The Blotter Presents

[starri]

Yeah, come for the slut shaming, stay for the prosecutorial misconduct.

Looking at you, Kelly Siegler.

[Primetimer]

Eve Batey returns for Joe Berlinger's new series on locking up the (possibly) wrong guy, plus an ID show about picking up the wrong guy (in this case, Herb Baumeister).

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[klowey]

Thirteen minutes into the podcast and I finally clue into the joke behind the Racism Watchdog twitter account. I'm just going to go sit facing the corner for a while and feel ashamed. 

[MCMLXXVII]

See also- Foxworth Hall from Flowers in the Attic.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

AHHHHHHH I can't believe I forgot that. Totally counts.

[starri]

For those of us without a Starz subscription, is the show good enough to justify a month or two, or waiting until the season is more generally available for purchase/rent on Amazon?  It sounds pretty good, but I didn't get a Must Binge Now vibe from your positive comments.

I was aware of Herb Baumeister, but only because My Favorite Murder talked about him in a live episode from Indianapolis.  Which is a good or bad thing depending on your opinion of MFM.  There's apparently a very bad documentary called The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farms that's on Amazon Prime, so I guess everyone is convinced that ol' Herb is stilling hanging around.

I'm saying this with all seriousness:  If Eve would like to start a Kickstarter towards getting her Herb book written, I will 100% give toward it.

[bosawks]

Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures also went to Herb Baumeister’s place.

I mean word on the street says they did.  I certainly didn’t watch Zac or Aaron, I mean those guys I don’t know, try to talk to ghosts...

[veronicamers]

The Baumeister case is a doozy. A&E put out a special about him in '97 called The Secret Life of a Serial Killer which I know I saw multiple times. Back when all my true crime content basically came from American Justice, Cold Case Files, and City Confidential.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Quote

is the show good enough to justify a month or two

It's well done, but...you know, it's Starz, so it's not something everyone's going to be talking about as a result, which is unfortunate. If I get into the other eps and change my mind I'll let you know but I think you can wait.

[starri]

The Staircase, plus the extra episodes from a few years ago, plus some new stuff filmed after his Alford plea and release are on Netflix as of today.

[starri]

I guess I shall wait, then.  There's something about these wrongful conviction shows that I have to go slowly with.  I'm having a really hard time with the current season of In The Dark, and it's not so much because it makes me angry, although it certainly does that.  It's also that it just makes me goddamn depressed.

[veronicamers]

40 minutes ago, starri said:

I'm having a really hard time with the current season of In The Dark, and it's not so much because it makes me angry, although it certainly does that.  It's also that it just makes me goddamn depressed.

Same. I haven't been in a good enough emotional state to listen. 

[starri]

I've been using Lara from Crime Writers On as a coal-mine canary.  She's been giving weekly commentary, and when I know what was on the most recent episode, I can gird myself.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

And you'll be listening to me and Stephanie discuss it again as of Wednesday AM!

[veronicamers]

Sarah, are you planning to discuss the Last Defense (7-parter on ABC, starts 6/12)? I'm really interested to see how they cover the Darlie Routier case. I have a whole lot of doubt about her guilt, in no small part because of this piece by Skip Hollandsworth.

[starri]

Possible prosecutorial misconduct in a murder case in Texas?  Knock me over with a feather.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

^ heh/sigh. @veronicamers, yep, it's on the list, though we might not get to it for a few weeks.

[Primetimer]

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[TimeyWimey52]

Ok.....how can the editor of this show fall in love with this guy? 1) I would stay away from any guy even just "accused" of pushing his wife (and possibly a family friend) down the stairs 2) this guy does not have an attractive, warm personality. Think about it...she's the EDITOR...and probably made him seem better than he actually is. Which means he is likely much worse in person. I'm only halfway through this show and I'm already sick of looking at him. 

Edited June 13, 2018 by TimeyWimey52

[edithkeeler]

Isn’t the issue with the DNA testing that the state noted it was for testing but was then diverted to Deavers for his personal science fair experiments before and instead of DNA which is either evidence of nefariousness that they didn’t want anything to complicated their pre-decided story or basic incompetence in their tunnel vision on Peterson stopped them from basic due diligence. And now the evidence can’t be tested, disadvantaging the defence. You can say defence should have requested it but I tend to think it is the responsibility of the state to do such basic things. 

 

I think I had a more neutral view of the doco style than you guys. No doubt the frenchies think him a victim of miscarriage of yankee justice but I find it hard to reconcile having a thumb too much on the scale with letting MP waffle on with depthless narcissism and just general unreadable weirdness in full display.  I never really felt inhibited from making my own judgements by it anyway, the way I do with other obviously manipulative things. 

 

I think MP doing it is the most likely scenario because t I’ve always been stuck on the lack of skull trauma to go with lacerations and blood. (I have a memory of already saying this on this board somewhere, forgive the repetition). The owl theory is probably wrong and the damn blowpoke theory definitely is but they are attractive because they do explain that central problem.  

 

The Kathryn & bisexuality thing was a big revelation as was (if true) Rudolf’s thing that they found the damn blowpoke and put it back all the time they were carrying on in court about it being missing.  Yikes.  

 

I agree it’s run its course but I’m kinda sad it’s over, I remember watching it when it was first on TV (Australian tv before illegal downloading and Netflix -slim quality true crime pickings!) and I have to give it its due for committing to what they wanted to do.

[starri]

I really shouldn't have gotten so much glee at Robert Bosley's chimney sweep cosplay monument.  

[veronicamers]

13 hours ago, starri said:

I really shouldn't have gotten so much glee at Robert Bosley's chimney sweep cosplay monument.  

I don't think I've ever seen this FF ep, but the Snapped one for sure mentions Robert's chimney sweep business as the way he made his fortune that was spent on houseboats. I remember being surprised that there was such a houseboat scene in Northern Kentucky, but what do I know.

I've had my fill of Peterson at this point. My thought when I found out about the relationship with the editor was "of course." This whole lot of entitled a-holes can go jump in the Eno River. The scorn and disdain they showed Kathleen's family was just despicable. 

I never bought that Kathleen knew about Michael's extracurriculars. This happens way too often...the surviving spouse claims the deceased one knew all about the affair(s) and was "fine with it." See Laci Peterson and a million others. No way, no how. I'm not buying it. 

[rwgrab]

15 hours ago, edithkeeler said:

Isn’t the issue with the DNA testing that the state noted it was for testing but was then diverted to Deavers for his personal science fair experiments before and instead of DNA which is either evidence of nefariousness that they didn’t want anything to complicated their pre-decided story or basic incompetence in their tunnel vision on Peterson stopped them from basic due diligence. And now the evidence can’t be tested, disadvantaging the defence. You can say defence should have requested it but I tend to think it is the responsibility of the state to do such basic things. 

Yeah, I agree that the state made some missteps, but I could also see how the decision not to DNA test could have been made.  Without any sign of an intruder or anything missing from the house, why would they have thought somebody else's DNA would be present?  And would 2001 DNA testing have been sensitive enough to pick up anything other than blood the attacker would have had to have shed?  Yes, it's too bad we don't have those results now and that the evidence wasn't well-preserved enough to test it now.  I'm just saying I think the decision could have been made out of something other than incompetence or malice.

But even with DNA results, I don't think we're ever going to know any more than we already do about what happened that night.  My personal theory is that Kathleen confronted narcissist Michael Peterson about something (could have been something on his computer, could have been any number of things with this guy), he decides he'll "show her" and does something to precipitate her injuries and eventual death.  But of course I can't prove any of that, aside from my observance that everything Michael Peterson seems to do/say is glib and insincere from the 911 call on through 13 hours of documentary footage.  

I agree with the general discussion on the podcast: The Staircase didn't need 3 more episodes of this except, I guess, to come full circle and complete the story.  I just really didn't need to see any more of Michael Peterson's "woe is me" interviews, or really to hear any more of anybody from that family talking about how gosh-darn unfair the justice system is to them as affluent white folks.

[bosawks]

I always had problems believing how happily married Kathleen and Michael were just because I can't imagine being happy having to listen to the whiny, nasally, bloviating voice every.damn.day.

[iMonrey]

I'm seriously behind on this podcast so I'm just now catching up to the case of Caylee Anthony. I really enjoyed Rebecca's contributions and insights. But there were a couple of references to last year's Jon Benet Ramsey special, which Rebecca dismissed out of hand as wildly misleading and libelous. I would have liked to hear more about her take on that since this podcast did not cover that special, which I personally found rather compelling, more so than the half dozen other specials that were airing on every other network at the time.

[starri]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'm seriously behind on this podcast so I'm just now catching up to the case of Caylee Anthony. I really enjoyed Rebecca's contributions and insights. But there were a couple of references to last year's Jon Benet Ramsey special, which Rebecca dismissed out of hand as wildly misleading and libelous. I would have liked to hear more about her take on that since this podcast did not cover that special, which I personally found rather compelling, more so than the half dozen other specials that were airing on every other network at the time.

Rebecca's podcast Crime Writers On covered it in their September 30th, 2016 episode.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

I also found it compelling, especially relatively, and while I didn't talk about it on the pod (which I think had not been born yet, heh), I did write it up for this here site: http://previously.tv/the-case-of-jonbenet-ramsey/the-case-of-jonbenet-ramsey-shines-a-new-light-on-old-evidence/

[Primetimer]

Toby Ball and I discuss whether either of these takes on the 18th Amendment will slake your thirst for knowledge.

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[SaveTheGreyhounds]

I Tweeted it, but Season 5, ep 7 of Drunk History ("Drunk Mystery") covers D.B. Cooper. Agatha Christie, ,\and Circleville, OH... could make a fun Cold Case, should the week's main case require a palate cleanser.

[starri]

Was that Deborah Blum in the clip about the poisoned industrial alcohol?

The American Experience (?) adaptation of Poisoner's Handbook was really disappointing, but even that was better than this Smithsonian Channel thing sounded.

I don't think anyone is going to outdo the Ken Burns miniseries.  I know it's not his best, but I think it's the most engaging.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

I don't think so? It could be, but unless she radically changed her hair...

It's a little surprising Selwyn Raab didn't show up in this. Usually any mention of 20c. gangsters and you can't keep him away.

[veronicamers]

This was an interesting episode! I know very little about prohibition, save some of the women's temperance movement history. I look forward to watchin the Ken Burns series. The local Atlas Obscura Society in my town (D.C.) is having an event next week at one of our breweries with a prohibition historian about "the legendary breweries and distilleries, bootleggers, speakeasies, and social clubs in our very own backyard." I may check it out!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

That sounds fun! My favorite part of that sort of tour is all the secret doors and hallways it uncovers. My hometown has a network of below-ground offices called the Catacombs that is not as gothy and exciting as it sounds (think wood paneling) but was probably designed for Prohibition-adjacent purposes.

[Primetimer]

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[EAG46]

The "Texas Monthly" link actually leads to your review of a Jack the Ripper special.

[veronicamers]

Sarah, I will miss your voice while you are on hiatus, but very much look forward to the re-boot of the podcast! I have always loved reading your book reviews on the blotter (and peeping your reading list on goodreads) and so I'm very excited that may be a feature of the new incarnation. Hope you get to enjoy a bit of a breather as you re-set things. Thanks for this podcast...it has been a true delight!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

@EAG, oops! I'll fix momentarily. @veronicamers, thanks! It won't be long that I'm "off air," I promise.

[starri]

I am certainly excited to hear the news about the expansion of coverage out to books, et al.  I'm just dreading how I'm going to get through my down time catching up on work during the hiatus.  

I've already gotten to work reprogramming my fingers to type "The-Blotter."

