On February 18, 2002, 23-year-old Marine Sergeant Todd Sommer collapsed at the home he shared with his wife, Cynthia. An autopsy concluded that Todd had died from a heart attack, but years later, Cynthia was arrested and charged with murder.      

A special thank you to Allen Bloom, one of Cynthia's attorneys, for speaking with me about the case.      

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Ep 61: Heart Attack or Poison? (Cynthia Sommer Trial)

Imagine being wrongfully convicted for a crime you didn't commit, or imagine your child's killer is still on the loose even though there's enough evidence for an arrest. I want to help shine light on the injustices of our judicial system. I delve into court documents, attend trials, and interview those close to the case to help me tell their stories.

News

Government

True crime

In 2024, CJ Rice was exonerated after serving 12 years in prison for attempted murder - a crime he was not physically capable of committing. 
In this episode, we speak with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who originally wrote about CJ in The Atlantic, and whose father, Dr. Theodore Tapper, played an integral role in the case.
Thank you to Jake Tapper for speaking with us and helping us with this case. 
Please subscribe to our new podcast, CIVIL, which covers civil cases and trials. Listen to the trailer here - https://link.chtbl.com/CivilPodcast
Sponsors in this episode:
Thrive Market - Join in on the savings with Thrive Market today and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! Go to ThriveMarket.com/courtjunkie
AquaTru - Get 20% off any AquaTru purifier by visiting AquaTru.com and entering the code “COURT” at checkout.
SKIMS - Shop the SKIMS T-Shirt Shop at SKIMS.com. Now available in sizes XXS - 4X. 
Jon Keur of Wayfare Recording Co. provides post-production for the show. This episode was researched and written by Gabrielle Russon.
Please support Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie to receive ad-free episodes. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes.
Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie

Ep 269: The Exoneration of CJ Rice

Just before the Philadelphia Eagles were headed to the Super Bowl in 2023, Josh Sills, an offensive lineman for the team, was arrested and charged with rape and kidnapping. In this episode, we go over what happened at his trial. 
Please subscribe to our new podcast, CIVIL, which covers civil cases and trials. Listen to the trailer here - https://link.chtbl.com/CivilPodcast
Sponsors in this episode:
Progressive Insurance - Visit Progressive.com to get a quote with all the coverages you want, so you can easily compare and choose. 
Rocket Money - Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/COURT.
Jon Keur of Wayfare Recording Co. provides post-production for the show. This episode was researched and written by Emma Diehl and Jillian Jalali. 
Please support Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie to receive ad-free episodes. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes.
Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie

Ep 268: The State of Ohio vs. Josh Sills

After Rita Pangalangan left her 13-year-old daughter inside a hot car for multiple hours, she and her boyfriend were charged with murder. Would a jury convict? A special thank you goes out to Solicitor Duffie Stone for talking to us about the case he presented in court. 
Please subscribe to our other podcast, CIVIL, which covers civil cases and trials. Listen to the trailer here - https://link.chtbl.com/CivilPodcast
Sponsors in this episode:
SKIMS - Shop the SKIMS T-Shirt Shop at SKIMS.com. Now available in sizes XXS - 4X. 
Thrive Market - Join in on the savings with Thrive Market today and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! Go to ThriveMarket.com/courtjunkie
Progressive Insurance - Visit Progressive.com to get a quote with all the coverages you want, so you can easily compare and choose. 
Jon Keur of Wayfare Recording Co. provides post-production for the show. This episode was researched and written by Gabrielle Russon.
Please support Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie to receive ad-free episodes. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes.
Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie

Ep 267: The Tragic Death of Cristina Pangalangan

After 22-year-old Dru Sjodin disappeared from a mall parking lot in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a massive search began, ultimately leading investigators to a likely suspect. 
NOTE: When referencing the search area in the episode, I misspeak and say “northwestern North Dakota and eastern Minnesota.” I should have said northeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. 
Please subscribe to our other podcast, CIVIL, which covers civil cases and trials. Listen to the trailer here - https://link.chtbl.com/CivilPodcast
Sponsors in this episode:
AquaTru - Get 20% off any AquaTru purifier by visiting AquaTru.com and entering the code “COURT” at checkout.
Rocket Money - Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/COURT.
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/CourtJunkie.
Jon Keur of Wayfare Recording Co. provides post-production for the show. This episode was researched and written by Gabrielle Russon.
Please support Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie to receive ad-free episodes. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes.
Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie

Ep 266: The Disappearance of Dru Sjodin

The family of a young girl who was hospitalized at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital filed a lawsuit against the hospital, alleging its actions led to the death of the young girl’s mother. In this high-profile trial in late 2023, the jury would have to decide if the hospital and its employees were at fault. 
Please subscribe to our other podcast, CIVIL, which covers civil cases and trials. Listen to the trailer here - https://link.chtbl.com/CivilPodcast
Sponsors in this episode:
Little Spoon - Go to LITTLESPOON.COM/COURT and enter our code COURT at checkout to get 30% OFF your first Little Spoon order.  
Progressive Insurance - Visit Progressive.com to get a quote with all the coverages you want, so you can easily compare and choose. 
SKIMS - Shop SKIMS Bras at SKIMS.com. Now available in 62 sizes (30A - 46H). Plus, get free shipping on orders over seventy five dollars.
Jon Keur of Wayfare Recording Co. provides post-production for the show. This episode was researched and written by Gabrielle Russon.
Please support Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie to receive ad-free episodes. Help support Court Junkie with $6 a month and get access to bonus monthly episodes.
Follow me on Twitter @CourtJunkiePod or Instagram at CourtJunkie

Ep 61: Heart Attack or Poison? (Cynthia Sommer Trial)

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