The Trial

A lethal virus. A drastic lockdown. A nation turned upside down. 

From the makers of acclaimed podcasts The Commune, True Story and Witi Underwater, this eight-part narrative series revisits the Covid-19 pandemic with the benefit of hindsight and powerful interviews. Adam Dudding and Eugene Bingham delve into what really happened – and what it taught us about ourselves. 

Subscribe to "Quarantine Nation" wherever you get your podcasts, or follow the links here: ⁠Quarantine Nation Player Links⁠,

Made with the support of NZ on Air for Stuff by Te Pūrongo Productions.

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James Wallace was once the most revered philanthropist in the New Zealand arts community. His world started crumbling when a young man accused him of sexual assault. After a six-year legal battle - and more victims came forward - Wallace was convicted of multiple crimes and out of ways to keep his identity secret. This is the story of a disgraced knight’s rise and fall, his crimes and punishment - and his survivors. 

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In the final chapter of the trial of Philip Polkinghorne, the former Auckland eye surgeon found not guilty of murdering his wife, he has been sentenced to 150 hours of community work for drug possession.

The charges of possessing methamphetamine and a pipe to smoke it followed searches of the family home after the death of Pauline Hanna.

WARNING: This episode references drug use.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

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After nearly two months and more than 80 witnesses, the jury returns with their finding in the murder trial of Philip Polkinghorne.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

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The defence and the prosecution present their final arguments after nearly two months of evidence. The Judge delivers a summing up and gives the jury directions before they retire to consider a verdict.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

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For the first time, the court hears emails, found by the defence, that Pauline Hanna wrote to herself. Psychiatrists talk about the possible impact of the mix of medication she was taking. IT experts are at odds over whether texts were started - and deleted - on Hanna’s phone at 4am on the day her death was reported.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

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The jury returns with a verdict in the Polkinghorne trial.

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Expert defence pathologists offer different conclusions about the cause of death to their Crown counterparts. Colleagues at Auckland Eye describe Polkinghorne as kind and generous. And we hear from the “fishing boys”, who knew “Polky” from trips to their holiday homes in The Coromandel.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

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As the defence case begins, Polkinghorne’s lawyer describes the police as being “intoxicated” with the idea of murder, and cautions the jury against being distracted by evidence about sex and drugs. Pauline Hanna’s sister says Hanna told her of a suicide attempt more than 30 years ago and Polkinghorne’s ex-wife takes the stand.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Details of Philip Polkinghorne’s relationships with wife Pauline Hanna and Sydney-based sex worker Madison Ashton emerge when police scrutinise their digital devices. Among their discoveries, thousands of sexual images, and personal correspondence about the state of the marriage. A forensic accountant tells the court that Polkinghorne paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to half a dozen women, including Ashton.

WARNING: This podcast references suicide right from the start and throughout the episode. Some listeners might find this distressing. Click here for where to get help in New Zealand.

Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we'd love you to support our work by becoming a subscriber! You can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts, or Click Here to listen on other platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices