14 episodes
Admissible: Shreds of Evidence VPM & Story Mechanics
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- Society & Culture
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4.8 • 824 Ratings
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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.
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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/ -
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?
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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 -
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.
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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.
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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?
Customer Reviews
Flaws of humanity…Great research!
It reminds me of “in the dark,” except this narrator has a much better/less annoying voice. You can tell they really did their homework, and it’s a fascinating story! It really shows that people aren’t just good or bad, they’re complex and flawed. Good people do bad things for strange reasons.
AWFUL narration, important story
It’s extremely disappointing that so little care was given to how this important story was presented. The podcasters present as both immature and unprofessional. Extremely difficult to listen to the upspeak, vocal fry, and absurd way they insert themselves into the story.
Irrational Thinking
The attempts to blame law enforcement are ridiculous. The round about way, often contradicting the previous reason made, to make police to blame makes me sick 🤢. Some how police are expected to mind read, see the future, and interrogate a csc victim. Mary Jane alters evidence? Police pressure is why. Victim IDs suspect but is wrong? Police fault. Victim IDs attacker on elevator? Police should have known she lied. Police do penis lineup to further ID suspect? How dare they put the victim through this!!! Nightmare for the wrongly accused and charged. Even worse there story gets used for political banter