gear up for one of America’s most momentous presidential elections, we look back on the man so bad at politics that he changed the way our country's elections worked forever. Meet Aaron Burr, the guy who caused so much chaos that America not only had to amend its own constitution to stop his shenanigans, it had to set its legal definition of treason after he attempted to create a new country just to rule it. Hamilton fans, get ready for the wild story of what happened after the musical...

Lynching in America

August 27, 2020 12:00 - 53 minutes - 73.1 MB

This week, we're joined by Nikki Brueggeman for a discussion of two horrific hate crimes in early 20th century America. As we discuss the deaths of Mary Turner and Jesse Washington, we look at the way the NAACP worked to publicize the horrific injustice of lynchings, the reason we tell these stories with a focus on the victims first, and the way modern oral historians like Nikki are continuing the work of documenting Black stories. Content note: This episode contains descriptions of two ha...

The Aqua Tofana Poisonings

August 13, 2020 12:00 - 56 minutes - 77.5 MB

This Italian family's secret recipe requires a special ingredient: a fatal dose of arsenic. Join us for a story of murder most foul, corrupt priests, saleswomen with pockets full of poison, secret cabal of witches moving through European courts, a ceiling alligator, and Santa Claus's special bone juice. Show notes and sources at this link

Phryne

July 30, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MB

Did an ancient Greek party girl get off on a capital charge because she flashed the judge? Or was this story just an excuse for artists to get away with painting bare breasts? This week, we dig into trial records, archeological evidence, and ancient gossip to try to get a sense of the woman behind the legend. Content note: This episode is about a historical figure who may or may not have been a sex worker. Some of the sources we quote from translate her profession as “prostitute”–academic ...

Episode 49 - Phryne

July 30, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MB

Did an ancient Greek party girl get off on a capital charge because she flashed the judge? Or was this story just an excuse for artists to get away with painting bare breasts? This week, we dig into trial records, archeological evidence, and ancient gossip to try to get a sense of the woman behind the legend. Content note: This episode is about a historical figure who may or may not have been a sex worker. Some of the sources we quote from translate her profession as “prostitute”–academic ...

Doc Baggs

July 16, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.2 MB

We're heading back to the wild west to meet one of America's smoothest criminals. Let Charles "Doc" Baggs teach you the art of stealing from the rich, giving great speeches, and staying one step ahead of the law. What do we learn when we listen to a criminal telling his side of the story reporters? Who shaped our understanding of the moral landscape of the American west? How cool is this dude, seriously? Show notes and sources at this link

Episode 48 - Doc Baggs

July 16, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.2 MB

We're heading back to the wild west to meet one of America's smoothest criminals. Let Charles "Doc" Baggs teach you the art of stealing from the rich, giving great speeches, and staying one step ahead of the law. What do we learn when we listen to a criminal telling his side of the story reporters? Who shaped our understanding of the moral landscape of the American west? How cool is this dude, seriously? Show notes and sources at this link

Rosa Parks

July 02, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 98.8 MB

You've heard of Rosa Parks—but do you actually know the full story? This week, we dig into the brutal history of segregation in the United States, the difficult work of activism, and the way black civil rights leaders' stories are often taught as part of a whitewashed narrative that minimizes their agency and fails to engage with their actual political views. CONTENT NOTE: A lot of the advocacy work that Rosa Parks and other activists we discuss in this episode took on involves attempting ...

Episode 47 - Rosa Parks

July 02, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 98.8 MB

You've heard of Rosa Parks—but do you actually know the full story? This week, we dig into the brutal history of segregation in the United States, the difficult work of activism, and the way black civil rights leaders' stories are often taught as part of a whitewashed narrative that minimizes their agency and fails to engage with their actual political views. CONTENT NOTE: A lot of the advocacy work that Rosa Parks and other activists we discuss in this episode took on involves attempting ...

