Using various programmes, AI True Crime looks at true crime stories using AI text generation (ChatGPT and others) and voice-to-text, with background Music by Bensound.
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The Murder of William Desmond Taylor - Part 2 (00:26:05)
Episode Notes
Episode Two: William Desmond Taylor — Theories and Suspects
Episode focus:This episode examines the principal suspects and theories advanced in the William Desmond Taylor murder from 1922 to the present, with attention to how and why certain individuals became focal points while others were insulated from scrutiny.
Subjects covered:
Edward Sands and the role of absence in suspect construction
Mary Miles Minter, her correspondence with Taylor, and the press reaction
Charlotte Shelby’s proximity to Taylor, access to firearms, and inconsistent statements
How early LAPD investigative priorities shifted under studio and political pressure
The function of moral panic and celebrity scandal in shaping suspicion
Key analytical points:
Suspects emerged unevenly based on class, gender, and perceived expendability
Media coverage amplified scandal over evidence
Several lines of inquiry were deprioritized rather than disproven
The case’s lack of resolution was not due solely to evidentiary gaps
Primary sources and reporting:
https://vault.fbi.gov/william-desmond-taylor
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-william-desmond-taylor/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-11-ca-1041-story.html
https://silentfilm.org/william-desmond-taylor/
https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/199180%7C153969/William-Desmond-Taylor/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-times-william-desmond-taylor/
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-charlotte-shelby/
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-mary-miles-minter/
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The Murder of William Desmond Taylor: Part 1 (00:44:16)
Episode Notes
William Desmond Taylor
Episode One: The Life and Murder of Hollywood’s Most Respectable Secret
This is AI True Crime, and tonight, we start our three-part investigation of the murder of William Deane Tanner, better known to history as William Desmond Taylor.
On February 2, 1922, one of the most respected figures in early Hollywood was found dead in his Los Angeles bungalow. William Desmond Taylor, a successful film director known for his discipline, intelligence, and moral seriousness, had been shot in the back. No arrest was ever made. No one was charged. More than a century later, the murder remains officially unsolved.
Taylor’s death did not occur in isolation. It happened at a moment when Hollywood was struggling to define itself, to defend its public image, and to keep its secrets buried. What followed was one of the first true celebrity crime frenzies in American history, involving silent film stars, studio interference, compromised evidence, and a press corps eager to turn scandal into spectacle.
This first episode focuses on Taylor’s life and the events surrounding his murder. Before there could be theories, there had to be a man, and before there could be a crime, there had to be a carefully constructed identity.
William Desmond Taylor was born William Deane Tanner in County Carlow, Ireland, in 1872. He was raised in a comfortable Anglo-Irish household and educated to enter a respectable professional life. As a young man, he traveled extensively, worked in business, married, and had children. By all outward appearances, his life followed a conventional path.
Then, in the early 1900s, he disappeared.
Tanner abandoned his family and vanished from public record. Years later, he resurfaced in North America under a new name, a new history, and a new ambition. By the time he arrived in California, he was William Desmond Taylor, a man who spoke with refinement, dressed conservatively, and carried himself with the authority of someone who belonged in positions of leadership.
Taylor entered the film industry at a critical moment, when movies were evolving from short novelty reels into narrative art. He quickly proved himself capable and reliable. While many early directors struggled with chaos, Taylor was known for order. He respected actors, maintained discipline on set, and took his work seriously. Over the course of his career, he directed dozens of films and became a mentor to younger performers.
Unlike many figures of the silent era, Taylor cultivated an image of propriety. He lived quietly, avoided public scandal, and presented himself as a cultured gentleman. This reputation would later make his murder all the more shocking.
Behind the scenes, Taylor’s personal life was more complicated. He formed close relationships with several actresses, most notably Mary Miles Minter, a young star whose devotion to him was intense and deeply documented in letters. He was also associated with Mabel Normand, one of the era’s biggest comedic stars, who was struggling with substance abuse and professional instability. These relationships were not publicly scandalous at the time, but they would become central to press speculation after his death.
In the days leading up to the murder, Taylor appeared to be in good spirits. He had upcoming meetings, ongoing projects, and no known enemies who had openly threatened him. On the night of February 1, 1922, he entertained visitors at his bungalow at 404-B South Alvarado Street. The following morning, his body was discovered by his valet.
Taylor had been shot once in the back with a small-caliber firearm. The position of the body suggested that he may have been standing or turning away when the shot was fired. Almost immediately, the crime scene was compromised. Police allowed neighbors and reporters inside the bungalow. Objects were handled. Items disappeared. A mysterious man reportedly seen leaving the house was never identified.
The investigation quickly became disorganized. Witness accounts conflicted. Evidence was mishandled. Studio representatives arrived early and appeared to influence what information reached the press. As rumors spread, the focus shifted from facts to scandal. Taylor’s past identity was exposed. His relationships were sensationalized. Hollywood moved into damage-control mode.
Despite intense public interest, no one was ever charged. The murder weapon was never recovered. Over time, the case drifted from active investigation into legend.
Taylor’s death had lasting consequences. It contributed to Hollywood’s moral panic of the early 1920s and helped push studios toward stricter contracts and behavior clauses. It also became a template for how celebrity crime would be consumed by the public, blending truth, rumor, and spectacle into a single narrative.
Decades later, the case would be revived by writers and historians, most notably in Cast of Killers, which explored the claim that director King Vidor privately investigated Taylor’s murder years after the fact, acting as an unofficial detective driven by guilt, curiosity, and unfinished business.
In the next episode, we move beyond the life and into the mystery. We examine the suspects, the competing theories, and what may have really happened inside that bungalow in 1922.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING
Cast of Killers: William Desmond Taylor, the Movie Director Who DisappearedSidney D. Kirkpatrickhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179246.Cast_of_Killers
William Desmond Taylor Murder Case Overviewhttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/papers/desmond.html
William Desmond TaylorTurner Classic Movieshttps://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/202180%7C154592/William-Desmond-Taylor/
William Desmond Taylor Biographyhttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/papers/taylor.html
Hollywood Scandals of the Silent Erahttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/encyclopedia/ccp.html
Mary Miles Minter Papershttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/papers/minter.html
Mabel Normand Biographyhttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/papers/normand.html
Los Angeles Times Archive Coverage of William Desmond Taylorhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1922-02-03-me-48923-story.html
Famous Unsolved Murders: William Desmond Taylorhttps://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/william-desmond-taylor
Silent Film Era Crime and Scandalhttps://silentfilm.org/uncategorized/william-desmond-taylor-murder/
William Desmond Taylor Case Summaryhttps://www.crimemagazine.com/william-desmond-taylor-murder
Early Hollywood and Morality Clauseshttps://wfpp.columbia.edu/essay/morality-clauses/
This has been AI True Crime.Written by ChatGPTMusic by MurekaEpisode art by MidJourneyShow notes by ChatGPT
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The Death of Natalie Wood (00:44:49)
Episode Notes
AI TRUE CRIME
Episode: Natalie Wood – What Happened on the Splendour
Tagline: The Intelligence is Artificial, but the Crime is Real.
EPISODE SUMMARY
On November 29, 1981, actress Natalie Wood was found drowned off the coast of Catalina Island near a yacht named Splendour. She was 43 years old. The official ruling at the time was accidental drowning. For decades, that explanation stood largely unchallenged in the public imagination.
