Death Sentence!
Bloody Angola: A Podcast by Jim Chapman11 Maj 2023

Death Sentence!

In this episode of Bloody Angola, Woody Overton and Jim Chapman tell you some stories you will have to hear to believe regarding inmate of Louisiana State Penitentiary who were sentenced to DEATH ROW getting exonerated after DNA evidence or other substantiating evidence cleared them of their crime and saved them from getting the needle.#DeathSentence #DNA #InnocenceProject #BloodyAngola #PodcastFULL TRANSCRIPTJim: Hey, everyone. And welcome back to another edition of Bloody-
Woody: -Angola.
Jim: A podcast 142 years in the making.
Woody: The complete story of America's bloodiest prison.
Jim: And I'm Jim Chapman.
Woody: And I'm Woody Overton.
Jim: And we're going back to our roots, Woody Overton.
Woody: Right back inside the wire.
Jim: Back inside the wire. Just when you thought we got out. Just coming back here.
Woody: Yep. [crosstalk] They made me come back in.
Jim: That's right. Look, we talk a lot on this show about the advancement, especially DNA, something you've worked with in the past many times.
Woody: Yeah. This is a huge testament to DNA. When I started, it was really coming in its own. Now it's so much more advanced. I remember putting rushes on murder cases, and it taken six months to get the results back.
Jim: That's crazy. Even back, we talked about Sean Vincent Gillis, and that was really probably one of the first times they were ever able to really rush something to the point where it really helped because you had to get that serial killer off the street.
Woody: Derrick Todd Lee too. Still, even the rush back then took a long time. Not like it is now.
Jim: Right.
Woody: You know what? I'm totally for it. And let me do this real quick. I want to give a shout out to all our patrons. We love and appreciate each and every one of y'all. We love all you listeners, and bloody shooting to the top of the charts. It's because y'all are listening, liking and sharing. Please continue to do so. And we love y'all very much. Back to the DNA, it's just come leaps and bounds that continue to change every day. We always tell you Bloody Angola is going to be different, and this is different. You would think, oh, hard ass like me, lock everybody up, I don't believe in that. I believe if you're innocent you're innocent.
Jim: If you're guilty, lock them up.
Woody: If you're guilty, you- [crosstalk]
Jim: Don't wait [crosstalk]
Woody: [crosstalk] -you'll pay hella jail.
Jim: [laughs] Hella jail, that's right. We did want to preface this episode with some of these guys were exonerated from DNA. Some of them, it was other reasons. And we're going to get into that. The intriguing thing about today's episode is many of these guys that we're going to tell you about were actually serving in death row. They've been sentenced to death.
Woody: Today, we're going to be talking about people or convicts who were exonerated and released from Bloody Angola.
Jim: Yes. We want to kind of start this off. I'm just going to tell you about the Innocence Project. The Innocence Project was founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck, y'all, familiar with him through OJ. It was basically formed to assist incarcerated individuals who could be proven innocent, primarily through DNA testing. Although sometimes they find so many holes in a case, they'll pick up a case where there's so many problems that they take that case on and look for exonerations in those cases. The average prison sentence before they'll take on a case is 14 years before their exoneration or release. And so, it's a process, even with those guys, but we're going to them to it.
Woody: They don't just take anybody, right?
Jim: Yeah.
Woody: One of the ones I can tell you about if-- ready to get started?
Jim: I'm ready.
Woody: Is John Thompson. John Thompson was from Orleans Parish. I'll just read you some of the facts of the case, some of the highlights, and what ultimately ended up happening. Shortly after midnight on December 6th, 1984, Raymond Liuzza was shot several times in the course of an armed robbery just around the corner from his New Orleans, Louisiana apartment. When the cops arrived, they found Liuzza laying on the ground, but he was still conscious. He told them he was robbed and shot by an African American male and then took him to hospital and he died. On December 8th, responded to tip, the police arrested two men in connection with the crime. John Thompson and Kevin Freeman. Photos of the two men were published in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and soon afterwards, police received a call from a family that had been carjacked several months earlier, claiming that Thompson looked like the person who had robbed them. Thompson was charged with the murder. Meanwhile, Freeman agreed to testify against Thompson in the murder trial, and in return, prosecutors charged him only with being an accessory to the murder. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. We're talking about Freeman, y'all.