The Stonewall Riots

June 18, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

It's Pride month, and you know what that means: It's time for a deep dive into the structural oppression of queer people in America, the exploitative underbelly of New York's mob-owned gay bars, and the night those tensions boiled over in 1969. What exactly was banned by sodomy laws and other laws used to target queer New Yorkers? Why was the mafia paying the police to keep gay bars open? And what was the movement that came out of Stonewall fighting for on the streets and in the courts? Sh...

Episode 46 - The Stonewall Riots

June 18, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

It's Pride month, and you know what that means: It's time for a deep dive into the structural oppression of queer people in America, the exploitative underbelly of New York's mob-owned gay bars, and the night those tensions boiled over in 1969. What exactly was banned by sodomy laws and other laws used to target queer New Yorkers? Why was the mafia paying the police to keep gay bars open? And what was the movement that came out of Stonewall fighting for on the streets and in the courts? Sh...

William Calley (The My Lai Massacre)

June 04, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.9 MB

This week, we cover one of the most shameful war crimes in American history--and the shockingly light sentence of the only man successfully convicted for it. What happens when business tactics are applied to warfare? Why did it take so long for William Calley's crimes to come to light? And why did so many Americans, including the president, believe he was justified in murdering hundreds of civilians? Content notes: This episode is about a war crime trial involving firing on unarmed civilia...

Episode 45 - William Calley (The My Lai Massacre)

June 04, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.9 MB

This week, we cover one of the most shameful war crimes in American history--and the shockingly light sentence of the only man successfully convicted for it. What happens when business tactics are applied to warfare? Why did it take so long for William Calley's crimes to come to light? And why did so many Americans, including the president, believe he was justified in murdering hundreds of civilians? Content notes: This episode is about a war crime trial involving firing on unarmed civilia...

Episode 44 - The Murder of Magistrate Li Yuchang

May 21, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MB

This week, we bring you a story about a suspicious suicide, a vengeful spirit, and the wrath of the emperor. Why was a ghostly accountant out for revenge? How good was the Qing dynasty CSI team? And how did one of the most regimented legal systems in history end up with such a weird, orientalist misrepresentation in the English-speaking world? Show notes and sources at this link

The Murder of Magistrate Li Yuchang

May 21, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MB

This week, we bring you a story about a suspicious suicide, a vengeful spirit, and the wrath of the emperor. Why was a ghostly accountant out for revenge? How good was the Qing dynasty CSI team? And how did one of the most regimented legal systems in history end up with such a weird, orientalist misrepresentation in the English-speaking world? Show notes and sources at this link

Episode 43 - Midhat Pasha

May 07, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 56.2 MB

In our first court case from the Islamic world, we meet one of history's greatest bureaucrats. Midhat Pasha was fantastic at taking control of troubled territories and coming up with grand new legal ideas, but he wasn't so great at playing politics. Meet the scholar who rose to be the Grand Vizier of an empire before he became the defendant in an unwinnable show trial. Show notes and sources at this link

Midhat Pasha

May 07, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 56.2 MB

In our first court case from the Islamic world, we meet one of history's greatest bureaucrats. Midhat Pasha was fantastic at taking control of troubled territories and coming up with grand new legal ideas, but he wasn't so great at playing politics. Meet the scholar who rose to be the Grand Vizier of an empire before he became the defendant in an unwinnable show trial. Show notes and sources at this link

Mary Carleton

April 23, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 52 MB

Meet the woman who claimed to be a German princess, scammed a handful of husbands, palled around with pirates, and played her scandalous self on the stage. Why were so many English men so easy to dupe when a stranger showed up claiming noble heritage? How did a con artist become a celebrity? How much do we really know about Mary as a person, and how much did this self-made woman construct herself as a character? Show notes and sources at this link

Episode 42 - Mary Carleton

April 23, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 52 MB

Meet the woman who claimed to be a German princess, scammed a handful of husbands, palled around with pirates, and played her scandalous self on the stage. Why were so many English men so easy to dupe when a stranger showed up claiming noble heritage? How did a con artist become a celebrity? How much do we really know about Mary as a person, and how much did this self-made woman construct herself as a character? Show notes and sources at this link