This episode of AI True Crime reexamines Natalie Wood’s death through documented timelines, witness statements, physical evidence, and the behavior of those present that night. Rather than treating the case as a tragic mystery, this episode treats it as a failure of investigation shaped by power, celebrity, and silence.
KEY FACTS
Natalie Wood was aboard the yacht
Splendour
with her husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken.
The group had been drinking and arguing earlier in the evening.
Natalie Wood was known to have a lifelong fear of water.
She was last seen alive during a confrontation onboard.
She was found hours later in the water, wearing a nightgown, socks, and a zipped red down jacket.
No immediate distress call or search was initiated.
The initial investigation was brief and accepted the accident narrative with minimal challenge.
Decades later, the case was officially reopened and the manner of death was changed from “accidental” to “undetermined.”
THEMES EXPLORED IN THIS EPISODE
Control and escalation in intimate relationships
The role of delay and inaction in preventable deaths
How celebrity alters police behavior
Why accident narratives are often convenient
The difference between legal outcomes and factual understanding
Hollywood’s long history of narrative containment
KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED
Why would a woman with a documented fear of water voluntarily enter the ocean at night?
Why were injuries on Natalie Wood’s body never rigorously reconstructed?
Why did witness statements change over time?
Why was there no immediate emergency response?
Why did the story harden into “accident” so quickly?
Who benefited from that conclusion?
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
This episode does not rely on rumor or internet folklore. It draws from:
Contemporary police reports
Autopsy findings
Public statements by witnesses
Later sworn testimony
Investigative journalism
Official changes to the case status by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Where facts are disputed, the episode focuses on behavior, probability, and consistency rather than speculation.
WHY THIS CASE STILL MATTERS
Natalie Wood’s death is not simply a celebrity tragedy. It is a case study in how power reshapes truth. It demonstrates how quickly investigations can be derailed when the people involved are famous, respected, or institutionally protected.
The questions surrounding her death remain unresolved not because they are unknowable, but because they were never pursued with the seriousness they required.
WHAT’S NEXT
The next episodes of AI True Crime begin a major multi-episode investigation into the 1922 murder of Hollywood director William Desmond Taylor, a crime that established many of the same patterns seen in Natalie Wood’s case: compromised scenes, controlled narratives, and institutional silence.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING
(All links are active and suitable for show notes. Line breaks between entries, no truncation.)
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1981-12-01-me-2449-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1981-12-04-me-3174-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-11-18-la-me-natalie-wood-20111119-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-01-14-la-me-natalie-wood-20120114-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-natalie-wood-death-20180131-story.html
https://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/18/natalie.wood.death/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/14/showbiz/natalie-wood-death/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/01/entertainment/natalie-wood-death-investigation/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/natalie-wood-death-investigation-what-we-know-n844151
https://www.npr.org/2018/02/02/582464185/natalie-woods-death-what-we-know
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-mysterious-death-of-natalie-wood-180968193/
https://people.com/movies/natalie-wood-death-everything-to-know/
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/02/natalie-wood-death-investigation
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/01/natalie-wood-death-investigation-reopened
https://www.biography.com/actors/natalie-wood
https://www.biography.com/actors/robert-wagner
https://www.lasd.org/natalie-wood-investigation-statement
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/natalie-woods-death-investigation-know/story?id=52788370
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/natalie-wood-death-investigation-124555/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/natalie-wood-death-investigation-timeline-1081613/
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Episode Notes
Robert Blake (actor) overview with detailed “Murder of Bonny Lee Bakley” sectionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Blake_%28actor%29 Wikipedia
Bonny Lee Bakley – background on the victim and details of the killing and trialshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonny_Lee_Bakley Wikipedia
List of unsolved murders 2000–present – entry summarizing Bakley’s killing and Blake’s criminal and civil caseshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_murders_%282000%E2%80%93present%29 Wikipedia
Actor Robert Blake acquitted of wife’s murder – History.com case summary and timelinehttps://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-16/robert-blake-acquitted-of-wifes-murder HISTORY
Actor Robert Blake Acquitted in Shooting Death of His Wife – Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-mar-17-me-blake17-story.html Los Angeles Times
Robert Blake Found Not Guilty of Killing Wife – ABC News trial reporthttps://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/LegalCenter/story?id=525076\&page=1 ABC News
The Murder of Bonny Lee Bakley: Case Remains Unsolved Decades Later – A\&Ehttps://www.aetv.com/articles/the-murder-of-bonny-lee-bakley-case-remains-unsolved-decades-later AETV
Who Really Killed Bonny Lee Bakley in 2001? – Biography.com crime featurehttps://www.biography.com/crime/a43275241/bonny-lee-bakley-murder Biography
Court cuts Robert Blake’s wrongful death judgment – Reuters on the appeal cutting $30M to $15Mhttps://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/court-cuts-robert-blakes-wrongful-death-judgment-idUSN26416189/ Reuters
Blake to pay $30m damages after guilty verdict – The Guardian on the civil wrongful death verdicthttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/nov/22/2005inreview The Guardian
Blake Hit with $30 Mil Wrongful Death Verdict – People magazinehttps://people.com/celebrity/blake-hit-with-30-mil-wrongful-death-verdict/ People.com
Robert Blake Case: Investigators Speak Out 15 Years After Death of Actor’s Wife – Peoplehttps://people.com/celebrity/robert-blake-case-investigators-speak-out-15-years-after-death-of-actors-wife/ People.com
Bonny Lee Bakley had a remarkable story that played a big role at her husband Robert Blake’s murder trial – ABC Newshttps://abcnews.go.com/US/bonny-lee-bakley-remarkable-story-played-big-role/story?id=60056830 ABC News
How Robert Blake’s bold and unpredictable personality played into trials for his wife’s murder – ABC Newshttps://abcnews.go.com/US/robert-blakes-bold-unpredictable-personality-played-trials-wifes/story?id=60261418 ABC News
Robert Blake Murder Case – CNN transcript (Larry King Live segment, 2002)https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/lt/date/2002-11-12/segment/07 CNN Transcripts
Robert Blake Found Not Guilty of Killing Wife – CNN transcript (Nancy Grace, verdict day, 2005)https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/ng/date/2005-03-16/segment/01 CNN Transcripts
Blake Jury Reviews Transcripts, Goes Home – Fox News on jury deliberationshttps://www.foxnews.com/story/blake-jury-reviews-transcripts-goes-home.print Fox News
Out on Bail, and Out of Jail Forever? How Robert Blake’s Pretrial Hearing Evidence May Help Him Win His Case At Trial – FindLaw legal commentaryhttps://supreme.findlaw.com/legal-commentary/out-on-bail-and-out-of-jail-forever.html FindLaw
Robert Blake Case File – Smoking Gun document hub (criminal complaint, letters, etc.)https://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/robert-blake-case-file thesmokinggun.com
The Robert Blake and the Bonnie Lee Bakley murder investigation – Englert Forensics analysishttps://englertforensics.com/the-robert-blake-and-the-bonnie-lee-bakley-murder-investigation/ englertforensics.com
