The Infamous Ex-Chief

The Infamous Ex-Chief
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The Infamous Ex-Chief is a hard-hitting podcast that exposes corruption, misconduct, and failures within the justice system without pulling punches. Hosted by a former police chief who believes in real accountability, this show dives deep into wrongful convictions, prosecutorial overreach, and law enforcement leadership gone wrong. Each episode dissects cases that don’t add up, challenges flawed investigations, and brings hidden truths to light. We are pro-police, not pro-corruption, because justice should be about facts, not politics. Join Tentacle Nation as we uncover the stories they don’t want you to hear. Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Rumble.

  1. A Cartoon Got Him Arrested 200 Miles Away: The D.J. Byrnes Case

    Jun 5

    A Cartoon Got Him Arrested 200 Miles Away: The D.J. Byrnes Case

    Send us Fan Mail A progressive blogger named D.J. Byrnes, who runs the newsletter The Rooster, was sitting in a public hearing at the Ohio Statehouse when the State Highway Patrol walked up and arrested him. The charge was a first-degree misdemeanor for telecommunications harassment. The conduct behind it was an AI cartoon of Shrek and two text messages sent to State Senator Jerry Cirino, a Lake County Republican Byrnes has mocked in print for years. The warrant came from Kirtland, up in Lake County, about 200 miles from where Byrnes was arrested in Franklin County. That distance is the whole story. I ran a police department. I have entered warrants and made the pickup radius call myself. A non-violent misdemeanor warrant is supposed to reach your county and the ones next to it, never clear across the state. For this arrest to happen the way it did, somebody had to enter the warrant with a statewide reach. Somebody checked that box on a Shrek picture. In this episode I walk the documents in order, facts first and claims labeled as claims: What Ohio Revised Code 2917.21 actually requires, and why intent is the hinge the whole case swings onState v. Ellison and why "offensive" is not the same as "harassing"How the complaint came in, a senator emailing the chief by name asking for charges, then telling reporters he requested no such thingThe judge who signed the warrant and carries that senator's campaign endorsementThe affidavit that pulled banking records and out-of-state history over three text messagesFour discretionary forks in the road, and why every single one broke toward the most aggressive optionNone of it is illegal. That is exactly what should bother you. This is the kind of abuse of power that uses the law instead of breaking it, one perfectly legal choice at a time. Pro Cop, Not Pro Corruption. Read more and follow the case: www.theinfamousexchief.com Everything in one place: https://liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    32 min
  2. Dom's Big Sister: Unhinged Speaks: What Netflix Got wrong and right About The Crash

    May 29

    Dom's Big Sister: Unhinged Speaks: What Netflix Got wrong and right About The Crash

    Send us Fan Mail Christine Russo AKA the Big Sister: Unhinged has stayed quiet for four years. Not anymore. 🔍 On July 31st, 2022, her younger brother Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan died when Mackenzie Shirilla drove a Toyota Camry into a brick wall at nearly 100 miles an hour. A judge later found Shirilla guilty of murder. Two counts. 15 years to life. Then Netflix released The Crash, and the family realized the public was being shown a version of this story that left out the people who actually knew Dom. In this interview, The Big Sister: Unhinged sits down to break down what the documentary got wrong, AND right, what was left out, and who got platformed who never should have been. She talks about the two friends Netflix presented as Dom and Davion's "best friends" who were actually Mackenzie's closest allies. She breaks down the four-day unconscious story that fell apart when her cousins started screenshotting TikToks from Mackenzie's hospital bed within hours of the crash. She talks about the Metro Health police report from August 2020, where Steve Shirilla told officers his daughter had tried to take a boyfriend's life before, then tried to retract it. 📄 We get into the EDR data, the so-called "carny talk" jail calls two language experts could not translate, and the red flags Dom's family did not see coming. Christine also launches Dom's Law, a petition to modernize Son of Sam laws so convicted violent offenders and their families cannot profit from social media, interviews, or crowdfunding tied to the case. 15,000 signatures in less than 24 hours. 🚔 This is law enforcement accountability journalism backed by the public record. Receipts, not opinion. Sign Dom's Law and follow Christine's work linked below. 💬 https://bit.ly/4dK3bXp 🌐 www.theinfamousexchief.com #TheInfamousExChief #ProCopNotProCorruption #DomsLaw 00:00 The case nobody thought needed another look 03:15 Who Dom really was 09:15 The morning the call came in 16:15 When the family stopped believing Mackenzie 20:35 EDR data and the 4.75 seconds 27:35 What Netflix got wrong — and who got platformed 40:15 The "carny talk" jail calls 45:00 15 to life and life behind bars 52:35 Dom's Law 57:30 Where to find The Big Sister Unhinged Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    59 min
  3. Government Won't Release Records? Here's Why 'Ongoing Investigation' is BS

    May 15

    Government Won't Release Records? Here's Why 'Ongoing Investigation' is BS

    Send us Fan Mail Government Won't Release Records? Here's Why "Ongoing Investigation" is ILLEGAL When you request public records, government agencies love hiding behind "ongoing investigation." But that's not how the law works. In this video, I break down: ✓ What Ohio law ACTUALLY says about investigations ✓ Why agencies use this as a blanket excuse ✓ Real examples (Village of Hyrum, Valley Forge) ✓ How the Ohio Supreme Court already ruled on this ✓ What you can actually do about it This isn't legal advice (I'm not a lawyer), but it's the law as written and as ruled by courts. 📋 LAWS CITED: Ohio Revised Code § 149.43(A)(1) - Public records presumed open Ohio Revised Code § 149.43(A)(1)(h) - Investigation exemption Ohio Revised Code § 149.43(B)(3) - Must explain denials State ex rel. Myers v. Meyers (2022 Ohio Supreme Court) 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(E) - Federal FOIA 🏛️ WHAT YOU CAN DO: Request records in writing Demand redactions, not total denial Require specific legal explanation Escalate to Ohio Attorney General File mandamus or Ohio Court of Claims action ⚖️ DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed attorney. This is based on my personal experience, research, and publicly available law. Consult an actual lawyer before taking legal action. Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    21 min
  4. ATF Shot Him in His Home. 2 Years Later, Nobody's Answering.

    May 8

    ATF Shot Him in His Home. 2 Years Later, Nobody's Answering.

    Send us Fan Mail Bryan Malinowski ran the Little Rock Airport, had no criminal record, and sold coins and guns at weekend gun shows as a hobby. He never got a warning. Never got a letter. The ATF showed up at 6AM with 10 vehicles, breached his front door in 28 seconds, and shot him in the head. Two years later, not one agent has faced any consequence. No press conference. No report. Nothing. Attorney and former U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins represents the Malinowski family. He breaks down exactly what happened that morning — the taped doorbell, the missing body cameras, the botched entry, and widow Maer Malinowski left outside in 32-degree weather for over three hours while her husband lay dying inside. This isn't anti-cop. It's pro-accountability. There's a difference, and this case shows exactly why that difference matters. We're talking police misconduct, federal overreach, and an ATF investigation that went sideways before it ever started. If you care about government accountability, the Fourth Amendment, or just think a man deserves better than this — watch the full interview. www.theinfamousexchief.com #ProCopNotProCorruption #TheInfamousExChief #BryanMalinowski Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    56 min
  5. Parma Heights Police Report Breakdown: What The Media Didn't Tell You

    Apr 24

    Parma Heights Police Report Breakdown: What The Media Didn't Tell You

    Send us Fan Mail I released a detailed investigative breakdown of the Parma Heights Police Department's incident report from April 20, 2026. This video covers critical details that haven't been widely reported, and I'm correcting a mistake I made early in my coverage. CORRECTION: I repeatedly mispronounced Officer Christopher D. Rossman's name throughout my initial reporting. He deserves accuracy. His detailed narrative in this report is central to understanding what happened at Valley Forge High School that day. www.theinfamousexchief.com KEY DETAILS FROM THE POLICE REPORT: Officer Christopher D. Rossman arrived 3 minutes after dispatch received the call. He found the suspect on the cafeteria floor with a gunshot wound to the right side of her head. Security Officer Ron Rose had already made the firearm safe. The officer's narrative describes multiple pieces of paper and envelopes on cafeteria tables that appeared to be suicide notes. One note apologized to custodians for the mess. The envelopes were addressed to assorted other parties. The property inventory lists six separate letters logged as evidence. The officer's narrative and the formal evidence log use different descriptions—either a documentation discrepancy or the same items described differently. A backpack with at least two different student ID cards attached was found on another cafeteria table. Neither appeared to match the suspect at first glance. School surveillance video later confirmed the backpack belonged to her. The property inventory for this backpack has three full lines of notes completely redacted—more redacted than almost anything else in the entire report. WHAT'S BEING WITHHELD: 1. The actual incident report about the social media call received minutes after the shooting. Officer Rossman's narrative references this call but the report itself was not provided by Parma Heights Police. 2. Body camera footage. Ohio law is explicit: body camera is a public record. There is no pending prosecution. There is no criminal defendant. Parma Heights Police checked the box claiming legal justification but provided none. 3. Full contents of the redacted backpack notes. 4. Complete details about what was in the six letters. THE CRITICAL QUESTION: When was the social media call received? If somebody called in a tip about the suspect's social media posts BEFORE 2:10 PM and no action was taken, that changes everything about the official narrative. WHAT I'M PURSUING: - Every redaction in this report - The missing social media incident report - The full body camera footage - Clarification on Marcy's Law invocations - School surveillance video confirmation of timeline - Complete documentation of what was in those letters and that backpack PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS: If you have been part of any public records request related to this case, or if you work in Parma Heights government/schools and have information about protocols, timeline, or what was known when—please reach out. CONTACT: Information, screenshots, or documentation: scott@theinfamouschief.com This investigation is ongoing. More details will be released as they become available. IMPORTANT NOTE ON THE VICTIM: This investigation is conducted with full respect for the family grieving the loss of their daughter. The focus is on institutional accountability and transparency, not speculation or sensationalism. --- Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    8 min
  6. How Plea Bargaining Works (And Why Innocent People Still Take the Deal)

    Apr 22

    How Plea Bargaining Works (And Why Innocent People Still Take the Deal)

    Send us Fan Mail 1If you're charged with a crime you didn't commit, you still might take the plea deal. That's not a bug in the system — it's a feature.  Criminal defense attorney Edward F. Cohn has spent 23 years inside courtrooms in Arizona, Michigan, and Massachusetts watching this play out. In this episode of The Infamous Ex-Chief, we break down the trial penalty, why prosecutors make their move before you even step foot in a courtroom, and the hidden long-term consequences of a guilty plea that most defendants never see coming.  Attorney Cohn holds an LLM from Boston University School of Law, a certificate in comprehensive negotiation from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and carries an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — held by fewer than 10% of attorneys nationwide.  Topics covered:  — What the trial penalty actually is and why it exists  — How early prosecutors push for pleas (and the leverage they use)  — Hidden consequences: employment, housing, firearm rights, immigration — When to fight and when to take the deal  — What Cohn would change about American plea bargaining today  🔗 Contact Atty. Cohn: cohn-justice.com | edwardfcohn@gmail.com | (520) 333-3348  📌 Subscribe to The Infamous Ex-Chief for accountability journalism, legal breakdowns, and content that holds power to account.  #pleabargain   #criminaldefense  #trialpenalty #innocenceproject  #constitutionalrights  #wrongfulconviction  #criminaljustice  #theinfamousexchief Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    38 min
  7. Dawn Pasela Case: Two Days From Testifying — Missing Tapes, Cover-Up & New Developments 2026

    Apr 17

    Dawn Pasela Case: Two Days From Testifying — Missing Tapes, Cover-Up & New Developments 2026

