Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps

EP138 - The ‘Walking Tall’ Murder of Pauline Pusser


Listen Later

A famous sheriff fights crime and corruption by taking the battle right to the enemy—using a very large oak stick to bust up illegal casinos, brothels, moonshine stills, and heads. He becomes a hero of the people. Books are written. Hollywood films are made about his life. Then … a horrific murder and fiery accident lend a surprise twist, with everyone questioning their worship and idealization. 

Sign up for your free Patreon account here, where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. 

Visit www.crossingtheline.biz to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. 

And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows.

M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction books and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant. Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics.

Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, DANGEROUS GROUND: My Friendship with a Serial Killer.

**For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health NAMI website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]**

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Crossing the Line with M. William PhelpsBy M. William Phelps

  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2

4.2

3,322 ratings


More shows like Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps

View all
Hell and Gone by iHeartPodcasts

Hell and Gone

7,482 Listeners

Dateline NBC by NBC News

Dateline NBC

47,981 Listeners

Culpable by Tenderfoot TV & Audacy

Culpable

22,592 Listeners

Paper Ghosts: The Ozarks by iHeartPodcasts

Paper Ghosts: The Ozarks

6,086 Listeners

Dark Downeast by audiochuck

Dark Downeast

4,441 Listeners

Murder Sheet by MurderSheet

Murder Sheet

179 Listeners

Unraveled by ID

Unraveled

10,528 Listeners

Truer Crime by Celisia Stanton

Truer Crime

2,497 Listeners

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan by CrimeOnline and iHeartPodcasts

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan

2,151 Listeners

The Real Killer by iHeartPodcasts and AYR Media

The Real Killer

991 Listeners

What Happened to Talina Zar by iHeartPodcasts

What Happened to Talina Zar

1,767 Listeners

Red Collar by Catherine Townsend

Red Collar

616 Listeners

American Homicide by iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts

American Homicide

263 Listeners

Up and Vanished Weekly by Tenderfoot TV

Up and Vanished Weekly

558 Listeners

Murder on Songbird Road by iHeartPodcasts

Murder on Songbird Road

625 Listeners