The Alternative Science of the Robert Blake Criminal Trial – forensic science journal article (PDF)https://medwinpublishers.com/IJFSC/the-alternative-science-of-the-robert-blake-criminal-trial.pdf Medwin Publishers
Tual v. Blake – California appeal reducing civil judgment to $15M – Horvitz & Levy case summaryhttps://www.horvitzlevy.com/tual-v-blake-california-court-of-appeal-reduces-civil-judgment-against-actor-robert-blake-from-30-million-to-15-million/ Horvitz & Levy
Appeal From Robert Blake Wrongful Death Verdict – opinion (scanned document on Scribd)https://www.scribd.com/document/33530773/Appeal-From-Robert-Blake-Worngful-Death-Verdict-Opinion Scribd
Blake lawyer says civil trial was unfair – Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-16-me-blake16-story.html Los Angeles Times
Blake to Talk With Barbara Walters – Los Angeles Times on the jailhouse interview arrangementhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-15-me-blake15-story.html Los Angeles Times
Walters to interview Blake inside L.A. jail – San Francisco Chronicle / SFGatehttps://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Walters-to-interview-Blake-inside-L-A-jail-2669582.php SFGATE
Jailhouse interview granted; Blake to tell story to Walters – Lawrence Journal-Worldhttps://www2.ljworld.com/news/2003/feb/16/jailhouse_interview_granted/ LJWorld.com
Robert Blake Can’t Keep Quiet – CBS News on his desire to speak publicly during the casehttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/robert-blake-cant-keep-quiet/ CBS News
Entertainment Today: Showbiz News – UPI item on Blake’s Barbara Walters interviewhttps://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/02/19/Entertainment-Today-Showbiz-News/27521045641600/ UPI
State Court – Bail – Capital Murder – Mesereau Law Firm on defending Blake in the murder casehttps://mesereaulaw.com/state-court-bail-capital-murder/ Mesereau Law Group
Robert Blake, actor acquitted in wife’s killing, dies at 89 – PBS NewsHour obituary with case recaphttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/robert-blake-actor-acquitted-in-wifes-killing-dies-at-89 PBS
BLAKE BEATS RAP; SLAY VERDICT A SHOCKER – New York Post verdict coveragehttps://nypost.com/2005/03/17/blake-beats-rap-slay-verdicta-shocker-even-for-him/ New York Post
Bonny Lee Bakley had a remarkable story that played a big role at her husband Robert Blake’s murder trial – ABC News featurehttps://abcnews.go.com/US/bonny-lee-bakley-remarkable-story-played-big-role/story?id=60056830 ABC News
Lonely Heart – Robert Blake murder, Bonny Lee Bakley – trial chronology and documentshttps://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_blake.html vanceholmes.com
Season 7: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley – Wondery’s Hollywood and Crime podcast season pagehttps://wondery.com/shows/hollywood-and-crime/season/7/ Wondery | Premium Podcasts
Introducing: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley – Spotify episodehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/0pBGzhc3pNMCvZKa3pt4OS Spotify
True Crime Vault: Robert Blake – 20/20 podcast page with trial discussionhttps://pod.wave.co/podcast/2020/true-crime-vault-robert-blake-cdb61086 Wave AI Podcast Notes
“20/20” Robert Blake – IMDb entry for Barbara Walters’ 2003 special on the casehttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt6633994/ IMDb
The Robert Blake Case – Court TV / YouTube segment (video, but focused on the murder case)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCNcH_5G6ic youtube.com
The Mysterious Murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley – documentary episode on Blake casehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX1aqDBGCWE youtube.com
The Crimes of Donald Trump (00:27:30)
Episode Notes
1. The 1973 DOJ Lawsuit Against Trump for Housing Discrimination
United States v. Fred C. Trump, Donald Trump, and Trump Management, Inc. (Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse)
https://clearinghouse.net/case/15342
NPR - Decades-Old Housing Discrimination Case Plagues Donald Trump
https://www.npr.org/2016/09/29/495955920/donald-trump-plagued-by-decades-old-housing-discrimination-case
Politico - FBI releases files on 1970s race discrimination probe into Trump Management
https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/02/trump-fbi-files-discrimination-case-235067
Washington Post - Trump and the Central Park Five: the racial injustice that won’t die
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/20/trump-and-the-central-park-five-the-racial-injustice-that-wont-die
2. Trump Tower’s Mob-Connected Concrete Supply
Politico - Just What Were Donald Trump’s Ties to the Mob
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910
Esquire - Fear City and the Real-Life Mafia Connections to Trump Tower
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a33350476/fear-city-new-york-mafia-donald-trump-tower-mob-ties-explained
New York Times - Trump and the Mob
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/opinion/campaign-stops/donald-trump-and-the-mob.html
The Guardian - Trump’s connections to the mob go back decades
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/28/donald-trump-mafia-links-construction-new-york
3. Commodore Hotel and the Grand Hyatt Tax Abatement Scheme
ProPublica - Trump Pushed for a Sweetheart Tax Deal on His First Hotel
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-pushed-for-a-sweetheart-tax-deal-on-his-first-hotel-its-cost-new-york-city-410-068-399-and-counting
NPR - As Trump Built His Real Estate Empire, Tax Breaks Played A Pivotal Role
https://www.npr.org/2017/05/18/528998663/as-trump-built-his-real-estate-empire-tax-breaks-played-a-pivotal-role
New York Times Archive - Trump Sees Big Payoff in Hotel Deal
https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/14/archives/trump-sees-big-payoff-in-hotel-deal-trump-sees-big-payoff-in.html
Wikipedia - Hyatt Grand Central New York (formerly Commodore Hotel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Grand_Central_New_York
4. Trump’s Use of the Alias “John Barron”
Washington Post - The Amazing Story of Donald Trump's Old Spokesman, John Barron
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/21/the-amazing-story-of-donald-trumps-old-spokesman-john-barron-who-was-actually-donald-trump-himself
New York Times - Trump Posed as Publicist to Brag About Himself
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/politics/donald-trump-tape.html
CNN - Yes, Donald Trump Posed as His Own Spokesperson. Here's the Tape.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/13/politics/donald-trump-john-barron-spokesman/index.html
Wikipedia - Pseudonyms Used by Donald Trump
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonyms_used_by_Donald_Trump
5. Early Financial Misrepresentation and Media Manipulation
Vanity Fair - The Secret History of Trump’s First Fortune
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/10/donald-trump-family-history
The Atlantic - Donald Trump, Real Estate Huckster
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/the-ugly-american/476370
Fortune - Donald Trump’s Business Failures Were Very Real
https://fortune.com/2016/06/23/donald-trump-business-failures
6. General Histories and Investigative Journalism on Trump in the 1970s
The New Yorker - Trump’s Mobbed-Up, McCarthyite Mentor
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/trumps-mobbed-up-mccarthyite-mentor
Mother Jones - 40 Years of Donald Trump’s Lies
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/07/guide-donald-trump-falsehoods/
Vox - Donald Trump’s Long History of Racism
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racism-history
PBS Frontline - The Choice 2016 (documentary and transcript)
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-choice-2016
1973 DOJ Lawsuit Against Trump for Housing Discrimination
Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse – United States v. Fred C. Trump, Donald Trump, and Trump Management, Inc.
https://clearinghouse.net/case/15342
NPR – Decades-Old Housing Discrimination Case Plagues Donald Trump
https://www.npr.org/2016/09/29/495955920/donald-trump-plagued-by-decades-old-housing-discrimination-case
Politico – FBI Releases Files on Trump Apartments' Race Discrimination Probe in '70s
https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/02/trump-fbi-files-discrimination-case-235067
2. Ties to Organized Crime and Use of S&A Concrete
Politico – Just What Were Donald Trump's Ties to the Mob?
