Death Row Stories

François Picard
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  • DOCUMENTARY

Welcome to Death Row Stories, a podcast dedicated to exploring the complex and often harrowing world of the death penalty in the United States. I’m François Picard, a journalist and documentary director with over 20 years of experience. Throughout my career, the most impactful reports I produced were those about death row. In this podcast, I shed light on the human stories behind the death penalty, offering firsthand accounts and in-depth analysis. Join me as we uncover the realities behind these 2 words. Discover our stories on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories

  1. They Executed a 21-Year-Old Who Couldn't Understand His Trial

    MAR 7

    They Executed a 21-Year-Old Who Couldn't Understand His Trial

    In 1913, a 21-year-old man was executed in Texas after a trial he could not understand. This episode of Death Row Stories investigates one of the most disturbing and little-known cases in the history of the death penalty in Texas. Abram Ortiz was a young Mexican laborer working in South Texas. When a violent crime shocked the region, he was arrested and quickly brought to trial. But there was a major problem. The trial was conducted entirely in English.Abram Ortiz did not speak English. In Hidalgo County, near the Texas–Mexico border, a jury of English-speaking men decided his fate. On May 2, 1913, the 21-year-old was publicly hanged inside the county jail in Edinburg, Texas.It remains the only legal hanging ever carried out in the history of the county.Why was this execution so controversial? Did Ortiz truly understand the accusations against him?And why did Texas abandon public hangings soon after? Inside the original jail, now part of the Museum of South Texas History, we explore the room where the execution took place and the historical context of justice along the border in the early 20th century. This episode looks at the history of capital punishment in America, the realities of justice in early Texas, and the human stories behind executions that shaped the debate over the death penalty.If you are interested in true crime, capital punishment, Texas history, executions, and forgotten cases of American justice, subscribe to Death Row Stories for more investigations. Support this work and access exclusive content through the channel membership. Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told.Discover our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories

    16 min
  2. 28 Hanged in the Square:America's Forgotten Mass Execution

    JAN 31

    28 Hanged in the Square:America's Forgotten Mass Execution

    In 1847, a United States–appointed governor was killed in his own home. He was shot with arrows and scalped in front of his family. What followed was one of the earliest mass executions carried out by American authorities.In this episode of Death Row Stories, I speak with Bob Romero, former president of the Taos County Historical Society and author of a history book on Taos. Standing on Taos Plaza, he explains what happened after the killing of Governor Charles Bent.Men were arrested and put on trial. Romero describes the proceedings as a mock trial or a kangaroo court. The judge had lost his son in the violence. The jury was led by the governor’s own brother. Sentences were handed down quickly.Several men were hanged on the town’s main square. One of the leaders of the uprising, Tomasito Romero, was shot inside the jail before he was ever tried.The events are known as the Taos Revolt. At the time, the territory was under US military control, but sovereignty had not yet changed. Law, power, and punishment collided in the open, in front of the population.This episode explores capital punishment before death row, before modern courts, when executions were public and immediate.A governor scalped.A kangaroo trial.Hangings on the plaza.This is Death Row Stories.Subscribe to the channel to explore the history and reality of the death penalty in the United States.Discover our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@death-row-storiesEmail me at: cultureaventure@gmail.com

    16 min
  3. 30 Brain Lesions, Multiple Sclerosis, On Death Row… and Smiling (with names withdrawed)

    2025-12-27

    30 Brain Lesions, Multiple Sclerosis, On Death Row… and Smiling (with names withdrawed)

    What happens when a single decision changes everything?In this episode of Death Row Stories, Tyrone Williams speaks from inside Texas death row — not to explain a crime, but to reflect on the choices that can define a life forever.From refusing a plea deal to believing he acted to protect his children, Tyrone walks us through the moments where the path split… and never came back. Now diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and living with nearly 30 brain lesions, he survives years of solitary confinement while waiting for a decision that could mean life or death. And yet, against all expectations, he remains clear minded, engaged, and often smiling.Filmed inside Texas death row, this conversation takes us to a place where time stops, bodies weaken, but the mind keeps fighting — and where optimism becomes an act of resistance.More about Tyrone and his fight for justice:👉 https://afathersfightforjustice.com/👉 For more real conversations from inside death row, subscribe to Death Row Stories.Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told.

    52 min
  4. He ran all his life... And escaped from Death Row

    2025-11-14

    He ran all his life... And escaped from Death Row

    From a stolen Secret Service briefcase at age 16… to a desperate escape from Texas Death Row… Charles Thompson spent his entire life running.In this exclusive, unfiltered interview filmed inside the Polunsky Unit, Charles reveals the wild path that led from drugs and fugitives to one of the most unbelievable escapes in U.S. prison history.For the first time, he walks us through the addictions, the violence, the mistakes, and the moment he slipped out of Death Row disguised as an officer — and vanished for days.This is not just a crime story.It’s a descent, a confession… and a rare look inside the mind of a man who knows his time is running out.👉 If you want more real stories from behind the bars, subscribe to Death Row Stories.Your support helps bring these untold voices to light.Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told. Find our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories

    1h 1m
  5. The Prisoner Who Became a Voice for Death Row

    2025-10-13

    The Prisoner Who Became a Voice for Death Row

    Once lost to addiction and violence, David Collingsworth spent years behind bars in Texas.Today, he’s free — and his voice echoes inside the same prisons where he once lived.Through The Prison Show, a unique radio program broadcast across Texas prisons for over 45 years, David now connects inmates and their families — including those on Death Row. Every Friday night, messages of love, updates, and hope reach men waiting for their execution.In this new episode of Death Row Stories, David opens up about his journey from chaos to redemption:→ how he faced four life sentences,→ how faith, radio, and mentorship saved him,→ and why The Prison Show remains a lifeline for Texas Death Row.It’s a story about transformation, compassion, and the power of a single voice that refuses to give up on others.🎧 The Prisoner Who Became a Voice for Death Row reveals a side of America’s justice system few have ever heard — from the inside out.Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told.Discover our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories

    57 min
  6. 🎙️ The Singer Who Lost Everything to a Lie

    2025-09-06

    🎙️ The Singer Who Lost Everything to a Lie

    What happens when a rising singer is accused of a crime he didn’t commit—based only on lies? In this gripping episode of Death Row Stories, Perry Cobb takes us through his extraordinary life: from performing in Chicago nightclubs to being falsely accused of double murder. With no evidence against him—only the testimony of a witness later exposed as unreliable—Perry was tried five times, convicted, and sentenced to death. For ten years, he lived behind bars, losing his freedom, his family ties, and his career. But Perry never gave up. He studied the law, rewrote his own legal brief, and opened the door for his release. At 83 years old, Perry looks back on what was taken from him—his music, his family, his trust in the system—and what it means to survive injustice in America. 👉 If you think you know how wrongful convictions happen, think again. This is Perry Cobb’s story. 🔔 Subscribe for more human stories that reveal the reality of the U.S. death penalty and the lives forever changed by it. #DeathRowStories #PerryCobb #WrongfulConviction #DeathPenalty #JusticeSystem #Exoneree #Innocence #TrueStories #CriminalJustice #MusicHistory #Injustice #Chicago 🎧 Listen to the Death Row Stories on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@death-row-stories 🎧 Listen to this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FF6e6B3GA7c

    44 min
  7. Death Row Through a Sociologist’s Eyes

    2025-06-04

    Death Row Through a Sociologist’s Eyes

    What happens when a sociologist steps into the execution chamber—not just as a researcher, but as someone chosen to witness a man’s final moments?In this powerful episode, Dr. Sandra Joy shares her unique and deeply human perspective on the U.S. death penalty. A sociology professor at Rowan University and longtime death row witness, Sandra doesn’t just analyze the system—she's been inside it. She talks about the families left behind, the trauma experienced by those involved in executions, and the broader consequences of both capital punishment and life without parole.The conversation begins with her personal journey—how growing up in racially segregated neighborhoods in Virginia shaped her early understanding of injustice. She then explores the racial disparities she has observed in her research: while most people sentenced to death are people of color, many of those opposing the death penalty or involved in decisions around it are white.Sandra also shares the moving story of Brian and his mother Marlene—a man who asked her to witness his execution in his mother’s place, to spare her the memory of his death.Later in the episode, she discusses her fieldwork in Delaware, where she documented the experiences of families affected by executions. She also reflects on life without parole, especially for juveniles, which she describes as another form of slow and permanent punishment.📍This episode starts in Philadelphia, in front of Independence Hall.👉 If you think you know what the death penalty looks like—watch this.🔔 Subscribe for more stories that humanize, challenge, and deepen our understanding of life on death row.#DeathRowStories #SandraJoy #DeathPenalty #CapitalPunishment #JusticeSystem #ExecutionWitness #Sociology #HumanDignity #CriminalJustice #TrueStories #PhiladelphiaSubscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told.🎧 Discover our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories 📩 Email: cultureaventure@gmail.com

    58 min
  8. On Death Row Since 2016: What the Jury Wasn’t Told

    2025-05-18

    On Death Row Since 2016: What the Jury Wasn’t Told

    🔎 Who decides who lives—and who dies?In this new episode of Death Row Stories, we dive into the case of Demond Depree Bluntson, a Texas man incarcerated since 2012 and sentenced to death in 2016.His story spans years of legal twists, personal contradictions, and unanswered questions. In May 2025, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a major opinion about it.What did the jury know at the time? And more importantly—what didn’t they?🎙️ This narration is based on official judicial records.📸 Images in this video are artistic interpretations and do not represent real events or people.👉 If this new kind of storytelling resonates with you, let us know. Like, share, and help us grow Death Row Stories.Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with the stories that need to be told.Discover our YouTube Chanel: https://youtube.com/@death-row-stories?feature=shared

    8 min
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About

Welcome to Death Row Stories, a podcast dedicated to exploring the complex and often harrowing world of the death penalty in the United States. I’m François Picard, a journalist and documentary director with over 20 years of experience. Throughout my career, the most impactful reports I produced were those about death row. In this podcast, I shed light on the human stories behind the death penalty, offering firsthand accounts and in-depth analysis. Join me as we uncover the realities behind these 2 words. Discover our stories on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Death-Row-Stories

Information

  • Creator
    François Picard
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © François Picard
  • Show Website
    Death Row Stories

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