Court Junkie

In July 2007, a man in a trench coat walked into the crowded New York New York Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and opened fire.    At his trial, his defense would argue that his intent had not been to kill, but to be killed. What would the jury think?   Sponsors in this episode: Up And Vanished - In a one-night special TV event, Oxygen brings to life Payne Lindsey's hit true crime podcast "Up and Vanished." Check it out on Oxygen On Demand Madison Reed - Madison Reed is reinventing the way women color their hair - they offer the quality of salon color, the convenience and affordability of at-home hair color, and combine that with an ammonia-free formula with ingredients you can feel good about. Get 10% off plus Free Shipping on their first color kit. Go to Madison-Reed.com and use code JUNKIE.  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

In December 2013, 20-year-old Heather Elvis mysteriously vanished in the middle of the night and hasn't been seen or heard from since. I covered Heather's disappearance and the first trial of one of the suspects in Episode 45. This episode covers the trial of the second suspect.    Law enforcement and prosecutors are convinced they know what happened to Heather - but would a jury believe their theory?   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 18, 2002, 23-year-old Marine Sergeant Todd Sommer collapsed at the home he shared with his wife, Cynthia. An autopsy concluded that Todd had died from a heart attack, but years later, Cynthia was arrested and charged with murder.    A special thank you to Allen Bloom, one of Cynthia's attorneys, for speaking with me about the case.    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 October 28, 2009, there was a fatal encounter between 57-year-old Mark Stover and 42-year-old Michiel Oakes. Prosecutors say Michiel committed premeditated murder, but Michiel says it was something else. Who will the jury believe? 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 August 20, 2008, a tragedy occurred at the football practice at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, Kentucky. A 15-year-old boy lost his life and a 37-year-old coach would soon face charges in his death.    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 Court Junkie Brief, I interview Stanford Law Professor Michele Dauber, who led the recall campaign against Judge Aaron Persky, the judge who presided over the Brock Turner case from Episode 58.  We discuss why she decided to start the campaign, Judge Persky's sentencing history, and death threats she received as a result of her efforts.  You can follow Professor Dauber on Twitter @mldauber, and also follow their ongoing efforts to put violence against women on the ballots on Twitter @EnoughVoter. Their website should be up shortly, so be on the lookout for that at enoughisenoughvoter.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.

In January 2015, a call of an unconscious female came into the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office in Palo Alto, California. Deputies responded to a fraternity house on the Stanford campus and found an unresponsive woman who had been sexually assaulted, lying on the ground outside, behind a dumpster. The suspect was a freshman at Stanford, and the trial and sentencing that followed would make national news.   I spoke with Professor Michele Dauber, a law professor at Stanford, for this episode. You can follow Professor Dauber on Twitter @mldauber.   For more information on what's next for Professor Dauber's campaign, please visit enoughisenoughvoter.org or follow them on Twitter @enoughvoter. 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 1998, a newborn baby was stolen from the University Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. The mystery would go unsolved for 18 years, until a teenager in South Carolina made a shocking discovery.   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 Episode 34, I covered the case of Kelly Cochran, who was accused of murdering her former lover, Christopher Regan. At her trial, Kelly maintained her innocence and instead placed the blame for Christopher's death on her husband, Jason Cochran, who had mysteriously passed away before the case went to trial. In addition to Christopher's death, Kelly was charged with Jason's murder too.    In this Case Update, I pick up where I left off in Episode 34 - after Kelly went on trial for Christopher's murder. I spoke with MJ Dulmage, an author who has close ties to the case, about Kelly's recent plea deal and sentencing for the death of her husband, Jason Cochran.     For more info on MJ's book, please visit http://www.facebook.com/coldfromtheinside.   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 May 2009, a tragedy hit the small St. Louis suburb of Columbia, Illinois. A loving mother and her two young sons were found dead in their beds. But who would do such a thing, and why? CORRECTION: In the episode, I refer to a woman "who was having an affair with" a married male. I should have instead said that she was "the woman with whom he was having an affair."  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: Lochley Fells by Blue Dot Sessions - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/Barstool/Lochley_Fells Feeling by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Emotion/1Feeling Everywhere by Lee Rosevere - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_For_Podcasts_5/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_For_Podcasts_5_-_06_Everywhere Noodle Opus by Blue Dot Sessions - 

In July 2011, 27-year-old Laura Ackerson went to pick up her two children from her ex-boyfriend's house, only to never be seen or heard from again. The former boyfriend is immediately a suspect, but he quickly points the finger at his new wife. After two trials, will we finally get the answers to what happened to Laura? Disclaimer: This episode contains some graphic testimony. Listener discretion is advised. 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: Suppose It Is by Podington Bear - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_II_-_Felt/Suppose_It_Is You Promise by Alex Mason & The Minor Emotion - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Alex_Mason__The_Minor_Emotion/Soul_Breaker/08_alex_mason___the_minor_emotion_-_you_promise Clouds by Sergey Cheremisinov - http://freemus

Darren Sharper retired from the NFL a sports hero, after helping lead the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2011. But just three years later, some shocking allegations would surface and prove that everything wasn't as it seemed. Thank you to Ramon Antonio Vargas, for helping me with this case. Follow him on Twitter @RVargasAdvocate or email him at rvargas@theadvocate.com. 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: Noodle Opus by Blue Dot Sessions - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/Piano_Mover/Noodle_Opus Suppose It Is by Podington Bear - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_II_-_Felt/Suppose_It_Is Not Alone by Lee Rosevere - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_10

On December 6, 2011, police officers in Princeton, Massachusetts responded to a 911 call from a prominent dentist's home. When they arrived, they found the dentist's wife lying on the ground, underneath a broken third-floor window.  Was it suicide, murder, or a tragic accident? Thank you to Melissa Hanson from MassLive.com for her help with this episode. Follow Melissa on Twitter - Twitter.com/Melissa__Hanson.  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: Feathered by Blue Dot Sessions - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/The_Cabinetmaker/Feathered machinery by Kai Engel - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/Caeli/Kai_Engel_-_caeli_-_05_machinery_1506 Waves by Podington Bear - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Textural/Waves_1535 Tarnish by

In February 2017, 21-year-old Reagan Tokes disappeared after leaving the restaurant where she worked in Columbus, Ohio.  Clues found in her abandoned car would lead investigators to her killer - but his criminal past would have everyone questioning just how well the system works - or doesn't.  For more information on the Reagan Tokes Act, check out this article - https://www.10tv.com/article/reagan-tokes-act-introduced-ohio-statehouse.  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: Noodle Opus by Blue Dot Sessions - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/Piano_Mover/Noodle_Opus Epic Cinematic by Scott Holmes - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Documentary__TV_series/Epic_Cinematic Perception by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Visuals/2P

In November 2006, a young pregnant mother was found dead in her home near Raleigh, North Carolina. Investigators immediately suspected her husband, who had a seemingly rock-solid alibi - he was hundreds of miles away on a business trip at the time of the murder. Or was he? In Part 2, we finally hear Jason's side of the story - but is it enough to keep him out of prison? Note: WRAL.com has some fantastic videos from the trial and other interviews with people involved in the case.  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: Memoir of Solitude - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Memoir_of_Solitude/untitled_1306 Weightlessness by Daniel Birch - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/Ambient_Vol1/Weightlessness You Promise by Alex Mason & The Minor Emotion - http:

In November 2006, a young pregnant mother was found dead in her home near Raleigh, North Carolina. Investigators immediately suspected her husband, who had a seemingly rock-solid alibi - he was hundreds of miles away on a business trip at the time of the murder. Or was he? 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: Not Alone by Lee Rosevere - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_10_Not_Alone Locked Up by Scott Holmes - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Documentary__TV_series/Locked_Up Laberynth Mind by Marcos H. Bolanos - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Marcos_H_Bolanos/Unchained_Melodies_Vol2/Laberynth_Mind_master Thoughts About Future by Parvus Decree - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Parvus_De

In April 2013, the small community in Valley Springs, California, was shaken by a mysterious intruder who allegedly broke into a home and senselessly murdered an 8-year-old girl.  But after an arrest was made, there seemed to be more questions than answers.  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: Gravity by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Visuals/4Gravity Memoir of Solitude - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Memoir_of_Solitude/untitled_1306 Suppose It Is by Podington Bear - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_II_-_Felt/Suppose_It_Is Human by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Creation/Borrtex_11_Human

In 2007, 15-year-old Jennifer Mee gained national attention as the "Hiccup Girl," a teenager from Florida whose hiccups would not go away. Just a few years later, she would re-emerge after being charged with first-degree murder.  Jennifer's trial was interesting because there was one thing all sides could agree on - Jennifer herself did not pull the trigger. So would the punishment fit the crime? 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: Gone by Audiobinger - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Audiobinger/~/Gone_1140 Rainbow by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Visuals/5Rainbow Weightlessness by Daniel Birch - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/Ambient_Vol1/Weightlessness Style by Borrtex - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Visuals/1Style

On May 29, 2016, a white SUV mysteriously drove off a cliff in Hana, a town at the eastern end of Maui, in Hawaii. Inside the SUV were identical twin sisters - Alexandria and Anastasia Duval - but only one of them would survive, while the other would be charged with second degree murder.  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: Postcards by Scott Holmes - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Documentary__TV_series/Postcards Weightlessness by Daniel Birch - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/Ambient_Vol1/Weightlessness Song Before Sunrise by Lee Rosevere - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_To_Wake_Up_To/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_To_Wake_Up_To_-_03_Song_Before_Sunrise Epic Cinematic by Scott Holmes - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holm

In September 2014, 50-year-old real estate agent Beverly Carter went to meet a couple interested in purchasing a house she was showing, only to never be seen again. Her body was found days later and a man no one in her family knew was taken into custody. In this episode, I speak with Beverly's son, Carl Carter Jr., about what this tragedy was like for his family, and how he was able to cope during a very contentious trial - with a defense that tried their best to smear his mother's name.  Be sure to visit BeverlyCarterFoundation.org for more info on the Beverly Carter Foundation. 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: Suppose It Is by Poddington Bear - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_II_-_Felt/Suppose_It_Is Someday I'll like you but before let me rest