To start off Black History Month, I wanted to highlight an extremely moving and important case of the wrongful conviction of a black man. The rape of Jennifer Thompson was horrific. But police procedures at the time, in 1984, caused her to accuse the wrong man. When he was finally exonerated by DNA, Jennifer didn’t just apologize. She and Ronald Cotton became close friends and Jennifer became an activist about the fallibility of eyewitness identification and the power of forgiveness. Written, hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Erica KelleyEdited by Chaes GraySuggested Reading: Picking Cotton by Suggested by Suzanne LinkOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/83-the-rape-of-jennifer-thompson-wrongful-conviction-of-ron-cottonMajor Resource: https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/Merch | Donate | In the Media:https://southernfriedtruecrime.com@southfriedtruth (Twitter) @southernfriedtruecrime (Insta)This episode's sponsors:ShipStation.com (click on the mic at the top of page & enter code southern fried for a free 60 day trial!)BetterHelp.com/southern (to get 10% off your first month with an online counselor)

83: The Rape of Jennifer Thompson, Wrongful Conviction of Ron Cotton & Their Enduring Legacy

Erica Kelley is a native Tennessean exploring historical and contemporary true crime in the South. Southern charm is attempted but southern sass is bountiful. Join her as she shows you just how southern fried the justice system can be in the Deep South.

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27-year-old Laura Jean Ackerson had a really tough start in life. The single mother of two worked hard to build her own small support system in Kinston, North Carolina. Her brother and best friend were the only people she really had. After Laura survived a whirlwind relationship with a charismatic but narcissistic musician, she faced a vicious custody battle with him. Grant Hayes was a glorified bar star and lazy husband and father. But by July 2011, Laura was finally slipping out of his controlling and abusive grasp. She was winning. Her abuser had lost control. The most dangerous time for a woman. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley Andrea MarshbankOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Case suggested by MarciaSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/laura-ackersonThis episode is brought to you by:  Unlock Jennifer Anniston approved hair at LolaVie.com and use code SFTC at check out to get 15% off your order.  Treat yourself to the best bras and shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC

213: Erasing Laura Ackerson, Part 1

In December of 2003, 23-year-old Bart Whitaker had just finished his finals and was about to graduate from college. That night, he went to dinner to celebrate with his parents, Tricia and Kent, and his younger brother Kevin. As they returned home and walked through their door, they were ambushed by a masked gunman. Initially, authorities suspected that this was a burglary gone wrong. But before the funerals had even taken place, detectives discovered that Bart had lied about graduating. And that was just the beginning. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder and Erica Kelley Suggested by Jessica, Donna, Michelle, and KyleSources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/whitaker-family-massacreThis episode is brought to you by:  Get your year started off right with healthy new vitamins. For 50% off your first month, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SFTC50Try the revolutionary whole body deodorant Lume. Go to Lume.com and enter code SFTC for $5 off the starter pack. Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to Quince.com and use promo code SFTC for free shipping. Sign up for Newspapers.com--your ultimate resource for exploring the mysteries of the past. Use code SFTrueCrime and get 20% off your subscription.They say time waits for no one, and neither should payday--See EarnIn.com/TOS for more details.

212: The Whitaker Family Slayings

On May 22 1992, Betty Wilson frantically called 911 from her Huntsville, Alabama home. She found her husband, the esteemed Dr. Jack Wilson, in a pool of blood. Someone had bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. Initially, police had no suspects. Until an anonymous tip led them to a man named James White. James confessed to killing Dr. Wilson to prove his love for Betty’s twin sister, Peggy. According to James, Peggy had insisted that he murder her sister’s husband. But, according to Peggy and Betty, James was nothing but a deranged liar.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/jack-wilsonThis episode is brought to you by:  This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SOUTHERN and get on your way to being your best self.Treat yourself to the best bras and shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.Get a special 20% off any new SimpliSafe system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring at SimpliSafe.com/southernfried - “There’s no safe like SimpliSafe”True Crime Podcast Training: Go to TrueCrimePodcastTraining.com today and enter code SFTC to get $150 off ANY course. 

211: Evil or Innocent Twins: Betty, Peggy & The Murder of Dr Jack Wilson

Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history.I covered this case in August 2019. But In June 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously reversed Tex’s convictions. This episode is a refresher on the original episode and an analysis on the new developments in the case. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma Harris and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/tex-mciver-updateThis episode is brought to you by:  Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to Quince.com and use promo code SFTC for free shipping.Try the ultimate brain & body boosting products. Text SOUTHERNFRIED to 64000 to get 20% off your IQ Bar Ultimate Sampler Pack. (EatIQBar.com)

210: Update on the Tex McIver Case

Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history. Written, hosted and produced by Erica KelleyEdited and mixed by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio**Remastered versionSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/66-tex-diane-mciver-accident-or-murder

83: The Rape of Jennifer Thompson, Wrongful Conviction of Ron Cotton & Their Enduring Legacy

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