Amicus

Amicus: When Prosecutors Keep Mum

Did eight men spend decades in prison for someone else’s crime? Plus, a history of confirmation hearings.

Listen to Episode 65 of Slate’s Amicus:

In 1985, eight men were convicted of the grisly murder of a Washington, D.C., woman. After spending decades in prison, they learned from an article in the Washington Post that prosecutors had withheld evidence that could have exculpated them. This week, the Supreme Court delved back into the details of the more-than-30-year-old murder case and considered whether it should be reopened. Former defense lawyer Thomas Dybdahl is writing a book about the murder and its aftermath; he joins us to discuss Turner v. U.S. and Overton v. U.S.

We also speak with legal scholar Lori Ringhand, who literally wrote the book on Supreme Court confirmation hearings. She reflects on some of the ways the process has evolved over the years, whether the so-called Ginsburg rule is appropriately named, and what purpose these hearings actually serve.

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Podcast production by Tony Field. Our intern is Camille Mott.