In the series premiere, radio DJ Fred Heckman (Jon Hamm) receives an unexpected call from a listener that turns his life upside down.

Follow American Hostage on Amazon Music, to hear all 8 episodes right now: http://wondery.fm/MR_AmericanHostage

Introducing: American Hostage

Mens Rea is the legal principle of intent that must be proved in a number of crimes, such as murder. It means literally, "guilty mind". Mens Rea Podcast explores the most notorious crimes from Ireland and the UK and the court cases that followed. Join your host, Sinead, every fortnight when a new case is discussed.

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In March of 2011, 19 year old David Byrne set out to meet someone near to his home in Drimnagh, Dublin City. Little did he know that he was walking into a trap. A panicked chase was caught on CCTV, but the final attack occurred in a dark corner out of sight of any cameras. Could his killer be identified from the footage? This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin. ******** Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store! ********* Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ********* Sources: DPP vs Marcus Kirwan appeal doc, available on Vlex Ireland Young and Dumb Episode 3, TV3 documentary, available on YouTube Tom Brady and Patricia McDonagh, “Teen chased down and stabbed to death by gang”, Irish Independent, March 21st 2011 Ann Murphy, “Manhunt for gang after Dublin teen is murdered”, Evening Echo, March 21st 2011 Tom Brady and Shane Hickey, “Murdered teen’s stabbing death is not linked to gangland feud”, Irish Independent, March 22nd 2011 Cormac Murphy, “Gardai prepare to arrest four teen knife killers”, Evening Herald, March 22nd 2011 Tom Brady, “Teens aged 13 held over fatal stabbing of young man”, Irish Independent, March 23rd 2011 Clodagh Sheehy, “Two 13 year olds held over fatal knife attack”, Evening Herald, March 23rd 2011 Cormac O’Keefe, “Seven teenagers held in murder hunt”, Irish Examiner, March 23rd 2011 Tom Brady, “Young man was murdered over €2000 owed to drug dealers”, Irish Independent, March 24th 2011  For a full list of sources, please see mensreapod.com

136 - David Byrne: Murder in a Dark Corner

In August 2000, 21 year old Julie Tennant went missing from her home in Ballymena. Her parents searched desperately for her, while RUC officers began a search for her. They eventually identified a man she had last been seen with - but when he heard police were searching his home he went on the run. This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin. ******** Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store! ********* Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ********* Sources:  “RUC renews missing plea”, Belfast Newsletter, Aug 12th 2000 Maureen Coleman, “Parents in appeal for missing daughter”, Belfast Telegraph, Aug 15th 2000 Martin Breen “RUC seal house in hunt for lost Julie”, Belfast Telegraph, Aug 22nd 2000 Martin Breen, “Search for Julie, man is arrested”, Belfast Telegraph, Aug 24th 2000 “Missing Julie man quizzed”, Belfast Newsletter, Aug 24th 2000 Ciaran McGuigan “Agony for Julie family as body discovered”, Belfast Telegraph, Aug 25th 2000 For a full list of sources, please visit www.mensreapod.com

135: The Superglue killer: The murder of Julie Tennant

One of television's most popular true-crime series is now adapted for your ears with the “48 Hours” podcast. Every week, award-winning CBS News correspondents investigate the most intriguing crime and justice cases. Here’s a preview of a new “48 Hours” episode, “The Night of the Idaho Student Murders”. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant sits down with family members of Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, two of the four University of Idaho students shockingly murdered the night of November 13, 2022. You can hear the rest of this episode on the “48 Hours” podcast from CBS News. For even more “48 Hours”, listen to the new “Post Mortem” series every Tuesday, where the correspondents and producers share their first hand experiences reporting on the compelling cases they cover. Listen to 48 Hours ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: Wondery.fm/48_MR

Listen Now: 48 Hours

Just after 10am, on Wednesday the 29th July 2008, shots rang out on a busy residential road in Kilrush, Co Clare. Two men who lived on the street, Leslie Kenny and Brendan O'Sullivan, had exchanged words, and by the end of that interaction, one of them was lying dead in a front garden.
 This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin. ******** Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store! ********* Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ********* Sources: DPP V Brendan O’Sullivan appeal document “20 months in jail for heroin addict”, Irish Independent, Oct 4th 2003 Gordon Deegan, “Widespread heroin use may increase in Clare”, Clare Champion, Oct 10th 2003 Gordon Deegan, “Man faces charge over threatening behaviour in court case”, Irish Independent, Sep 29th 2005 Gordon Deegan, “Man charged after disturbance forced judge to suspend court”, Irish Examiner, Sep 29th 2005 For a full list of sources, please see mensreapod.com 

134 - A Question of Self Defence: The murder of Leslie Kenny

If you have any information on the whereabouts of John Griffin, you can contact Gort Garda Station on (091) 636400, the Garda Confidential line at 1800 666 111 or your local law enforcement agency.  In 2005, a caravan caught fire in rural north Clare, Emer O'Loughlin's family were initially relieved to see that it wasn't the one she shared with her partner Shane. But when human remains were found inside the charred wreckage, and there was still no sign of the artistic Emer, hope that everything would be ok was quickly dashed.  In the years that followed, so would hope that Emer's killer might be brought to justice.  This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin.  ********  Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store!  *********  Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  *********  Sources:  Cracking Crime Emer O’Loughlin, RTE, available on YouTube Marú Inár Measc Season 2 Ep 2, TG4, available on TG4 Player John Fallon, “Gardai seek to identify woman killed in caravan fire”, Irish Examiner, Apr 11th 2005 Joe O Muircheartaigh, “Gardai’s open mind over fire”, Clare Champion, Apr 15th 2005 Stephen Glennon, “Appeal for witnesses in bid to solve mystery of body in burned caravan”, Connacht Tribune, Apr 15th 2005 Gordon Deegan, “Suspicion over death of woman in caravan blaze”, Irish Independent, Apr 16th 2005 Pat Flynn, “Probe after DNA helps identify woman in caravan inferno”, Sunday Independent, Apr 17th 2005 Pat Flynn, “Bizzare link probe to art student’s death in blaze”, Irish Independent, Apr 18th 2005   For a full list of sources, please see mensreapod.com

Introducing: American Hostage

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