Mary Carleton

April 23, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 52 MB

Meet the woman who claimed to be a German princess, scammed a handful of husbands, palled around with pirates, and played her scandalous self on the stage. Why were so many English men so easy to dupe when a stranger showed up claiming noble heritage? How did a con artist become a celebrity? How much do we really know about Mary as a person, and how much did this self-made woman construct herself as a character? Show notes and sources at this link

"Typhoid" Mary Mallon

April 09, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 61 MB

This week, we're covering the strange, sad case of Mary Mallon, one of America's most notorious killers—who never technically committed a crime. When is it illegal to spread a disease? Why did the Health Department have the power to detain people indefinitely? Does Mary deserve her infamy, or was she a victim of a system that was stacked against her from the start? Content note: This is mostly about an epidemic of typhoid fever, but it will also touch on other disease outbreaks and US laws...

Episode 41 - "Typhoid" Mary Mallon

April 09, 2020 12:00 - 58 minutes - 61 MB

This week, we're covering the strange, sad case of Mary Mallon, one of America's most notorious killers—who never technically committed a crime. When is it illegal to spread a disease? Why did the Health Department have the power to detain people indefinitely? Does Mary deserve her infamy, or was she a victim of a system that was stacked against her from the start? Content note: This is mostly about an epidemic of typhoid fever, but it will also touch on other disease outbreaks and US laws...

"Soapy" Smith

March 26, 2020 11:00 - 46 minutes - 45.5 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria go back to the Wild West for our very first outlaw of the American frontier. There's rootin', there's tootin', there's plenty of shootin', and also a truly astonishing amount of...soap? Show notes, photos, and sources at this link (Note: This page contains a photograph of a dead body)

Episode 40 - "Soapy" Smith

March 26, 2020 11:00 - 46 minutes - 45.5 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria go back to the Wild West for our very first outlaw of the American frontier. There's rootin', there's tootin', there's plenty of shootin', and also a truly astonishing amount of...soap? Show notes, photos, and sources at this link (Note: This page contains a photograph of a dead body)

Episode 39 - Wat Tyler

March 12, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MB

Disease! Rebellion! Weeb stuff! This week, we have it all, as we journey back to Wat Tyler's rebellion. Show notes and corrections at this link - We were on a lot of cold medicine while recording and made some mistakes, apologies!

Wat Tyler

March 12, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MB

Disease! Rebellion! Weeb stuff! This week, we have it all, as we journey back to Wat Tyler's rebellion. Show notes and corrections at this link - We were on a lot of cold medicine while recording and made some mistakes, apologies!

King Charles I of England

February 27, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria talk about their first regicide. It's time for the trial and execution of King Charles I -- who denies that you have any legitimacy to listen to this podcast and proclaims that only God has the right to press the play button. Link to the show notes

Episode 38 - Charles I

February 27, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria talk about their first regicide. It's time for the trial and execution of King Charles I -- who denies that you have any legitimacy to listen to this podcast and proclaims that only God has the right to press the play button. Link to the show notes

Episode 37 - Dr. Amy Bishop

February 13, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 49.2 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria talk about a workplace mass shooting and its relationship to employment in America. Expect a conversation ranging from gun regulation to the tenure system and beyond. (Content note: This episode contains discussion of a mass shooting in a workplace, an attempted bombing, and a shooting in a private home) Show notes and sources

Dr. Amy Bishop

February 13, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 49.2 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria talk about a workplace mass shooting and its relationship to employment in America. Expect a conversation ranging from gun regulation to the tenure system and beyond. (Content note: This episode contains discussion of a mass shooting in a workplace, an attempted bombing, and a shooting in a private home) Show notes and sources

David Lane

January 30, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 37.6 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria discuss the white nationalist murderer David Lane, who was inspired to join a radical neo-Nazi group called the Order which went on a year long crime spree up and down the West Coast in 1984-85.

Episode 36 - David Lane

January 30, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 37.6 MB

This week, Isaac and Demetria discuss the white nationalist murderer David Lane, who was inspired to join a radical neo-Nazi group called the Order which went on a year long crime spree up and down the West Coast in 1984-85.

Ma Xiaohai

January 20, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 37.4 MB

This week, we're covering the trial of Chinese swinger Ma Xiaohai, who was arrested for violating Chinese laws against "group licentiousness" as a crime that violates good social order.

Episode 35 - Ma Xiaohai

January 20, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 37.4 MB

This week, we're covering the trial of Chinese swinger Ma Xiaohai, who was arrested for violating Chinese laws against "group licentiousness" as a crime that violates good social order.

New Episode Update

January 17, 2020 02:29

Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances the episode will be delayed a bit further. New plan is to release on Monday; sincere apologies for the further delay.

24 hour delay on next episode

January 16, 2020 00:55

The next episode will release on 1/17 instead of 1/16 due to a scheduling issue that's preventing us from recording.

Episode 34 - Muranishi Tooru

January 02, 2020 12:00 - 57 minutes - 41.8 MB

Demetria and Isaac continue their deep dive into the world of obscenity laws with a look at one of Japan's most infamous bad boys of porn, the AV director Muranishi Tooru.

Muranishi Tooru

January 02, 2020 12:00 - 57 minutes - 41.8 MB

Demetria and Isaac continue their deep dive into the world of obscenity laws with a look at one of Japan's most infamous bad boys of porn, the AV director Muranishi Tooru.

Episode 33 - Lenny Bruce

December 23, 2019 12:00 - 56 minutes - 41.3 MB

This week (and somewhat late), Isaac and Demetria talk about the trials (literally) and tribulations of the great American comedian Lenny Bruce, whose boundary-pushing comedy landed him in hot water on charges of obscenity around the United States. Show notes are linked here (Content note: While there's no visual material at the link that is sexual or shocking, some of the embedded content includes comedy sets by Bruce that listeners may find disturbing in their discussion of race and sexu...

Lenny Bruce

December 23, 2019 12:00 - 56 minutes - 41.3 MB

This week (and somewhat late), Isaac and Demetria talk about the trials (literally) and tribulations of the great American comedian Lenny Bruce, whose boundary-pushing comedy landed him in hot water on charges of obscenity around the United States. Show notes are linked here (Content note: While there's no visual material at the link that is sexual or shocking, some of the embedded content includes comedy sets by Bruce that listeners may find disturbing in their discussion of race and sexu...

Delayed Episode Release

December 19, 2019 03:20

Hey all, sad news. Demetria and Isaac are both down sick and can't record, so we're going to miss our deadline to get an episode to you tomorrow. Sorry for the late notice but we wanted to be absolutely sure that we couldn't record before making the call. Instead, the new plan is to record an episode this weekend and post it on the 23rd, and then resume our regular schedule with an episode on January 2.

The Nippur Homicide Trial

December 05, 2019 12:00 - 54 minutes - 39.3 MB

This week, journey back to the first murder case in recorded history (at least that we were able to find). Who killed a temple functionary in the city of Nippur? Why was it definitely these three guys? Why are we putting the dead guy's wife on trial too? Partial answers to some of these questions, plus lots of complaining about the lack of user-friendly scholarship on ancient Sumer, all coming your way this week! Show notes are at this link

Episode 32 - The Nippur Homicide Trial

December 05, 2019 12:00 - 54 minutes - 39.3 MB

This week, journey back to the first murder case in recorded history (at least that we were able to find). Who killed a temple functionary in the city of Nippur? Why was it definitely these three guys? Why are we putting the dead guy's wife on trial too? Partial answers to some of these questions, plus lots of complaining about the lack of user-friendly scholarship on ancient Sumer, all coming your way this week! Show notes are at this link

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