10 episodes
In Her Defence The Globe and Mail
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- True Crime
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4.8 • 491 Ratings
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Everyone knew bad things were happening on the Naslund farm. Then, in the fall of 2017, Miles Naslund’s body was found welded into a box at the bottom of a pond near his family’s property in Alberta, Canada. His wife and son were charged with first-degree murder.
The Globe and Mail’s In Her Defence brings you Helen Naslund’s story in her own words for the first time. Through a series of jailhouse interviews with reporter Jana G. Pruden, Helen speaks about the domestic violence she suffered, and what led to that fateful night on the farm. Meanwhile, Helen’s friends come to terms with the abuse they suspected had been going on for decades, and the reality that Helen could spend the rest of her life in prison.
Tens of thousands of Canadians joined the outcry over Helen’s harsh sentence, asking what is fair punishment when a victim becomes the accused. Now they’ll hear firsthand about Helen’s life, her long fight for freedom, and the way the justice and legal systems deal with women who kill their abusers.
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Episode 1: The Ticking Time Bomb
Wes Naslund gets a phone call from his brothers at the farm. Friends and family describe the domestic abuse they suspect was going on in the Naslund house. A fight at the bar leaves Miles seriously injured, and things at the farm reach a breaking point.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing domestic violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal.
Our theme song is The Fighter, by Jenn Grant. -
Episode 2: Helen in Hell
Helen Naslund speaks from prison for the first time. Helen describes how she met and married Miles, and the only time she tried to leave. Early one morning in September 2011, two gunshots crack through the house.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing domestic violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal.
Our theme song is The Fighter, by Jenn Grant. -
Episode 3: All Hell Breaks Loose
Wes Naslund talks about growing up with his father. Miles Naslund is reported missing, but no one seems to care he’s gone. Helen and her family live with a haunting secret. One day in 2017, almost exactly six years after Miles was reported missing, two men show up at Helen’s work.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
Email the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal -
Episode 4: Responsibility Pie
Helen is interrogated by police officers who say they understand the abuse she’d been living with, and know that something had to happen for her to get free. Someone she loves has betrayed her. Her life – and the lives of her sons – are all on the line.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal -
Episode 5: The Battered Woman Defence
The 1987 case of Angelique Lavallee provides a roadmap for the “battered woman defence.” Canada’s first female Supreme Court justice, Bertha Wilson, attempts to expose systemic sexism in the justice system. Helen is charged with first-degree murder, and has to decide whether to accept a plea deal or go to trial.
Elizabeth Sheehy’s book is Defending Battered Women on Trial: Lessons from the Transcripts.
Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal -
Episode 6: Thanks, Gentlemen
Helen is sent to prison for the death of her husband. Around the country, people object to her sentence and the way she’s treated in court. In the isolation of prison, Helen wonders whether she’s done something wrong by accepting the deal, and has to consider what to do next.
Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
Email the reporter at jpruden@globeandmail.com
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal
Customer Reviews
amazingly well done
Loved this podcast. So well done. Thank you Helen for allowing your story to be told. You are a brave and inspiring woman.
Incredible
What an incredible story and extremely well done podcast. Important story to be heard.
Amazing story telling
Best true crime podcast I’ve listened to in a long time. I recommend to everyone. And everyone who’s listened to it says the same.