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910
Esquire – True Story of Donald Trump's Mob Ties in Fear City
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a33350476/fear-city-new-york-mafia-donald-trump-tower-mob-ties-explained
The Washington Post – Trump Swam in Mob-Infested Waters in Early Years as an NYC Developer
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/trump-swam-in-mob-infested-waters-in-early-years-as-an-nyc-developer/2015/10/16/3c75b918-60a3-11e5-b38e-06883aacba64_story.html
3. Commodore Hotel and the Grand Hyatt Tax Abatement Scheme
ProPublica – Trump Pushed for a Sweetheart Tax Deal on His First Hotel
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-pushed-for-a-sweetheart-tax-deal-on-his-first-hotel-its-cost-new-york-city-410-068-399-and-counting
NPR – As Trump Built His Real Estate Empire, Tax Breaks Played A Pivotal Role
https://www.npr.org/2017/05/18/528998663/as-trump-built-his-real-estate-empire-tax-breaks-played-a-pivotal-role
Wikipedia – Hyatt Grand Central New York
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Grand_Central_New_York
4. Trump's Use of the Alias "John Barron"
The Washington Post – The Amazing Story of Donald Trump's Old Spokesman, John Barron
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/21/the-amazing-story-of-donald-trumps-old-spokesman-john-barron-who-was-actually-donald-trump-himself/
Wikipedia – Pseudonyms Used by Donald Trump
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonyms_used_by_Donald_Trump
YouTube – Trump's Alter Ego | Choice Moments | FRONTLINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsYKRUE_D5g
5. Early Financial Misrepresentation and Media Manipulation
Vanity Fair – The Secret History of Trump’s First Fortune
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/10/donald-trump-family-history
The Atlantic – Donald Trump, Real Estate Huckster
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/the-ugly-american/476370
Fortune – Donald Trump’s Business Failures Were Very Real
https://fortune.com/2016/06/23/donald-trump-business-failures
6. General Histories and Investigative Journalism on Trump in the 1970s
The New Yorker – Trump's Mobbed-Up, McCarthyite Mentor
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/trumps-mobbed-up-mccarthyite-mentor
Mother Jones – 40 Years of Donald Trump's Lies
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/07/guide-donald-trump-falsehoods/
Vox – Donald Trump's Long History of Racism
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racism-history
PBS Frontline – The Choice 2016 (Documentary and Transcript)
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-choice-2016
Anna Nicole Smith (00:08:17)
Transcript
Some of the most disturbing details came from her final days. In the Bahamas, she had been photographed with a local politician, the immigration minister, fueling rumors of influence and favoritism. Her mansion there contained an open refrigerator filled with diet products, injectable vitamins, and bottles of methadone. The drugs followed her everywhere, from Los Angeles to Nassau to Florida. Each bottle seemed to carry someone else’s name.
Even her funeral was a contest. In the Bahamas, where she was buried beside her son, old enemies stood side by side with lovers and lawyers. Cameras filmed every moment. Her daughter’s paternity was finally confirmed: Larry Birkhead was the father. He would raise the child far from the cameras that had devoured her mother.
The story of Anna Nicole Smith has all the elements of a true crime story: money, sex, death, and power. But the crime was not only the overdose or the prescriptions. It was the system that fed on her. She was used by everyone who touched her life—the tabloids, the lawyers, the corporations, the men who called themselves protectors. Even the courts could not save her. She fought for a fortune she never got to spend, for love she could not keep, and for peace that never came.
The FBI investigation remains a strange footnote. The paternity trial turned her death into spectacle. The drug charges revealed a pipeline of controlled substances fed to her by people who said they cared. And through it all, she became an American myth. A poor girl who became rich, a sex symbol who became an addict, a mother who buried her child, and a woman who died surrounded by people who stood to gain from her demise.
She wanted to be Marilyn Monroe, and she got her wish in the worst possible way. Like Monroe, she became a blonde ghost of the American dream—beautiful, tragic, profitable. In the years since her death, documentaries, trials, and lawsuits have kept her story alive. They have not brought clarity, only repetition. Every retelling shows how modern fame can turn a human being into a commodity.
Anna Nicole Smith’s death was ruled an accident. But accidents do not happen in isolation. They are built step by step, by decisions, by pressure, by greed, and by neglect. Hers was a slow-motion crime committed in plain sight. Her beauty was her weapon and her curse, and in the end, the same eyes that once adored her only watched her fade.
She remains frozen in photographs, smiling with a tilt of the head, all promise and sadness. Her story is not just a tragedy; it is a warning. The cameras are still rolling. The appetite for destruction is still there. The crime that killed Anna Nicole Smith was never solved, because it was never meant to be. It was the crime of fame itself.
NXIVM (00:22:17)
The Rise & Fall of Billy Jensen (00:06:54)
Episode Notes
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/billy-jensen-murder-squad-misconduct-allegation-investigation-1384950/
https://jamesrenner.com/the-whisper-network/#:~:text=A%20woman%20who%20worked%20on,at%20a%20company%20Halloween%20party.
Book: "Chase Darkness with Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders"
https://www.amazon.com/Chase-Darkness-Me-True-Crime/dp/1492685852
Jensen, Billy. Chase Darkness with Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders. Sourcebooks, 2019.
Podcast: "The Murder Squad"
https://themurdersquad.com/
Jensen, Billy, and Holes, Paul. "The Murder Squad." The Murder Squad.
Podcast: "The First Degree"
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/the-first-degree
Jensen, Billy, Linkletter, Alexis, and Vanek, Jac. "The First Degree." Stitcher.
Podcast: "Chasing Cosby"
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/chasing-cosby
Jensen, Billy, and Weisensee Egan, Nicki. "Chasing Cosby." Stitcher.
Podcast: "Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer"
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unraveled-long-island-serial-killer/id1554853981
Jensen, Billy, and Linkletter, Alexis. "Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer." Apple Podcasts.
The Death of Michael Jackson (00:26:43)
Episode Notes
Major Official Reports & Autopsies
Los Angeles County Coroner’s Autopsy Report, June 26, 2009 – determined the cause of death as “acute propofol intoxication” with contributing sedatives, ruled a homicide.
PDF via CNN: https://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/09/mj_autopsy.pdf DocumentCloud+3mrsblackmonsscienceblackboard.weebly.com+3YouTube+3Britannica+5Hilaris Publisher+5DocumentCloud+5i2.cdn.turner.com
Michael Jackson Autopsy – DocumentCloud, text/html version: confirms cause of death as “acute propofol intoxication” along with sedatives.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/251735-autopsy-0001-optimized/ DocumentCloud
The Michael Jackson Autopsy: Insights Provided by a Forensic Anesthesiologist – academic PDF report providing forensic and timeline analysis.
https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/the-michael-jackson-autopsy-insights-provided-by-a-forensic-anesthesiologist-2157-7145.1000138.pdf DocumentCloud+5Hilaris Publisher+5YouTube+5
📰 Press Coverage & Timeline
“Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest”, Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2009.
“Jackson death a homicide, criminal charge possible”, Reuters, Aug 28, 2009.
“Jackson’s death ruled a homicide; lethal levels of propofol found”, Pitchfork, Aug 25, 2009.
https://pitchfork.com/news/36313-michael-jacksons-death-ruled-a-homicide EBSCO+6Wikipedia+6People+6Pitchfork
“What Was Michael Jackson’s Cause of Death? Inside the King of Pop’s Final Moments, 16 Years Later”, People.com, Jun 25, 2025.
https://people.com/michael-jackson-death-legacy-what-to-know-8606534 Pitchfork+4People+4sites.temple.edu+4
🕵️ Investigative & Contextual Sources
Wikipedia: “Death of Michael Jackson” – extensive breakdown of events, official statements, trial, public response.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Michael_Jackson Wikipedia
Britannica: “How did Michael Jackson die?” – concise confirmed cause of death ruled homicide by propofol overdose.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Jackson Wikipedia+6Britannica+6Pitchfork+6
HISTORY.com Article "King of Pop Michael Jackson dies at age 50", Nov 13, 2009 (updated Jan 31, 2025).
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-25/king-of-pop-michael-jackson-dies-at-age-50 HISTORY
⚖️ Legal Proceedings & Trials
People v. Murray trial coverage: Murray convicted involuntarily of manslaughter—see Reuters and NY Times, CNN archives (coverage referenced by Wikipedia entry).
🧪 Toxicology & Expert Analysis
EBSCO Research Starter: “Michael Jackson’s Death” – summary of drug interactions, propofol overdose dynamics.
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/pharmacy-and-pharmacology/michael-jacksons-death Britannica+5EBSCO+5Wikipedia+5
Mrs. Blackmon’s Science Blackboard – Toxicology summary: overview of acute propofol + benzodiazepine cause.
http://mrsblackmonsscienceblackboard.weebly.com/toxicology.html mrsblackmonsscienceblackboard.weebly.com+1Hilaris Publisher+1
📷 LAPD Evidence Archive
Reddit compilation: “The 155 photos LAPD investigators took on June 26, 2009” – links to images of evidence at the scene.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MichaelJackson/comments/131gz8c/the_155_photos_lapd_investigators_took_on_june/ reddit.com+1People+1
🏛️ FBI Records
FBI Vault: Michael Jackson Investigative Files – includes assistance documents, FBI input re threats; not directly about death but contextual.
https://vault.fbi.gov/Michael%20Jackson fbi.govvault.fbi.gov
📚 Secondary & Tertiary Analyses
TEMPLE University Libraries: “Michael Jackson, 1958–2009: Primary Resources…” overview.
https://sites.temple.edu/librarynews/2009/07/07/michael_jackson/ sites.temple.edu
The Girl Scout Murders (00:35:31)
Episode Notes
“Timeline of the Girl Scout murders.” Tulsa World, last updated June 12, 2022.
https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/timeline-of-the-girl-scout-murders/article_9e3f12e6-e9c2-11ec-a997-6fa8e110ba43.html
Sherman, Delanie. “45 Years Later, The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders Remain Unsolved.” Oklahoma Watch, June 13, 2022.
https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/06/13/45-years-later-the-oklahoma-girl-scout-murders-remain-unsolved/
“Camp Scott Murders: Oklahoma Girl Scout Killings of 1977.” Unresolved Podcast, Episode 204, May 9, 2021.
https://unresolved.me/the-oklahoma-girl-scout-murders
“DNA Points to Longtime Suspect in 1977 Girl Scout Camp Killings, Sheriff Says.” The New York Times, May 6, 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/us/girl-scout-murders-oklahoma.html
“Gene Leroy Hart and the Girl Scout Murders.” Oklahoma Historical Society (archival overview).
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=HA046
“Camp Scott Murders.” The Oklahoman Archives, original report from June 14, 1977.
https://oklahoman.com/article/2051237/3-girl-scouts-found-dead-at-camp-scott
“Family, Sheriff Say DNA Ties Gene Leroy Hart to Girl Scout Murders.” KJRH Tulsa Channel 2 News, May 6, 2022.
https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/family-sheriff-say-dna-ties-gene-leroy-hart-to-girl-scout-murders
“Girl Scout Murders: 45 Years of Grief and Mystery.” Tulsa World, print archive with interview footage.
https://tulsaworld.com/girl-scout-murders-45-years-of-grief-and-mystery/article_7bff982e-e8d6-11ec-8052-1b68cb208820.html
“Documentary: The Camp Scott Murders.” HLN’s Real Life Nightmare, Season 3, Episode 6, aired January 2022.
https://www.cnn.com/shows/real-life-nightmare
Case File: State of Oklahoma vs. Gene Leroy Hart (Mayes County Court Records Archive).
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=mayes&number=CF-1978-14&cmid=125302
“Book: Someone Cry for the Children” by Michael and Dick Wilkerson, 1981.
Publisher: Doubleday. ISBN: 0385172176
[Note: no official website, but available via archive and booksellers]
“Where Are They Now? The Families of the Camp Scott Victims.” News on 6 Tulsa, Feature Report.
https://www.newson6.com/story/629e6c3b5293170727c6d295/where-are-they-now:-the-families-of-the-camp-scott-victims
“Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders.” Wikipedia (includes references and citations to original reporting and secondary sources).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_Girl_Scout_murders
“Cold Case Files: The Girl Scout Murders.” A&E Network, Original Airdate: July 2004.
https://www.aetv.com/shows/cold-case-files/season-5/episode-3
Action Park (00:29:25)
Episode Notes
📚 Books
Mulvihill, Andy, and Jake Rossen.
Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America's Most Dangerous Amusement Park.
Penguin Random House, 2020.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608764/action-park-by-andy-mulvihill-with-jake-rossen/
🎬 Documentaries & Films
Class Action Park (2020). Directed by Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott. HBO Max.
https://www.classactionpark.com/
Action Point (2018). Directed by Tim Kirkby. Paramount Pictures.
Loosely inspired by Action Park and starring Johnny Knoxville.
https://www.paramount.com/movies/action-point
📰 Articles & Essays
The Rise and Fall of Action Park—New Jersey's Most Dangerous Water Park.
History.com, August 27, 2020.
https://www.history.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-action-park-new-jerseys-most-dangerous-water-park
Remembering Action Park, New Jersey’s Deranged Theme Park.
Esquire, July 2, 2020.
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a33013933/action-park-book-new-jersey-gene-mulvihill-andy-mulvihill/
The Thrills and Horrors of HBO’s “Class Action Park.”
The New Yorker, August 27, 2020.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/the-thrills-and-horrors-of-hbos-class-action-park
A Theme Park So Dangerous Even Donald Trump Thought It Was Nuts.
Vanity Fair, August 27, 2020.
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/08/class-action-park-directors-trump
🌐 Online Resources
Archived Official Site – Action Park (via Wayback Machine):
http://www.actionpark.com (site no longer active, but preserved via Internet Archive)
Class Action Park Official Website:
https://www.classactionpark.com/
🎥 Video Features
Defunctland – The History of Action Park.
YouTube, September 24, 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flkW-ceNvck
🗞️ Additional Reading
Action Park – Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Park
Class Action Park – Wikipedia (Documentary):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_Action_Park
The 1937 Memorial Day Massacre (00:49:22)
1. The Memorial Day Massacre and the Movement for Industrial Democracy
Author: Michael Dennis
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (2010)
ISBN-10: 134938089X
ISBN-13: 9781349380893
Description: A scholarly account of the massacre within the broader context of labor reform, union suppression, and 1930s industrial politics.
URL: https://www.amazon.com/Memorial-Massacre-Movement-Industrial-Democracy/dp/134938089X
2. The 1937 Chicago Steel Strike: Blood on the Prairie
Author: John F. Hogan
Publisher: The History Press (2014)
ISBN-10: 1626193436
ISBN-13: 9781626193437
Description: A well-researched narrative including primary accounts of workers and family members, with a focus on Republic Steel and the aftermath.
URL: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781626193437
3. Memorial Day Massacre: Workers Die, Film Buried
Author: Greg Mitchell
Publisher: CUNY Journalism Press (2023)
ISBN-13: 9781737382705
Description: A companion to the 2023 PBS documentary, exploring how Paramount's footage was suppressed and how the massacre was buried by history.
URL: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/memorial-day-massacre-greg-mitchell/1143175280
📰 ARTICLES & PRIMARY SOURCES
1. “Memorial Day Massacre of 1937” — Chicago History Museum
By: Elizabeth Barahona
Description: Overview of the event with an emphasis on Latino workers and police violence.
URL: https://www.chicagohistory.org/memorial-day-massacre-of-1937/
2. “May 30, 1937—Memorial Day Massacre” — Zinn Education Project
Description: Contains background, student activities, and reflections on the suppression of the event.
URL: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/memorial-day-massacre/
3. “Memorial Day Massacre, Chicago, 1937” — LAWCHA (Primary Source PDF)
Description: Offers a downloadable packet of primary source material, including official statements, photos, and newsreel analysis.
URL: https://lawcha.org/wp-content/uploads/8-4-Memorial-Day-Massacre-1937-PrimarySource.pdf
🎬 DOCUMENTARY
1. The Memorial Day Massacre and the Movement for Industrial Democracy
Author: Michael Dennis
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (2010)
ISBN-10: 134938089X
ISBN-13: 9781349380893
Description: A scholarly account of the massacre within the broader context of labor reform, union suppression, and 1930s industrial politics.
URL: https://www.amazon.com/Memorial-Massacre-Movement-Industrial-Democracy/dp/134938089X
2. The 1937 Chicago Steel Strike: Blood on the Prairie
Author: John F. Hogan
Publisher: The History Press (2014)
ISBN-10: 1626193436
ISBN-13: 9781626193437
Description: A well-researched narrative including primary accounts of workers and family members, with a focus on Republic Steel and the aftermath.
URL: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781626193437
3. Memorial Day Massacre: Workers Die, Film Buried
Author: Greg Mitchell
Publisher: CUNY Journalism Press (2023)
ISBN-13: 9781737382705
Description: A companion to the 2023 PBS documentary, exploring how Paramount's footage was suppressed and how the massacre was buried by history.
URL: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/memorial-day-massacre-greg-mitchell/1143175280
📰 ARTICLES & PRIMARY SOURCES
1. “Memorial Day Massacre of 1937” — Chicago History Museum
By: Elizabeth Barahona
Description: Overview of the event with an emphasis on Latino workers and police violence.
URL: https://www.chicagohistory.org/memorial-day-massacre-of-1937/
2. “May 30, 1937—Memorial Day Massacre” — Zinn Education Project
Description: Contains background, student activities, and reflections on the suppression of the event.
URL: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/memorial-day-massacre/
3. “Memorial Day Massacre, Chicago, 1937” — LAWCHA (Primary Source PDF)
Description: Offers a downloadable packet of primary source material, including official statements, photos, and newsreel analysis.
URL: https://lawcha.org/wp-content/uploads/8-4-Memorial-Day-Massacre-1937-PrimarySource.pdf
🎬 DOCUMENTARY
Memorial Day Massacre: Workers Die, Film Buried
Director: Lyn Goldfarb
Producer: Greg Mitchell
Released: 2023 (PBS)
Description: Reveals how Paramount's 1937 newsreel footage was suppressed and what that says about media, corporations, and violence against labor.
URL: https://www.pbs.org/video/memorial-day-massacre-workers-die-film-buried-1qf6gk/
Notes go here
Revisiting The Moors Murders (00:27:23)
Episode Notes
Williams, Kevin. Moors Murders: Ian Brady and Myra Hindley’s Killing Spree. Crime + Investigation UK.
https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/moors-murders
BBC News. “The Moors Murders: A Timeline of Events.” BBC News, 3 July 2017.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-40261852
Smith, David. Witness to Evil: The Moors Murders. The Independent, 16 February 2017.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/moors-murders-timeline-ian-brady-myra-hindley-keith-bennett-a7590341.html
Wilson, Colin. The Moors Murderers: An Astonishing Story of Cold-Blooded Murder. True Crime Library.
https://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crimearticle/the-moors-murderers/
BBC. The Moors Murders – Documentary. BBC iPlayer.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qxn1m
Foster, Peter. “Myra Hindley: How She Became the Most Hated Woman in Britain.” The Telegraph, 15 November 2002.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1413398/Myra-Hindley-how-she-became-the-most-hated-woman-in-Britain.html
Bennett, Winnie Johnson. Searching for Keith: My Life as the Mother of the Moors Murder Victim. Ebury Press, 2012.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1094378/searching-for-keith/9780091941920
Newton, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Checkmark Books, 2006.
https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofse0000newt_v1y4/page/190/mode/2up (see Moors Murders entry)
Morrison, Blake. “Why the Moors Murders Still Haunt Us.” The Guardian, 17 May 2017.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/17/why-the-moors-murders-still-haunt-us
Gadd, David. The Moors Murders: The Full Story of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Sphere, 1974.
https://www.worldcat.org/title/539548
Wainwright, Martin. “Police Search for Body of Moors Murder Victim.” The Guardian, 2 July 2009.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jul/02/moors-murders-body-search
Greater Manchester Police. “Moors Murders: Police Investigation History.”
https://www.gmp.police.uk/police-forces/greater-manchester-police/areas/corporate/home/news/moors-murders/
Horsley, William. “Ian Brady: A Portrait of Evil.” BBC News, 15 May 2017.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39923079
Cawthorne, Nigel. Serial Killers and Mass Murderers: Profiles of the World's Most Barbaric Criminals. Arcturus Publishing, 2007.
https://archive.org/details/serialkillersmas0000cawt/page/102/mode/2up (Moors Murders profile)
Manchester Evening News. “A Look Back at the Moors Murders and the Hunt for Keith Bennett.” 15 May 2017.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/moors-murders-keith-bennett-iain-13040258
Dunne, John Gregory. “The Horror of the Moors.” The New York Review of Books, 14 December 1967.
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1967/12/14/the-horror-of-the-moors/
National Archives UK. “Moors Murders Case Files.”
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10431540
Rodney King Part 2 (00:06:54)
Episode Notes
Books
The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption
Rodney King’s autobiography exploring his life before and after the 1991 beating.
https://www.amazon.com/Riot-Within-Journey-Rebellion-Redemption/dp/0062194437
Presumed Guilty: The Tragedy of the Rodney King Affair
By Sgt. Stacey Koon, offering his controversial viewpoint on the LAPD and trial.
https://www.amazon.com/Presumed-Guilty-Tragedy-Rodney-Affair/dp/0895265079
Official Negligence: How Rodney King and the Riots Changed Los Angeles and the LAPD
Lou Cannon’s definitive, investigative book on the King beating, trial, and 1992 LA Riots.
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Negligence-Rodney-Changed-Angeles/dp/0813337259
The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins: Justice, Gender, and the Origins of the LA Riots
By Brenda E. Stevenson. Though not about King directly, this book explores key events that shaped the LA uprising.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-contested-murder-of-latasha-harlins-9780199944576
Race, Media, and the Crisis of Civil Society: From Watts to Rodney King
By Ronald N. Jacobs — examines media framing and public opinion during civil unrest.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/race-media-and-the-crisis-of-civil-society/5A3F4F3D1E7F4D6D9F5F1E6F1E6F1E6F
📰 Articles & Reference Pages
Rodney King - Biography.com
Covers his early life, the beating, trials, and legacy.
https://www.biography.com/crime/rodney-king
Rodney King (1965–2012) - BlackPast.org
A concise scholarly biography with links to archival content.