The world-famous New Orleans district attorney, Harry Connick, Sr,, not Junior, that's his son, the singer and actor, decided to try Thompson for the carjacking case first, knowing that a conviction could be used against him in the murder trial. Based primarily on the eyewitness testimony of the three carjacking victims, all of whom were minors, Thompson was convicted on April 4, 1985, and sentenced to 49 years in prison. That is for the carjacking. Y'all, always told you that eyewitness testimony is the worst testimony there is, but doesn't mean it's not true.
At his murder trial, held shortly thereafter, the prosecution demonstrated that Thompson had at one time been in possession of both the murder weapon and a ring taken from Liuzza’s finger. Thompson decided not to testify in his own defense because if he did, his felony carjacking charge would have been admissible to the jury. As a result, he was unable to tell the jury that Freeman had sold him the murder weapon and the ring. Freeman, the main witness for the prosecution, claimed that he and Thompson had robbed Liuzza together and that Thompson had shot him. This testimony was contradicted by the statements of eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen only one man running from the scene of the crime. Richard Perkins, who had originally called in the tip implicating Thompson and Freeman, also testified for the prosecution, claiming that he had heard Thompson make incriminating remarks. Thompson was found guilty and sentenced to death on May 8th, 1985.
Fast forward a whole bunch of years, y'all, and events took a dramatic turn in April 1999, 30 days before scheduled execution, an investigator discovered that there was a blood stain from the robber on the clothing of one of the carjacking victims and that this evidence had never been disclosed to the defense. It's Brady, y'all. If they had it, they got to give it up. The prosecutor had ordered testing to determine the blood type of the stain, and in fact, they had rushed the test. But when the blood type was determined-- I guess this was before DNA. Blood type was determined and was different from Thompson's. They concealed it. Defense attorneys then obtained an affidavit Michael Rielhmann, a former district attorney, who said that five years earlier, in 1994, Gerry Deegan, one of Thompson's prosecutors, admitted on his deathbed that the blood evidence was intentionally suppressed and that he left a report about it on the desk of James Williams, the lead prosecutor. Williams denied ever seeing the report. Defense attorneys also learned that Perkins, the witness who testified that Thompson had admitted the murder, had received $15,000 from the Liuzza family as a reward. When this evidence was presented to the trial judge, he granted a stay of execution and dismissed Thompson’s carjacking conviction, but he denied Thompson’s motion for a new trial on the Liuzza murder. In 2001, however, he reduced Thompson’s death sentence to life in prison without parole.
Jim: Wow.
Woody: Pretty crazy, right?
Jim: Very crazy.
Woody: In July of 2002, the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal overturned Thompson’s murder conviction and remanded the case for retrial, ruling that the false robbery conviction obtained by deliberate government misconduct had deprived Thompson of his constitutional right to testify on his own behalf at the murder trial. Y'all, I'm not against that. I mean, give him a new trial, if it was messed up. At the second trial, Thompson was able to explain that he purchased the murder weapon from Freeman, and the defense called several new witnesses who claimed to have seen only one man fleeing the scene of the murder. They said that the man did not look like Thompson, but did resemble Freeman who, in the meantime, had been killed in a shootout with a security guard. On May 8, 2003, a jury acquitted Thompson after deliberating for 35 minutes, and he was released from prison the same day. Y'all, 35 minutes is for conviction? That's outstanding. But for exoneration, I mean, that's unbelievable. It normally takes hours--[crosstalk]
Jim: They were pretty convinced.
Woody: Yeah, they want to make sure. In 2008, Thompson won a $14 million civil suit against the District Attorney’s Office. That judgment was reversed by the US Supreme Court in March 2011 on the grounds that the misconduct in the case was not the result of a deliberate policy or systematic indifference by the New Orleans DA's Office. He got $330,000 in state compensation. But you know what? That's a long time to be on death row, and you didn't do it.
Jim: He's a good example of someone that it wasn't necessarily DNA evidence that exonerated him, but it was the facts of the case.
Woody: I have heard this case before, and actually, I think it's pretty well documented-
Jim: Thank you.
Woody:

