The Battle for Justina Pelletier

The Battle for Justina Pelletier

Justina Pelletier was a 14-year-old girl diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that required numerous surgeries and caused severe pain. When she was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital, doctors suspected Justina’s issues were psychological and not physical - and they suspected her parents were committing medical child abuse.

Over the next 16 months, the Pelletiers used the media and threats of litigation to apply pressure on the hospital and the state to discharge their daughter. But administrators said these hardball tactics made it impossible to get Justina care at other facilities, further harming her prognosis.

The Peacock documentary series “The Battle for Justina Pelletier” looks at the very public tug-of-war between parents and physicians convinced they’re doing the best thing for a sick child, as well as the exploits of a computer hacker who came to her cause. It also explores the thornier question of what Justina’s medical issues truly were and how that affected the adults’ decisions.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE BATTLE FOR JUSTINA PELLETIER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 7 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.

Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(721)

Beth's Dead

Beth's Dead

In the 2010s, “Totally Laime” wrote the blueprint for podcasts with hot takes, humorous advice, and an engaged audience. Among Elizabeth Laime and Andy Rosen’s colorful group of listeners was one woma...

29 Des 202553min

Predators

Predators

In 2004, Dateline NBC rolled out a new segment. “To Catch a Predator" was a bait-and-switch operation where producers chatted online with men looking for sex with a minor, then lured them to a home wh...

25 Des 202549min

The Peacemaker

The Peacemaker

In 2016, Truman State University was rocked when two fraternity members died by suicide within weeks of each other. But officials were troubled that both students had close ties to Brandon Grossheim, ...

22 Des 202546min

All Her Fault

All Her Fault

Financier Marissa Irvine discovers her son’s playdate was just an elaborate kidnapping. With the search underway, Marissa faces judgement from family and the press for Milo’s disappearance. Meanwhile,...

18 Des 202548min

In the Dark: Blood Relatives

In the Dark: Blood Relatives

Jeremy Bamber was convicted of killing his parents, sister, and nephews in 1985. The Whitehouse Farm murders became England’s most sinister case, cementing Bamber as the nation’s most infamous crimina...

15 Des 202544min

The Best TV of 2025

The Best TV of 2025

There was something for everyone on TV in 2025. Some shows shattered conventions, others re‑examined true crime classics as dramatic adaptations, and still others were returning favorites. But which T...

11 Des 20251h 2min

The Best Podcasts of 2025

The Best Podcasts of 2025

2025 was a solid year for podcasts. There were multiple investigative series, retrospectives on the history you thought you knew, and even some light‑hearted fare that was quirky and entertaining. But...

8 Des 202553min

Hush: Love Thy Neighbor

Hush: Love Thy Neighbor

When the body of 18-year-old Sarah Zuber was found outside her home in 2019, the evidence suggested a variety of competing theories. Was it a murder, a hit and run, or Sarah’s own intoxicated misadven...

4 Des 202556min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
aftenpodden
giver-og-gjengen-vg
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
aftenpodden-usa
konspirasjonspodden
popradet
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
grenselos
wolfgang-wee-uncut
min-barneoppdragelse
alt-fortalt
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
fladseth
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
198-land-med-einar-trnquist
rss-frekvens-med-anine-olsen