Emily Simpson may bring the receipts on RHOC, but in her podcast “Legally Brunette” Emily and her attorney husband Shane bring the cold hard evidence. Backed by their respective law degrees, Emily and Shane pick apart the true crime stories you can’t get enough of! Whether you believe the defense or the prosecution, they explain the charges, the counts, the plea deals, and the appeals! From high profile crimes to celebrity court cases, you are hereby sentenced to a front row seat in trials around the world, without all the legal fees and jail time! So don’t call your next witness, call your bestie and tune into the podcast that takes you from Real Housewives to True Crime. Court is now in session and this couple is nowhere near resting their case!
When survival depends on outsmarting the person holding you captive, courage takes on an entirely different meaning. Elisa Donovan talks with Girl in the Coffin star Tahirah Sharif about the psychology of captivity, why victims adapt in ways outsiders often misunderstand, and what stories like these reveal about fear, resilience, and the incredible instinct to survive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Emily and Shane are discussing the Los Angeles Innocence Project’s effort to prove Scott Peterson’s innocence. Is there enough evidence to sway a jury? How do Emily and Shane feel? From a lawyer’s perspective, does he deserve a retrial at the very least?! Was circumstantial evidence enough to convict him in the first place? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The murder of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, was one of the most talked about crime cases in the early 2000’s. Scott Peterson: the husband, soon-to-be father & convicted murderer was picked apart by the media… But was it well deserved? The truth is, Scott didn’t do himself any favors by having an affair, looking particularly uninterested in finding his wife, and allegedly trying to flee the state. Despite all of this circumstantial evidence, does Emily still believe his innocence? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jenn Fessler and Elisa Donovan revisit the infamous Pamela Smart case, unpacking the scandalous relationship with her 15-year-old student that set the stage for one of the most controversial murder convictions in modern American history. They unpack the latest developments and court hearing in Smart's decades-long fight for freedom, debate whether she received a fair trial, and ask the question that still divides people more than 35 years later: Did the punishment fit the crime? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Larry Millete was recently found guilty of murdering his wife, Maya. Her body was never found… What circumstantial evidence was enough for the prosecution to prove his guilt?! When spell casters, poisons and strict rules for Maya were found, the conclusion seemed obvious. Plus, Maya had claimed abuse before her disappearance. Scientific studies show that you’re 7x more likely to kill your spouse if there’s a history of strangulation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Most murders aren't committed by serial killers or lifelong criminals. They're carried out by ordinary people whose emotions, relationships, and decisions spiral out of control. Elisa Donovan talks with David Lascher about starring alongside Melissa Joan Hart in Twisted Desire , a true crime drama inspired by real events that explores how teenage obsession, manipulation, and emotional turmoil can drive seemingly ordinary people to commit unimaginable act See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kristine Bunch was sentenced to prison at just 21-years-old for killing her son, Tony. She was sentenced to a maximum security prison while being pregnant with her second son. Kristine trusted the justice system, but the prosecution presented an altered report and junk science that led her jury to believe she was guilty. She was imprisoned for 17 years. She lost time with her son, and she didn’t have time to grieve her child that had passed. Yet, she was freed… How? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Director Margaret Brown joins Killer Thriller Docu to discuss HBO's The Yogurt Shop Murders , the gripping documentary series exploring the 1991 murders of four teenage girls in Austin, Texas, and the decades-long search for justice. Margaret shares what drew her to one of Texas' most haunting unsolved cases, the emotional responsibility of telling a story rooted in unimaginable loss, and how false confessions and flawed interrogation tactics led to wrongful convictions. She also reveals what happened when the unimaginable occurred: just weeks after the documentary premiered, the case was finally solved - prompting the series to return for a stunning final episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Donna Yaklich alleged that her police detective husband repeatedly abused her, threatened her life and left her believing there was nowhere she could safely turn. Then she recruited two young men to kill him. David Lascher joins Elisa Donovan to revisit the shocking case behind Cries Unheard , why the movie was far more brutal than he remembered, and the complicated question at its center: What happens when a victim of abuse becomes responsible for a crime herself? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fox Hollow Farm wasn’t just the Baumeister family home… On this property, investigators discovered 10,000 bone fragments of various men who went missing in the 1990’s. How did their bodies end up there? After 30 years, why are we left with more questions than answers? Did Herb Baumeister have an accomplice that’s still alive? How did the police botch an investigation that involved so many deaths? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of Killer Thriller, Elisa Donovan is joined by Danielle Panabaker to discuss Lifetime’s new thriller Crowning at the Prom. Danielle opens up about playing a mother whose daughter’s carefully crafted perfect life begins to unravel after a devastating secret is revealed. The episode explores the real-life tragedies that mirror the film, the pressure to maintain a perfect image, hidden pregnancies, eating disorders, and the importance of creating a safe space for young people to ask for help. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Sarah Boone locked her boyfriend in a suitcase, she documented it on her phone as he begged to be let out... Did she know he’d be dead the next morning? What was her unique trial process like? When she was up on the stand, what did she claim her defense was? Did the jury find her guilty? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jennifer Fessler sits down with former Stratton Oakmont insiders Ross Portenoy and Howie Gelfand to reveal the real story behind The Wolf of Wall Street . They share firsthand stories from inside Jordan Belfort's infamous firm, expose what the Leonardo DiCaprio movie didn't show, and separate fact from fiction. They also open up about the dark side of Stratton Oakmont - from addiction and the infamous yacht disaster to the lasting fallout, accountability, and rebuilding their lives after one of the biggest financial scandals in history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For more than 20 years, the murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, seemed like a closed case. But A&E's Scott Peterson: The New Evidence is challenging everything we thought we knew. This week on Killer Thriller Docu, Jennifer Fessler sits down with veteran defense attorney and ABC News legal consultant Chris Pixley to unpack the explosive new documentary, the evidence that could change the case forever, and why the Los Angeles Innocence Project believes Scott Peterson may not have received a fair trial. From overlooked witnesses to new forensic analysis, this is a conversation that will leave you questioning one of the most notorious murder convictions in modern history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Unbeknownst to neighbors, local schools, or hospitals, sixteen children were being locked in a 12x12 foot room in rural Ohio by their parents and grandparents. How did police accidentally stumble upon this scene? What is the state of these children, aged 18 months to 18 years old?! Is the mother a victim, considering she was giving birth almost every year for 17 years, or is she an accomplice? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For years, Natalee Holloway's disappearance left more questions than answers. Long before Joran van der Sloot finally confessed to killing Natalee on a beach in Aruba in 2023, actress Amy Gumenick helped bring her story to millions of viewers. Amy looks back on playing Natalee while the case remained unsolved, the emotional responsibility of portraying a real victim, and how Joran van der Sloot's confession forever changed the way she sees the story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The first trial to be televised in the U.S. was none other than Pamela Smart: the teacher who had an affair with her student and convinced him to kill her husband… Or so the jury declared. Do Emily and Shane believe this trial was anything other than a “he said, she said”? Did the overwhelming media presence influence the jury? Did her sentence fit the crime? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A newborn abandoned. A mother accused 30 years later. But is this case as straightforward as it seems? Jennifer Fessler sits down with ‘Baby Doe’ director Jessica Earnshaw to examine the shocking true story behind her powerful new documentary. They discuss the controversial prosecution of Gail Ritchie, the little-known phenomenon of pregnancy denial, the courtroom decisions that shaped her murder trial and why the verdict and why this case continues to divide audiences long after the verdict. It's a conversation that may leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about guilt, justice, and compassion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why did so many people...including judges, girlfriends, friends, and even complete strangers...trust Ted Bundy? Acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger reveals the one thing about Ted Bundy that still unsettles him most, and it isn't the killings. From the people who loved him to the judges who trusted him, he explains why Bundy's greatest weapon was hiding in plain sight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Did Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile glamorize Ted Bundy or expose the uncomfortable truth about one of history's most notorious serial killers? Acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger addresses the criticism head-on. He explains why Zac Efron was the only choice to play Ted Bundy, why audiences were supposed to feel uncomfortable, and what the controversy says about the way we judge evil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Producer's note
Steal the structure. Not the show.
Keep the useful structure, then change the audience, point of view, and voice until the idea is unmistakably yours.
