For the Weekend Warriors, Weirdos & Whackjobs - Issue #23
Bite me. Just don't ask a dentist to look at it afterwards.
This week, our fearless leader, Kennedy Chappell, wrote and narrated an important piece titled Beyond Sensationalism: Reconsidering True Crime Narratives. Kennedy confronts how we relate to true crime and the demons she faced on the other side of being a true crime host herself.Â
We also had exciting movement on a number of our innocence cases, with lawyer visits, documents rolling in, FOIAs being filed, and our team diving through reams of court records and new transcripts. Our volunteers have been chasing down a serial killer and Russian money launderers. You know, normal stuff.
Just another week around here.
*dusts pants off*
From Somebody Else’s Lawyer’s Bookshelf
Burn Boston Burn by Wayne Miller (Amazon) - In the summer of 1982, a band of firefighters, police officers, and aspiring firefighters and police officers were so upset at the prospect of hiring freezes and layoffs that they started burning vacant buildings throughout the city. Their methods were sloppy; attempts to cover their tracks minimal. Occasionally they went back and burned the same building twice.Â
Burn, Boston, Burn is written by the ATF agent who investigated the case. It’s an interesting bit of writing, with great insight into fire investigations, inter-agency cooperation, and the psychology of the people who want to watch the world burn.Â
What Justin is Reading this Week
Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System by Chris Fabricant (Amazon) - from the moment this book opens, Chris will have your stomach in knots. It is a deeply researched, from-the-frontlines look at how everything from bullshit bite mark analysis to forensic arson investigations have been leaving predators to walk free to victimize, put innocent people in prison and destroyed countless lives in the process. A must-read for the Bullshit Hunter. 75 stars out of 5.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed, sent words of encouragement, podcast recommendations or made us laugh this week. We all need it :)
— Much Love From The Bullshit Hunting Crew