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/king-rodney-1965/
The Rodney King Beating Trial - Famous Trials
Curated by law professor Douglas Linder, this archive includes trial transcripts and media reports.
https://famous-trials.com/lapd/575-links
🎥 Media & Video
Rodney King: Original Beating Video (FBI Archives)
Original video hosted via FBI’s online Vault.
https://vault.fbi.gov/rodney-king/video/rodney-king-video
Meet Rodney King: 17 Years After the Riots - LAist
A retrospective interview with King on life after the 1992 unrest.
https://laist.com/news/meet-rodney-king
Rodney King - Part 1 (00:13:44)
Episode Notes
Books
The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption
Rodney King’s autobiography exploring his life before and after the 1991 beating.
https://www.amazon.com/Riot-Within-Journey-Rebellion-Redemption/dp/0062194437
Presumed Guilty: The Tragedy of the Rodney King Affair
By Sgt. Stacey Koon, offering his controversial viewpoint on the LAPD and trial.
https://www.amazon.com/Presumed-Guilty-Tragedy-Rodney-Affair/dp/0895265079
Official Negligence: How Rodney King and the Riots Changed Los Angeles and the LAPD
Lou Cannon’s definitive, investigative book on the King beating, trial, and 1992 LA Riots.
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Negligence-Rodney-Changed-Angeles/dp/0813337259
The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins: Justice, Gender, and the Origins of the LA Riots
By Brenda E. Stevenson. Though not about King directly, this book explores key events that shaped the LA uprising.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-contested-murder-of-latasha-harlins-9780199944576
Race, Media, and the Crisis of Civil Society: From Watts to Rodney King
By Ronald N. Jacobs — examines media framing and public opinion during civil unrest.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/race-media-and-the-crisis-of-civil-society/5A3F4F3D1E7F4D6D9F5F1E6F1E6F1E6F
📰 Articles & Reference Pages
Rodney King - Biography.com
Covers his early life, the beating, trials, and legacy.
https://www.biography.com/crime/rodney-king
Rodney King (1965–2012) - BlackPast.org
A concise scholarly biography with links to archival content.
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/king-rodney-1965/
The Rodney King Beating Trial - Famous Trials
Curated by law professor Douglas Linder, this archive includes trial transcripts and media reports.
https://famous-trials.com/lapd/575-links
🎥 Media & Video
Rodney King: Original Beating Video (FBI Archives)
Original video hosted via FBI’s online Vault.
https://vault.fbi.gov/rodney-king/video/rodney-king-video
Meet Rodney King: 17 Years After the Riots - LAist
A retrospective interview with King on life after the 1992 unrest.
https://laist.com/news/meet-rodney-king
Ruby Franke - conXions to 8 Passengers (00:28:35)
Episode Notes
Books
The Biography of Ruby Franke by Annie Press
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-biography-of-ruby-franke/id6479947211
Ruby Franke Biography: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of a Family Influencer by Harrison O. Joseph
https://bookshop.org/p/books/ruby-franke-biography-the-untold-story-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-family-influencer-harrison-o-joseph/22406761
🎙️ Podcasts
Some Place Under Neith (Last Podcast Network) – While there is no single episode explicitly titled after Ruby Franke, episodes focusing on family vloggers and online abuse touch on themes relevant to her case. For updates:
https://www.lastpodcastnetwork.com/spun
The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke – Wondery (Check Wondery's official feed or partner networks)
https://wondery.com/shows/the-rise-and-fall-of-ruby-franke/
Last Podcast on the Left – Commentary episodes on extreme parenting and cult dynamics often include discussion relevant to Ruby Franke’s ideology.
https://open.spotify.com/show/3yZg2MCkf31pPXiG4nznrg
Reddit Podcast Recommendations: Ruby Franke – Discussion thread for curated podcast episodes on Ruby Franke
https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasts/comments/18qcv9b/best_podcast_series_or_episode_covering_the_ruby/
📰 Articles & Reports
The Story of Ruby Franke’s Chilling Spiral from Popular 'Momfluencer' to Convicted Felon – Biography.com
https://www.biography.com/crime/a60319774/ruby-franke-story
Utah adds protections for child influencers following YouTuber Ruby Franke’s child abuse conviction – AP News
https://apnews.com/article/ruby-franke-youtube-child-abuse-utah-influencer-law-2024-5b4b2e3ad2a99e11ae40e44d9702b22c
‘Devil in the Family’ Trailer: Hulu’s Ruby Franke True-Crime Docuseries Reveals Dark Side of Influencer Culture – Time
https://time.com/7261390/ruby-franke-devil-in-the-family-hulu-true-story/
📺 Documentary / Docuseries
Devil in the Family – Hulu Docuseries on Ruby Franke (announced 2024)
https://www.hulu.com/series/devil-in-the-family
The Dadeland Mall Massacre (00:15:10)
Episode Notes
Miami Drug War Overview
This article provides a comprehensive look at the Miami drug war, highlighting the Dadeland Mall shooting on July 11, 1979, as a pivotal event that initiated the conflict. It details how two Colombian drug gang members entered a liquor store, resulting in a deadly shootout.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_drug_war
'Dadeland Mall Massacre': 40th Anniversary Reflection
Published by NBC Miami, this piece reflects on the 40th anniversary of the Dadeland Mall shooting, offering insights into the events of that day and its impact on Miami's history.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/dadeland-mall-massacre-thursday-marks-40th-anniversary-of-cocaine-cowboys-shootout/127956/
Dadeland Mall History
The Wikipedia entry for Dadeland Mall includes a section on the 1979 shooting, providing context about the mall's history and the significance of the event within that timeline.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadeland_Mall
Miami Herald Coverage
An article from the Miami Herald delves into the details of the Dadeland Mall shootout, describing it as a significant event in the 1979 Cocaine Cowboys era.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/kendall/article231644003.html
Griselda Blanco's Involvement
This Yahoo Lifestyle article discusses Griselda Blanco, a notorious figure in the drug trade, and her alleged connection to the Dadeland Mall shooting, providing a broader context of the drug wars in Miami.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/she-murdered-drop-hat-bloody-091538227.html
HistoryMiami Museum's Commemoration
A Facebook post by the HistoryMiami Museum marks the anniversary of the Dadeland Massacre, offering historical insights and photographs related to the event.
https://www.facebook.com/HistoryMiami360/photos/onthisday-in-1979-the-dadeland-massacre-occurred-prompting-the-start-of-the-coca/798697206829676/
Personal Accounts and Reflections
An article by Lynn Waddell on the HistoryMiami Museum website provides personal reflections and accounts related to the Dadeland Mall shooting and its aftermath.
https://historymiami.org/lynn-waddell-2/
Guerra contra las drogas en Miami
This Spanish-language Wikipedia article offers an in-depth look at the drug wars in Miami, including details about the Dadeland Mall shooting and its role in escalating the conflict.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerra_contra_las_drogas_en_Miami
Casey Anthony (00:07:59)
Casey Anthony Case – Selected Bibliography
Books:
Ashton, Jeff. Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony. HarperCollins, 2011.
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/imperfect-justice-jeff-ashton
Baez, Jose. Presumed Guilty: Casey Anthony: The Inside Story. BenBella Books, 2012.
https://benbellabooks.com/shop/presumed-guilty/
Documentaries & Media:
Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery (2017). Investigation Discovery.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6970464/
Where the Truth Lies: Casey Anthony Speaks (2022). Peacock.
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/tv/casey-anthony-where-the-truth-lies/20c5031f-187c-35ef-a4e8-163dcda1ffdc
News Coverage & Analysis:
CNN Justice Archive: The Casey Anthony Trial
https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2011/casey.anthony.trial/index.html
"Casey Anthony Verdict: Not Guilty of Murder" — New York Times, July 5, 2011
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/us/06casey.html
"Jurors Explain Their Casey Anthony Verdicts" — ABC News, July 7, 2011
https://abcnews.go.com/US/casey-anthony-juror-verdict/story?id=14021244
Court Records & Evidence:
Orange County Clerk of Courts: State of Florida v. Casey Marie Anthony
https://myeclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetails?caseId=5612143
Florida Department of Law Enforcement: Casey Anthony Evidence Archive
https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/casey-anthony-documents.aspx
Adam Walsh (00:06:57)
Episode Notes
Books:
"Tears of Rage: From Grieving Father to Crusader for Justice: The Untold Story of the Adam Walsh Case"
Authors: John Walsh and Susan Schindehette
Description: John Walsh recounts the tragic loss of his son, Adam, and his transformation into a leading advocate for missing children.
"Frustrated Witness!: The Complete Story of the Adam Walsh Case and Police Misconduct"
Author: Willis Morga
Description: An exploration of the Adam Walsh case, focusing on alleged police misconduct and alternative theories regarding the perpetrator.
"The Unsolved Murder of Adam Walsh - Book One: Finding the Killer. Did Jeffrey Dahmer Kidnap Adam Walsh?"
Author: Arthur Jay Harris
Description: Investigates the possibility of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's involvement in Adam Walsh's abduction and murder.
"The Unsolved Murder of Adam Walsh - Book Two: Finding the Victim"
Apple
Author: Arthur Jay Harris
Description: Continues the investigation into the Adam Walsh case, focusing on the discovery and identification of Adam's remains.
Link:
Official Reports and Articles:
"Detective Mark Smith's Report on the Abduction and Murder of Adam Walsh"
Description: An official report detailing the investigation into Adam Walsh's disappearance and murder.
"Adam's Story: How His Parents Galvanized a Missing Children's Movement"
Description: An article from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children discussing the impact of Adam's case on child protection laws and initiatives.
"The Loss of Innocence in America's Childhood: The Adam Walsh Murder and the Media's Impact on the Culture and Legislation"
Author: Casey D. Albritton
ProQuest
Description: A scholarly analysis of how Adam Walsh's murder influenced media coverage, public perception, and subsequent legislation.
Documentaries and Films:
"Adam" (1983)
Description: A television film dramatizing the events surrounding Adam Walsh's abduction and the subsequent efforts to find him.
"The Adam Walsh Story" (1983)
Description: A documentary providing an in-depth look at the case and its impact on child safety laws in the United States
Premnath Hardeo and the Koi Curry (00:05:04)
Episode Notes
This story is covered in Chris Garcia's Food and Crime - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/food-and-crime-chris-garcia/1143372736
Florida Crime - The Chi Omega massacre (00:14:24)
The Tate-LaBianca Murders & The Manson Family (00:23:12)
Websites
Charles Manson Biography – Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Manson
The Manson Family Murders – Crime Museum
https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/the-manson-family/
The Manson Murders – The History Channel
https://www.history.com/topics/crime/manson-family
FBI Vault: Charles Manson Case Files
https://vault.fbi.gov/Charles%20Manson
The Manson Family – Helter Skelter Forum Archive
http://www.mansonfamilytoday.info/
L.A. Times Manson Archive – Original News Coverage
https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-manson/
California Court Records – The Charles Manson Case
https://www.courts.ca.gov/35471.htm
Podcasts
You Must Remember This – "Charles Manson’s Hollywood"
https://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/episodes/charlesmansonhollywood1
Real Crime Profile – The Manson Family Murders
https://wondery.com/shows/real-crime-profile/episode/manson-family-murders
The Last Podcast on the Left – Charles Manson Series
https://www.lastpodcastontheleft.com/episodes/manson-family
Stuff You Should Know – How Charles Manson Worked
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/stuff-you-should-know-26940277/episode/how-charles-manson-worked-29036007/
Hollywood Crime Scene – The Manson Murders Deep Dive
https://www.hollywoodcrimescenepodcast.com/manson-murders-series
Podcast Episodes (Dedicated Single Episodes)
Murder Mile – The Manson Murders
https://www.murdermiletours.com/podcast/manson-family-murders
Uncover: Escaping NXIVM – Charles Manson Special
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/uncover/escaping-nxivm/bonus-charles-manson-and-the-making-of-a-cult-1.4896299
Morbid: A True Crime Podcast – The Manson Family Crimes
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1cIjwKeG3n6sZaJ5fNA1gU
Cult Liter – The Manson Family Tapes
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cult-liter-with-spencer-henry/id1436376574
Parcast Presents: Cults – Charles Manson
https://www.parcast.com/cults/charlesmanson
Books
Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders – Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/helter-skelter-vincent-bugliosicurt-gentry
Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson – Dianne Lake
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/member-of-the-family-dianne-lake
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson – Jeff Guinn
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Manson/Jeff-Guinn/9781451645170
The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten: Life Beyond The Cult – Karlene Faith
https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-long-prison-journey-of-leslie-van-houten
The Family: The Story of Charles Manson’s Dune Buggy Attack Battalion – Ed Sanders
https://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/shop/books/the-family-ed-sanders/
Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties – Tom O’Neill
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/tom-oneill/chaos/9780316477550/
Reflexion: Hollywood, Helter Skelter and Beyond – Lynette Fromme
https://www.amazon.com/Reflexion-Hollywood-Helter-Skelter-Beyond/dp/0578611411
Witness to Evil: Inside the Trial of Charles Manson – George Bishop
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Witness-to-Evil/George-Bishop/9781982147033
Documentaries
Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes (2018)
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/manson-cult-the-lost-tapes
Manson: The Final Words (2017)
https://www.reelz.com/manson-final-words
The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter (2009)
https://www.amazon.com/Six-Degrees-Helter-Skelter/dp/B002NH9CXY
Manson’s Missing Victims (2008)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1191155/
Charles Manson: The Man Who Killed the Sixties (2022)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012nvl
The Family: Inside the Manson Cult (2019)
https://www.netflix.com/title/81058366
Truth and Lies: The Family Manson (2017)
https://abcnews.go.com/2020/fullpage/charles-manson-family-murders-51386894
Helter Skelter: An American Myth (2020)
https://www.sho.com/helter-skelter-an-american-myth
Movies & Dramatizations
Helter Skelter (1976)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074626/
Helter Skelter (2004)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383393/
Charlie Says (2018)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759744/
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/
The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7976208/
House of Manson (2014)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104274/
Live Freaky! Die Freaky! (2006) – A bizarre animated musical based on the Manson murders
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138936/
Manson Family Movies (1984) – An experimental film recreating events from the Family’s perspective
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089486/Episode Notes
Notes go here