Basically, your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your Patreon.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Aw, you. I swear I will not leave you to your work devices for too long.

[Stowaway]

The exclusive focus on TV true crime always felt like a bit of an artificial limitation, and I think the podcast will improve with the chance to stretch its limbs. But between TBP moving off site and Tara doing recaps for Vulture, I'm feeling a little sad for p.tv. But, um, excelsior!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

This is where a hack TV writer would call for that Bowie break. I'll just observe the silver lining here, to wit: there is some VERY TERRIBLE writing about the Bembenek case that I can't wait to eviscerate, and some very GOOD writing from monthly mags that I can't wait to celebrate.

[starri]

If you'd like to cover some non-murder crime, Bad Blood, the recently released book about Elizabeth "Scammy McScammerson" Holmes and her unicorn fart-testing company Theranos is a terrific read.

ETA:  Although Betsy DeVos lost about $100 million in the wake of the shell game's collapse, so, upside?

Edited June 29, 2018 by starri

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Yeah, I'm definitely wanting to focus on cons, identity fraudsters, bank robbers, forgers etc. -- I'm fascinated by those crimes and they tend to leave me with less of a grinding blue feeling than nonstop murders/fundamental injustices in the system. Like, let's "just" try to steal a Monet and forget our troubles.

[Nanna]

I too would love book coverage of some kind.

[Scoopie]

For some odd reason, I am obsessed with art crimes, so I would love coverage of this. There are some fabulous fiction books out that play off real crimes, so it might be cool to hear you recommend some fiction based on these real crimes. It might be cool to dig into what Interpol does (https://www.interpol.int/About-INTERPOL/Overview); their global reach is fascinating. That brings in the sad, sad story of human trafficking though.

On 6/27/2018 at 9:34 PM, Sarah D. Bunting said:

Aw, you. I swear I will not leave you to your work devices for too long.

Yay! We can't go without you for very long!

[veronicamers]

On ‎6‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 7:35 PM, starri said:

If you'd like to cover some non-murder crime, Bad Blood, the recently released book about Elizabeth "Scammy McScammerson" Holmes and her unicorn fart-testing company Theranos is a terrific read.

I have been devouring Bad Blood over the past few days. I cannot put it down!

[FozzyBear]

How about the Elizabeth Haysome case? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Haysom?wprov=sfti1

I remember watching the City Confidential episode (god, I miss that show. If anyone knows where I can find it please let me know) about her back in the day. And Hulu has a documentary about the case airing. I’ve never been 100% sure what to believe about it. I mean, I don’t believe her, but I don’t exactly believe him either. And what about the abuse she claimed. Was any of it true? Did she exaggerate an actually  abusive homelife to make it sound even worse to justify the murder? Was it all true and her brothers were lying? Or somehow didn’t know? Did she make all of it up? And if she did, why? If there wasn’t anything wrong at home why did she want them dead? For money? Because she’s a psychopath? Was it actually his idea? 

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Ooh, good tip. (And I think you can find CCs on YouTube.)

[veronicamers]

Washington Post magazine did an interesting feature on this case in 2017 and doubts over the guilt of Jens Soering : https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/in-1985-a-gruesome-double-murder-rocked-virginia-was-the-wrong-man-convicted/2017/03/07/44c60742-e8b2-11e6-80c2-30e57e57e05d_story.html?utm_term=.b30f297676fa 

And CC was the best! Paul Winfield is my second fave true crime property narrator after Peter Thomas.

Edited July 10, 2018 by veronicamers

[FozzyBear]

5 hours ago, Sarah D. Bunting said:

Ooh, good tip. (And I think you can find CCs on YouTube.)

I’ll try YouTube! God I loved City Confidential. It was the perfect mix of actually interesting cases and information (and I stand by the POV of examining how communities as a whole experience crime as a pretty good idea) and the best batshit crazy voice over ever heard. It was such a joy. To paraphrase MASTAS Enya episode, the thing was also the parody of the thing.