14 episodes
Admissible: Shreds of Evidence iHeartPodcasts
-
- Society & Culture
-
-
4.8 • 686 Ratings
-
13 wrongful convictions all tied to one forensic analyst. The analyst – Mary Jane Burton – was hailed as a hero for saving the DNA evidence that led to the exonerations. But when reporter Tessa Kramer starts investigating, she meets a former lab trainee with a very different – and much darker – story to tell. Over the course of 12 episodes, Kramer unravels this mystery, searching for proof of explosive allegations against Burton and a possible cover-up at one of the nation’s leading crime labs.
An original podcast from VPM and Story Mechanics, future seasons of Admissible will investigate the role of evidence in our legal system.
-
Ch. 1 - The Holy Cow Moment
DNA was a revolution for crime solving and for one mother, it could be the key to proving her son’s innocence. Her journey leads to a miraculous discovery at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science. What follows is an astounding series of events surrounding the work of one trailblazing forensic analyst, Mary Jane Burton.
More information on Marvin Anderson’s case:
https://innocenceproject.org/cases/marvin-anderson/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Ch. 2 - Oil and Water
Forensic scientist Mary Jane Burton cracks some of Virginia’s toughest and most gruesome cases – what’s her secret? When a young trainee brings fresh eyes to Mary Jane’s work, the answer to this question is not what she expected. But can we trust her story?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Ch. 3 - Pandora's Box
Reporter Tessa Kramer gets her hands on a box that’s been gathering dust for 40 years – a time capsule from the crime lab’s pre-DNA era. To decipher the evidence, we’ll seek the help of an outside expert and put the whistleblower’s credibility to the test. What will we find in the box? And will it reveal an unsettling truth?
More information on serologist Marilyn Miller of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU): https://news.vcu.edu/article/marilyn_miller_crime_scene_guru_and_founding_forensic_science
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Ch. 4 - The Show and Tell Girl
Who was this storied serologist, Mary Jane Burton? While her work is preserved in case files, bench notes, and court transcripts, little is known about her interior life. As we gather more detail about her life, uncovering mysteries and tragedies that complicate the narrative surrounding her work, a clearer picture emerges.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Ch. 5 - Politics and Science
Falsifying results, skipping tests, and ignoring scientific protocols -- why weren’t these concerns addressed by the Virginia state crime lab? Whistleblower Gina Demas finds herself caught in a clash between science and office politics.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Ch. 6 - "Bad Documentation"
Whistleblower Gina Demas wasn’t the only one with concerns about Mary Jane Burton. Tessa Kramer sits down with two former lab employees whose careers soared following Gina’s fight with the lab. What do they remember about Mary Jane’s work? And what kept them from speaking up?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Customer Reviews
Amazing podcast
This is a classic government workplace culture. Many individuals get in to the career with ambition and motivation to make a change in system. There is a fine line to walk though in these careers that are so closely wrapped in with politics. Because even though there is ADA federal rule, or whistleblower “protections”, theres no fine print on those posters to warn you of the reality of those. The irony that the woman Gina sacrificed her career, reputation and more for bringing up these issues decades ago and innocent people had their lives stolen from one woman that knew the political game and she knew that the politic game was more protected and valued than moral and ethics. It doesn’t sound like this lab has learned anything and hopefully their accreditation gets pulled. I hope the narrative changes and Gina is recognized. Gina fan here in AK!
great work
I enjoyed this podcast. It was very well researched. My only complaint is that it is never just said that the woman being covered for these forensic crimes is racist. There is a reason her victims are all black and I feel we as a society should stop tip toeing around these OBVIOUS facts
Vocal Fry
I really wanted to listen to this but I found the narrator’s vocal fry distracting and irritating.