Sidebar by Courthouse News

We dig into efforts to decriminalize psychedelic drugs and take you behind the scenes of two trials dealing with sex crimes. 

To start, we break down efforts by California lawmakers to light a fire on legalizing a host of psychedelics. 

Then, we hear from investigative journalist Sarah Berman about NXIVM, a sex cult with some high-profile members that preyed on vulnerable women. 

We wrap it up by detailing all you need to know about the upcoming criminal trial against R&B singer R. Kelly, who faces kidnapping, coercion and child pornography charges. 

Special guests:

• Leigh Bienen, senior lecturer at Northwestern University School of Law
• Candice Norcott, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Chicago
• Michael Leonard, attorney

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In our third episode, we take a look into the digital fallout of two California cases.

First, we dive into the sisterhood formed by young women coerced into filming pornography by GirlsDoPorn, a company that promised not to post the videos online. Then we take you to an Oakland courtroom, where Fortnite creator Epic Games is battling Apple over its tight grip on its app store.

Lastly, we see how efforts are going in Colorado to revitalize the population of a small bird with impressive features: the Gunnison sage grouse.

Special guests:

• Florian Ederer, economics professor at Yale University
• David Olson, law professor at Boston College
• Herb Hovenkamp, antitrust law professor at University of Pennsylvania

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

We are breaking down this spring's dramatic Texas Legislative session, which saw the passage of bills barring transgender youth from participating in sports and banning abortion after six weeks, and how it ended in a Democratic walkout.

We also take a look at a federal jury trial over a freezer tank failure that destroyed thousands of frozen eggs and embryos, and preview California's fight for gun reform coming to the Ninth Circuit.

Special guests:

• Sarah Labowitz, policy and advocacy director with ACLU of Texas
• Esther Sanchez-Gomez, litgation attorney at Giffords Law Center
• Dr. Bill Durston, president of Americans Against Gun Violence
• Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In our inaugural episode, we’re taking a look back to one year ago, when a viral video showed George Floyd being held on the ground for nine minutes, with white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's knee on his neck. Since then, worldwide protests calling for racial justice sparked criminal charges, a trial and a guilty verdict. We also have our eyes on the future — and what Chauvin's murder conviction means going forward in achieving justice and fair trials.

Special guests:

• San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin
• Sam Lewis, executive director of the Anti Recidivism Coalition
• Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program
• Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California
• Sgt. Donnell Walters, president of the Ethical Society of Police
• Greg Akili, director of the Fannie Lou Hamer Institute
• Jared O’Brien, organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition
• Cristine Soto DeBerry, executive director of Prosecutors Alliance
• Julia Yoo, president of the National Police Accountability Project

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.