A victims voice - Mark Newell

On December 11, 2000, Hani Zebib was fatally shot while working in his Detroit convenience store — a dream he had built after fleeing war-torn Lebanon in search of a better life. Among the young men involved in the robbery that day was Demel Dukes. Though Demel never pulled the trigger, he was sentenced to life without parole under the felony murder rule — a controversial legal doctrine that allows for harsh sentences even when a person didn’t carry out the killing themselves.But what makes this story different isn’t just the law — it’s what happened after.More than two decades later, the family of Hani Zebib have done something remarkable: they’ve forgiven Demel. In fact, they now advocate for his release.In this powerful new series, Jack Laurence explores the layers of Demel’s life — from growing up surrounded by love but drawn into the streets, to the heartbreaking events that led to that fatal day.It’s a story about loss, the justice system, and perhaps most importantly, the transformative power of forgiveness.If you've ever questioned whether true redemption is possible, this is the story you need to hear.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Kesä 35min

On December 11, 2000, Hani Zebib was fatally shot while working in his Detroit convenience store — a dream he had built after fleeing war-torn Lebanon in search of a better life. Among the young men involved in the robbery that day was Demel Dukes. Though Demel never pulled the trigger, he was sentenced to life without parole under the felony murder rule — a controversial legal doctrine that allows for harsh sentences even when a person didn’t carry out the killing themselves.But what makes this story different isn’t just the law — it’s what happened after.More than two decades later, the family of Hani Zebib have done something remarkable: they’ve forgiven Demel. In fact, they now advocate for his release.In this powerful new series, Jack Laurence explores the layers of Demel’s life — from growing up surrounded by love but drawn into the streets, to the heartbreaking events that led to that fatal day. It’s a story about loss, the justice system, and perhaps most importantly, the transformative power of forgiveness.If you've ever questioned whether true redemption is possible, this is the story you need to hear.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 Kesä 28min

Today I catch up with Susan Brown. We recently heard Susan’s story—a woman serving life without parole for the murder of her former husband, a man she says attacked her. In what she describes as an act of self-defence, she stabbed him, inflicting injuries that would later prove fatal.Since airing her episode, I’ve received a flood of messages, and there’s been plenty of discussion in the Facebook group about Susan’s case. Many listeners have connected with her—drawn to her perspective, resilience, and honesty about her situation. Susan has been remarkably open, not only about the events that led to her incarceration, but also about daily life inside the Michigan Department of Corrections.So I arranged another conversation with her to explore just that—what life is really like for a woman in prison. As fate would have it, when she called, her facility was making national headlines across the U.S.—for all the wrong reasons.In this episode, Susan and I discuss, as openly as we can with our conversation being monitored, the current lawsuit involving her facility, and what her day-to-day reality looks like behind prison walls.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Kesä 30min

In this episode, I’m joined once again by Michael Leonard of Leonard Trial Lawyers in Chicago — known to many of you as The Voice of Reason. Together, we unpack the troubling case of Joshua Sedgmen, a young man wrongfully convicted of armed robbery despite a complete lack of evidence tying him to the crime. Michael shares his expert legal opinion on the failings of the prosecution, the misuse and mishandling of DNA evidence, and the disturbing reality that it can cost someone thousands just to prove their own innocence. We also dive into the glaring issue of prosecutorial accountability — or the lack thereof — and ask why no one is held responsible when lives are shattered by misconduct and negligence.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Kesä 20min

Former Lieutenant John Kennedy was a decorated officer with the Detroit Police Department—a man driven by a deep desire to help others, protect the innocent, and bring criminals to justice. Over the course of his career, he was shot at multiple times, struck by a car, arrested countless suspects, and even served on close protection detail, prepared to take a bullet for someone else.But today, this officer with a spotless record finds himself on the other side of the justice system. Kennedy faced federal charges and ultimately served time in connection with a Detroit towing company corruption scheme—an investigation that saw numerous police officers and city officials charged with bribery.In this episode, I sit down with John, now back home on parole after completing his prison sentence. We talk about his time behind bars, what life is really like for a former law enforcement officer in prison, and whether the experience has changed his perspective on incarceration—and the people who end up there.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Kesä 38min

This week, I sit down with the founder of Firefly Advocates, a grassroots organisation in the United States dedicated to supporting incarcerated individuals and fighting for justice reform. We discuss what inspired the creation of Firefly, the challenges of advocacy work behind prison walls, and the power of human connection in some of the darkest corners of the justice system. From wrongful convictions to life sentences without parole, this conversation shines a light on the overlooked — and the advocates working tirelessly to bring them back into focus.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Kesä 26min

Joshua Sedgmen grew up in a chaotic home environment. He was moved from place to place, in and out of foster care and juvenile facilities. Stability was certainly not a word that featured in his early life.At just 15, he set off into the world on his own. He wasn’t involved in gangs or drugs, but he admits he committed crimes to survive—stealing, he says, to buy food, clothing, and to keep the heating on in properties he squatted in.In 2012, Joshua was arrested alongside his brother and charged with receiving stolen goods—specifically, jewellery estimated to be worth one million dollars. His brother had stolen it during a home burglary. Josh didn’t fight the conviction. He admits he was guilty and says he’s never fought any of his arrests—he saw it as part of his life. He got caught, and he took his punishment.After serving his sentence, he returned home determined to turn his life around. But just weeks later, he was arrested again—this time for an armed robbery. A crime, he insists, he had nothing to do with.According to Joshua, the real culprits were his brother and two other individuals—people who were arrested just hours after the crime took place, with the stolen goods and two masks used in the robbery in their possession. Masks that, he believes, could prove his innocence—if they’re tested for DNA.The problem? That testing costs thousands of dollars.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Kesä 22min

Joshua Sedgmen grew up in a chaotic home environment. He was moved from place to place, in and out of foster care and juvenile facilities. Stability was certainly not a word that featured in his early life.At just 15, he set off into the world on his own. He wasn’t involved in gangs or drugs, but he admits he committed crimes to survive—stealing, he says, to buy food, clothing, and to keep the heating on in properties he squatted in.In 2012, Joshua was arrested alongside his brother and charged with receiving stolen goods—specifically, jewellery estimated to be worth one million dollars. His brother had stolen it during a home burglary. Josh didn’t fight the conviction. He admits he was guilty and says he’s never fought any of his arrests—he saw it as part of his life. He got caught, and he took his punishment.After serving his sentence, he returned home determined to turn his life around. But just weeks later, he was arrested again—this time for an armed robbery. A crime, he insists, he had nothing to do with.According to Joshua, the real culprits were his brother and two other individuals—people who were arrested just hours after the crime took place, with the stolen goods and two masks used in the robbery in their possession. Masks that, he believes, could prove his innocence—if they’re tested for DNA.The problem? That testing costs thousands of dollars.One Minute Remaining LIVE in Melbourne get your tix now Join the One Minute Remaining Jury via Appl + HERE and get OMR early and ad free for as little as $1.69 a week!Become a Jury member on Patreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Kesä 30min