Why the Nick Reiner Case Could Test America’s Insanity Defense

Ep. 18: At the Edge of the Bomb: Inside Iran’s “War of Wills”

The war involving Iran is entering a more dangerous, and more unpredictable, phase. What may look like escalation is, in reality, something more complex: a test of endurance, strategy, and limits. In this wide-ranging conversation episode of Atlantic Lens podcast, MIT’s nuclear weapons expert Jim Walsh - one of the few Westerners to sit across the table from Iranian leadership every single year for the last two decades - joins Marta Dhanis to pull back the curtain on the internal mechanics of Tehran’s decision-making. In this episode: * The “Ricochet” Effect: Why military strikes are reinforcing, rather than extinguishing, Iran’s drive for a nuclear deterrent. * The Death of the Doves: How the current conflict has decimated the voices for diplomacy in Tehran and handed total power to the Revolutionary Guard. * The “Amateur” Problem: Walsh’s blunt assessment of the current U.S. negotiating team and why a “fast resolution” is a “fever dream.” * Persian Civilization vs. Global Pressure: Why threatening a “civilization” (rather than a regime) was the biggest strategic blunder of the year. * What to watch now: negotiations, collapse, or something in between * The Mystery of the Scientists: Jim weighs in on the series of disappearances and deaths currently rocking the nuclear physics community. Key Quotes: “You can blow up a bunch of buildings, but you can’t bomb the knowledge and experience of Iranian engineers out of their heads.” “Once the horse is out of the barn, you have to persuade it to come back in, you can’t force it. Right now, we are reinforcing the exact reasons why they would want the bomb in the first place.” Resources: * Read the companion article here [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/p/iran-war-nuclear-backfire-threshold-analysis] * Watch the full interview and subscribe to the YouTube Channel [https://youtu.be/HxFdhZbQIRI] If you find this reporting valuable, please consider a paid subscription to Atlantic Lens to support independent, boots-on-the-ground journalism. Get full access to Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis at atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep. 17: Police Files, Surveillance and Targeted Killing of MIT Physicist Nuno Loureiro

A 96-page police report obtained by Atlantic Lens reveals the final hours of MIT physicist Nuno Loureiro, a leading figure in nuclear fusion research, who was shot and killed outside his home in the outskirts of Boston. In this episode of Atlantic Lens Podcast, journalist Marta Dhanis reconstructs the timeline of the attack - from hours of surveillance to the moment a man posing as a delivery worker rang the doorbell. The report details how the suspect, Cláudio Valente, mapped the area, tracked the family’s routine, and carried out the shooting in seconds. Loureiro was still conscious when first responders arrived. The two men had known each other decades earlier as students in their native Portugal. Authorities now believe the attack was planned over several years. This episode examines what the police files confirm - and what remains unresolved - in a case that has drawn federal attention and raised broader questions about the vulnerability of scientists working in critical fields like fusion energy. Thanks for reading Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis at atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why the Nick Reiner Case Could Test America’s Insanity Defense

Prefer to Read? 📖 Here [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/p/bad96055-af6f-4c1a-a967-b7abe0057558] A homicide case in Hollywood is about to test one of the most controversial doctrines in American law: the insanity defense. Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, is accused of killing his parents in Los Angeles. His case could hinge on whether severe mental illness can erase criminal responsibility under U.S. law - a legal standard that dates back to 19th-century England. In this episode of Atlantic Lens, journalist Marta Dhanis examines how American courts evaluate insanity claims, why the legal threshold is so high, and how the U.S. approach contrasts with a recent verdict in Ireland where a jury accepted a psychiatric defense after a killing. Drawing on courtroom experience covering major criminal trials in New York, this episode explores a deeper question: how should modern justice systems judge actions committed by a mind in psychosis? Thanks for reading Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis at atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Bruna Ferreira: ICE, Trump’s Deportation Machine, and a White House Family Connection

Prefer to Read? 📖 Here [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/p/d562a537-df46-44b9-b556-09e3f187044b] When ICE detained Brazilian immigrant Bruna Ferreira in Massachusetts, the case quickly became politically explosive. In this episode of Atlantic Lens, journalist Marta Dhanis examines how Ferreira’s detention reveals deeper tensions inside the American immigration system - from aggressive ICE enforcement and internal whistleblower warnings to the political messaging surrounding deportation in Donald Trump’s second term. Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Ferreira was ultimately granted bond after the government itself acknowledged she was neither a danger nor a flight risk. Yet the Department of Homeland Security appealed the decision the very next day. So what does this case reveal about the machinery of immigration enforcement in the United States today? And what happens when someone with deep ties to American society suddenly becomes a symbol of a national political battle? Get full access to Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis at atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Future of the Trade War

🔗 Prefer to Read? Full Article Here [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/p/6fcb8eab-3a39-4107-9af0-a0fa99ed10f0] The U.S. Supreme Court has stepped directly into the trade war. In February 2026, the Court issued a major ruling limiting presidential tariff authority, raising constitutional questions about executive power, congressional delegation, and the future of U.S. trade policy. In this episode of Atlantic Lens (listen wherever you get your podcasts), I break down: • What the Supreme Court actually decided• Why separation of powers matters in trade policy• Why President Trump reacted so forcefully, including criticism of justices he appointed• The confusion over 10% vs. 15% tariff enforcement• FedEx’s lawsuit seeking tariff refunds• The European Commission’s response and what it signals• What this means for consumers in the U.S. and Europe This is a structural story about institutional limits under economic pressure, and why judicial decisions in Washington can ripple through Brussels, Lisbon, and global markets. If trade wars are fought politically, they are paid for economically. And this ruling may redefine who gets to fight them. Atlantic Lens is my independent space to examine power and justice across the Atlantic. If this work matters to you, consider subscribing: free or paid. Get full access to Atlantic Lens by Marta Dhanis at atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe [https://atlanticlens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]