Wrongful Conviction

On September 15, 1988, there was an argument inside of Philadelphia, PA row house. As one party tried to leave, Everton Meade Johnson followed while making threats and was fatally shot. The victim's brother only knew one man at the row house, Trevor Mattis. But Trevor maintained that he was just a bystander and another eyewitness corroborated Trevor’s story. But when Trevor was charged with murder, that same eyewitness said something different at Trevor's trial and Trevor was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.instagram.com/faniam23/ [https://www.instagram.com/faniam23/] https://www.tiktok.com/@freeantonf [https://www.tiktok.com/@freeantonf] Wrongful Conviction with Ben Bowlin is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

On the morning of August 20, 2012, police and firefighters were called to a house fire in Detroit, MI. Bobby Cross and Darryl Simms died in the fire. Bobby’s long-term partner’s son, Duane Williams, was staying over the house that week, but he was not harmed in the fire. Rather, he was accused and ultimately charged with arson and felony murder. After some faulty expert testimony, an incentivized jailhouse witness and numerous Brady violations, Duane was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  To learn more and get involved, visit: http://spot.fund/4ct5sxsc [http://spot.fund/4ct5sxsc] https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572739177828 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572739177828] https://www.instagram.com/duanewilliams313/ [https://www.instagram.com/duanewilliams313/] https://www.youtube.com/@DIABLOYNS [https://www.youtube.com/@DIABLOYNS] https://organizationofexonerees.com/ [https://organizationofexonerees.com/] https://www.fireflyadvocates.org/ [https://www.fireflyadvocates.org/] https://www.cooley.edu/academics/experiential-learning/innocence-project [https://www.cooley.edu/academics/experiential-learning/innocence-project] Wrongful Conviction with Ben Bowlin is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

In 1987, 18-year-old Michelle Schofield was found dead in a phosphate pit in Florida. Two years later, her husband, Leo Schofield, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison. Fifteen years after his conviction, previously unidentified fingerprints found in Michelle’s car were matched to Jeremy Scott—a violent teenager who lived nearby.  Host Gilbert King uncovers startling new evidence that Jeremy is responsible for the murder of Michelle Schofield as well as a string of additional murders. But when Gilbert coaxes a confession out of Jeremy, the State of Florida refuses to believe him.  Gilbert King digs deeper, uncovering chilling details of Jeremy’s past crimes and the darkness he’s carried with him. As their unlikely connection grows, Gilbert helps Jeremy confront the painful truths of his violent history while navigating the fractured relationship between Jeremy and the son he never knew. With new revelations and a search for redemption, Bone Valley takes unexpected turns—bringing haunting questions of justice, forgiveness, and the possibility of change. Gilbert King is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Devil in the Grove, which led to the exonerations of four innocent men. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

In part three of this three-part series, at Leonard’s trial in 1977 federal prosecutors changed the failed narrative from the Butler / Robideau trial, claiming that Leonard executed the agents with an AR15 that they claimed matched casings found near the bodies.  Bruce Ellison and Ron Kuby explain how false evidence was used to secure a conviction that survived our appellate system and 8 presidencies. But through it all, Leonard never gave up, and with the help of tribal advocate Holly Macarro, he was finally granted clemency in the final minutes of the Biden Administration. The Wrongful Conviction of Leonard Peltier is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. It follows the January 2025 Sundance premiere of the documentary FREE LEONARD PELTIER, a searing investigation of the case from Public Square Films and directors David France and Jesse Short Bull. DONATE DIRECTLY BY CHECK TO LEONARD PELTIER PO BOX 760 Belcourt ND 58316 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34966036/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34966036/] https://ndncollective.org/free-leonard-peltier/ [https://ndncollective.org/free-leonard-peltier/] https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/414-guest-host-john-huffington-with-elmer-daniels/ [https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/414-guest-host-john-huffington-with-elmer-daniels/] https://birchbarkbooks.com/products/prison-writings [https://birchbarkbooks.com/products/prison-writings] https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/322000/in-the-spirit-of-crazy-horse-by-peter-matthiessen/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/322000/in-the-spirit-of-crazy-horse-by-peter-matthiessen/]  We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Ben Bowlin, new co-host of Wrongful Conviction and host of the long-standing podcast Stuff the Don’t Want You to Know and Jason Flom from the Wrongful Conviction podcast had the honor of sitting down for many hours to speak with Leonard Peltier about his personal life, the historical context of the resistance movement and events that led to the attack on Jumping Bull Ranch in ‘75, as well as his near 50 year fight for justice that led to his sentence commutation in the final minutes of the Biden Administration. In part two of this three-part series, the FBI had such a large suspect list after the shootout on Jumping Bull Ranch that it included every native combat veteran in the area and even a 4-year-old. But soon the target list was narrowed down to Dino Butler, Bob Robideau, and Leonard Peltier. Both Butler and Robideau were soon arrested, tried, and acquitted, successfully arguing self defense.  But Leonard tells us how he sought help from Marlon Brando, and asylum in Canada before the presentation of false evidence brought him back to the US to stand trial.  The Wrongful Conviction of Leonard Peltier is a production of Lava For Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. It follows the January 2025 Sundance premiere of the documentary FREE LEONARD PELTIER, a searing investigation of the case from Public Square Films and directors David France and Jesse Short Bull. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.