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The Murderous Canton Brothers of New Orleans

The Murderous Canton Brothers of New Orleans

In this episode, The gripping tale of the Canton brothers is told, whose fateful robbery on Halloween 1911 led to the tragic murder of attorney Edgar Farrar Jr. and their subsequent arrest, sensational trial and the aftermath spent behind the wire, inside of Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.Timestamps01:30 The Canton Brothers' Crime09:23 The Murder of Edgar Farrar Jr.12:48 The Trial Begins14:02 A Mistrial and New Trial17:13 Verdicts Rendered21:51 A Letter of Clemency29:29 Changes in the Prison SystemGo to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! Join us on Patron for commercial free, early releases and much more HERE:Our Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/freebloodyangolaSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

22 Aug 202441min

Extreme Heat Part 2

Extreme Heat Part 2

In this episode of Bloody Angola, we delve into the second part of Extreme Heat, discussing a civil lawsuit by inmates against the prison. We examine the backgrounds of the inmates named as plaintiffs, detailing their convictions for serious crimes like murder and armed robbery. The discussion covers the judge's ruling on Eighth Amendment violations due to extreme prison temperatures. We also explore the Angola Prison Rodeo, focusing on inmate Myron Smith.Legal developments include a federal judge ordering improvements for inmates working in extreme heat on the farm line, addressing allegations of inhumane conditions and forced labor. The conversation delves into the state's responses, and the aftermath.Timestamps02:19 Inmates' Criminal Backgrounds06:56 Myron Smith: From Rodeo Champion to Plaintiff 11:40 Federal Judge's Order on Angola Conditions25:36 Inmates' Victories and Public Response29:05 Legal Strategies and Inmate Advocacy30:58 Inmate Law Libraries and Defense StrategiesGo to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! Join us on Patron for commercial free, early releases and much more HERE:Our Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/freebloodyangolaSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

15 Aug 202437min

Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat

In this episode, Woody Overton and Jim Chapman examine the legal battle unfolding at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, where inmates are challenging the brutal working conditions in the fields. The lawsuit alleges many issues in the prison including the lack of breaks, absence of clean water, inadequate equipment, and extreme heat that endanger the prisoners' well-being. Plaintiffs like Myron Smith, Demarius Jackson, Nate Walker, and Darius Williams share the unjust treatment and unsafe practices they endure, invoking constitutional amendments prohibiting cruel punishment and involuntary servitude. We cover the lawsuit, the result and the aftermath in this episode.Timestamps05:53 Lawsuit Filed Against Angola State Penitentiary12:56 Overview of the Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)16:41 Plaintiffs Introduction: Myron Smith, Demarius Jackson, Nate Walker, Darius Williams30:37 Psychological Risks and Administration of the Farm Line35:33 Individual Allegations: Myron Smith39:48 Individual Allegations: Darius Williams42:48 Individual Allegations: Nate Walker43:00 Individual Allegations: Demarius JacksonGo to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! Our Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/freebloodyangolaSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

8 Aug 202450min

The Young Gun: Warden Ross Maggio

The Young Gun: Warden Ross Maggio

In this episode of Bloody Angola Podcast we discuss the remarkable journey of Warden Ross Maggio at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The youngest warden in Angola history at just 36 years old, he was renowned for his resilience during a harrowing kidnapping incident and his transformative leadership. Through prioritizing inmate work, security, and rehabilitation programs, Maggio reshaped Bloody Angola from a violent environment to a safer, disciplined prison. By implementing proactive security measures and emphasizing discipline, Maggio significantly reduced violent incidents and set a new standard for effective prison management. Despite facing challenges and criticisms, his unwavering commitment to safety and order left a lasting impact on Angola's prison system.Timestamps04:01 Retirement Reflections09:10 Winds of Change19:16 New Beginnings at Hunt23:25 Advocating for Inmates25:40 System Crossroads28:26 Farewell to Angola#rossmaggio #louisiana #bloodyangola #podcast #prison #crime #criminal #warden Go to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! Our Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/bloodyangolaappsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

31 Juli 202437min

TWISTERS In Prison!

TWISTERS In Prison!

Go to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! we delve into the wild weather events that have occured at Louisiana State Penitentiary.It’s a special bonus episode for everyone this week!In this episode of Bloody Angola Podcast we explore the history of tornados and flooding at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. The impact of catastrophic floods in 1922, which led to the expansion of Angola to prevent future evacuations and challenges faced by correctional staff during these events courtesy of Mother Nature.Timestamps02:14 History of Flooding in Angola05:37 Weather Events in Angola08:27 Electrical Service Disruption09:41 Heavy Rainfall Inundation12:19 Livingston Parish Prison Flood16:09 Impact of Storms on Prisons18:24 Orleans Parish Prison During Hurricane Katrina24:43 Inmates' Plight During Hurricane KatrinaOur Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/bloodyangolaappsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

29 Juli 202432min

Dangerous, Infamous, Notorious

Dangerous, Infamous, Notorious

Go to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners! In this episode, we delve into the world of America's most dangerous prisons, starting with Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama known as the Slaughterhouse. Moving on to Orleans Parish Prison with its reign of violence and numerous deaths. Pelican Bay State Prison in California is criticized for gang violence control, contrasting the setup with Angola. Rikers Island in New York is notorious with notable inmates like Tupac Shakur. Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, the largest maximum security prison in the U.S., known for its violent history, San Quentin, the oldest prison in California with death row for male prisoners, housing infamous criminals like Charles Manson. Folsom State Prison gained notoriety through Johnny Cash's concert. Sing Sing Correctional Facility, known for its electric chair executions. Attica Correctional Facility marked by riots and brutal violence, including the infamous Attica riot of 1971.The episode also explores some of America's most dangerous female criminals, such as Belle Guinness, who killed over 40 people for insurance money. Gwendolyn Graham and Catherine May Wood, who killed elderly patients for thrill. Patty Hearst, who orchestrated her own kidnapping for ransom. Andrea Yates, who tragically drowned her five children due to severe mental health issues. Jane Toppin, a nurse who killed multiple patients. Nanny Doss, who poisoned multiple family members for financial gain. Delphine LaLaurie, who tortured and murdered slaves in New Orleans.The episode further delves into the lives of the 10 most dangerous inmates globally, including Dennis Radar, the BTK killer, and a man nicknamed Charles Bronson, infamous for his violent prison behavior. El Chapo Guzman, the former drug lord, and David Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam. Charles Cullen, an angel of death in the medical profession, and Joseph James D'Angelo, the Golden State Killer and we even cover an inmate named “Eyeball”Timestamps02:43 Most Dangerous Prisons in the United States13:37 America's Most Notorious Female Criminals19:59 Patty Hearst - Daughter Turned Criminal25:37 Delphine LaLaurie - Torturer of Slaves32:47 Aileen Wuornos - The Tragic Serial Killer36:32 Call him Charles Bronson - Violent Prisoner38:45 El Chapo Guzman - Drug Lord Extraordinaire38:51 David Berkowitz - The Son of Sam39:44 Charles Cullen - Angel of Death40:52 Joseph James D'Angelo - The Golden State Killer42:21 Jason Barnum - The Infamous EyeballOur Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/bloodyangolaappsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

25 Juli 202448min

Incarcerating Connor Wood

Incarcerating Connor Wood

Go to HelloFresh.com/BloodyAngolaapps for FREE APPETIZERS for life for Bloody Angola Listeners!  Woody Overton and Jim Chapman tell the story of Connor Wood. A 15 year old convicted of the murder of his parents and his best friend in Ferriday, Louisiana in 2008.Timestamps02:27 The Disturbing Phone Call03:25 The Identity Revealed04:48 Uncovering the Truth05:46 Shocking Discoveries06:47 A Surprising Revelation10:29 Connor's Confession15:43 The Failed Plan16:57 Plan Gone Awry18:37 Confrontation in the Hallway20:09 Shocking Conclusion21:09 Motive Revealed21:51 Legal Proceedings30:37 Sentencing Explanation33:02 Parole Opportunity36:05 Prisoner Rehabilitation Program#bloodyangolapodcast #connorwood #crime #truecrime #podcast #louisiana #prison Our Sponsors:* Check out HelloFresh: hellofresh.com/bloodyangolaappsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

17 Juli 202447min

The lengths One Will Go To Escape Prison Part 2

The lengths One Will Go To Escape Prison Part 2

We continue to blow your mind with some of the most Brazen prison escape stories of all time!Timestamps04:21 Japanese Prisoner Escapes: Yoshi Shiatori05:23 Prison Break in Fort San Cristobal06:55 Penal Colonies and Escapes07:06 Escape-Proof Camp: Colditz Castle08:52 Escape of French Resistance Fighter: Andre Devigny15:13 Acre Prison Break: Jewish Underground Groups19:56 Serial Killer Escape: Monroe Hickson21:17 Escape from Alcatraz22:09 Alcatraz Escape Continues25:05 Monroe Hickson's Fate Revealed29:40 Escape and Recapture of Thomas Knight30:44 Escape of Drug Smuggler: Billy Hayes32:45 Escape from Puente Caritas Penitentiary34:24 Helicopter Escape from Mountjoy Prison36:49 Escapes of Serial Killer Carlton Gary36:56 Carlton Gary's Capture and Execution38:59 Escape and Capture of James Robert Jones39:16 Ted Bundy's Christmas Escape40:39 Prisoner Mentality and EscapesSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bloody-angola-podcast-by-woody-overton-and-jim-chapman/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

11 Juli 202443min

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