    Send us Fan Mail She was two days from walking into that courtroom. Dawn Pasela wasn't a random victim. She was the office manager of a federal mortgage fraud task force — handling evidence, organizing discovery, working alongside FBI agents and federal prosecutors every single day. Then she started seeing what was really happening inside that office. Fabricated cases. Destroyed computers. A prosecutor sleeping with the government's star witness. Exculpatory evidence buried under 45,000 pages of paperwork. Witnesses threatened. Careers destroyed. Dawn made a choice. She was going to testify. She was going to blow it wide open. She never made it to court. Found dead in her Parma, Ohio apartment — April 25, 2012. Window wide open. Thermostat at 85 degrees. No vomit. No cups. Food still on the stove. Three cell phones at the scene. None collected. Her computer? Gone. Parma Police called it accidental. No canvas. No security footage pulled. No detectives called. Six officers responded to a welfare check in under a minute and walked away like there was nothing to see. The prosecutor who had been threatening her announced the cause of death before the autopsy was even finished. Tony Viola joins me for the full story. We cover everything — the task force, the botched undercover operation, the prosecutorial misconduct, the crime scene that doesn't add up, and the new developments happening right now including the Yale Law School ruling and the missing tapes that multiple court orders have failed to produce. New to this case? We get you fully up to speed. Been following from the beginning? There are things in this video you haven't heard yet. I'm Scott Gardner. Former cop. Homicide detective. Chief of Police. I know what a real death investigation looks like. This wasn't one. Be loud. Be heard. Shake the system until the truth falls out. 👍 Like if Dawn's story deserves answers 🔔 Subscribe so you don't miss what's coming 📢 Share this — her family is still waiting 📌 RESOURCES & LINKS 🌐 Justice for Dawn: justicefordawn.com 🌐 Free Tony Viola / Evidence Locker: freetonyviola.com 📧 Submit an anonymous tip: justicefordawn.com ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction: Tony Viola & the Dawn Pasela Case 3:16 Who Was Dawn Pasela? 8:34 The Botched Undercover Operation & Tony's Trial 19:14 Prosecutorial Misconduct: Caseres, Clover & the Cover-Up 1:02:01 Dawn's Death: The Crime Scene That Doesn't Add Up 1:13:17 Expert Reviews & Parma's Refusal to Investigate 1:27:26 The Yale Law School Case, the Missing Tapes & What You Can Do Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    1h 46m
  8. Report Changed? North Royalton Police Stop | IA Expert Breakdown

    Apr 6

    Report Changed? North Royalton Police Stop | IA Expert Breakdown

    Send us Fan Mail North Royalton police stop controversy involving Officer Lowe has raised serious questions about police accountability, internal affairs investigations, and DUI stop procedures. In this interview, retired LAPD Internal Affairs Sergeant Marlon Marrache (Truth Behind the Badge) breaks down the North Royalton police stop and explains how internal affairs investigations actually work behind the scenes. We cover key issues in the North Royalton case: • Was the DUI stop valid? • What happens during an internal affairs investigation? • What it means when a police report is changed • How police accountability applies when command staff is involved This is not speculation. This is a real internal affairs perspective on a real Ohio police case. Because this isn’t just about North Royalton. It’s about whether the rules apply equally in law enforcement. The Tentacle Nation pipeline just delivered another receipt. Be loud. Be heard. Shake the system until the truth falls out. 🌐 www.theinfamousexchief.com 🎯 Join the conversation: https://liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief #ProCopNotProCorruption #TheInfamousExChief #NorthRoyalton 0:00 North Royalton Police Stop Intro (Officer Lowe Case Overview) 1:00 Recording Issues & Technical Note Explained 2:39 Marlon Marrache Interview – Internal Affairs Expert (LAPD Background) 14:00 DUI Stop Explained – Probable Cause & Police Traffic Stop Breakdown 18:44 Police Double Standard – Law Enforcement Discipline Explained 22:42 Police Report Changed? Internal Affairs Misconduct & Cover-Up Analysis 43:48 Body Cam Evidence Breakdown – Police Cover-Up Consequences 46:53 Police Accountability Explained – Internal Affairs Reality Check 51:29 Command Staff Controversy – North Royalton Case Final Analysis Support the show Visit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

    1 hr
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3.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The Infamous Ex-Chief is a hard-hitting podcast that exposes corruption, misconduct, and failures within the justice system without pulling punches. Hosted by a former police chief who believes in real accountability, this show dives deep into wrongful convictions, prosecutorial overreach, and law enforcement leadership gone wrong. Each episode dissects cases that don’t add up, challenges flawed investigations, and brings hidden truths to light. We are pro-police, not pro-corruption, because justice should be about facts, not politics. Join Tentacle Nation as we uncover the stories they don’t want you to hear. Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Rumble.

Information

  • Creator
    The Infamous Ex-Chief
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Infamous Ex-Chief
  • Show Website
    The Infamous Ex-Chief

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