Hookergate: Criminals and Libertines in the South

A chance encounter leads to the discovery of a salacious scandal that’s been lost to history for 50 years. Host Lindsay Byron sifts through crumbling news clippings to unpack a story of illicit sex and corruption involving elite powerbrokers alongside the forgotten castoffs of rural Virginia. 

Written and hosted by Lindsay Byron AKA Lux ATL - goodtimesbadgirls.com

Music and sound design by Guy Kelly - guykelly.com

CAST:

Newscaster - Lauren Vogelbaum

Judge - Max Williams

Prosecutor - Ben Bowlin

Janet Barker - Anney Reese

Buckeye - Tari

Defense Attorney Johnson - Noel Brown

Dr. Shield - Sean Rhodes

SOURCES:

All courtroom scenes are pulled from the transcripts of The United States VS Joseph Whitehead, Landon Wayne Holley, and Aubrey Henderson trial. These transcripts are located in the National Archives in Philadelphia.

Opening newscast describing the Hookergate crime ring comes from an August 26, 1977 Danville Register and Bee article by Nelson Benyunes.  

The courtroom exchange preceding the Edgewood diner scene comes from US Prosecuting Attorney Stubbs’ direct examination of Janet Barker on December 9th, 1977. 

The courtroom exchange in which Buckeye describes how she made a booking comes from Prosecuting Attorney Robert Stubbs’ direct examination of Buckeye (not her real name) on December 7th, 1977.

The newscast describing Whitehead’s role in the “anatomy of power” comes from an August 1977 Washington Star article.

The courtroom exchange describing Joe Whitehead’s drinking problem comes from a psychiatric evaluation conducted by Dr. James Shield on January 4 1978, and presented as evidence by Whitehead’s defense team before sentencing.

The above court transcripts are located in the National Archives in Philadelphia. 

The first-hand accounts from Rodney Smith come from an interview I conducted with him on January 26th, 2022.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Truck-stop brothels run by a web of ex-cons…a commonwealth attorney wasted on whiskey and power…protection exchanged for cash and flesh…a brash local reporter exposing it all… This is HOOKERGATE: Criminals and Libertines in the South.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.