Just Justice

S1E10: Forgiveness After Murder, with Dr. Kristen Discola

Have you ever wondered about forgiveness after a murder? How do surviving family members forgive the person who murdered their loved ones? Who gives forgiveness? Who gets it? What makes one person forgive and another not? Join me in conversation with Dr. Kristen Discola, author of Redefining Murder, Transforming Emotion: An Exploration of Forgiveness after Loss Due to Homicide, as we discuss the science of forgiveness in the context of murder.  Along the way, we explore what role, if any, forgiveness can play in the pursuit of second chances for people who committed homicide. And we talk about her work in teaching forgiveness to people who are incarcerated.  
 
Learn more about Dr. Kristen Discola:
For links to Kristen's book and for other resources, head to her website:
https://kristendiscola.com/ or connect with her on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/KristenLeeDiscola
 
Learn more about Jessica Henry:
Listen to Just Justice, my new podcast. 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Subscribe to newsletter
Learn more about my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire

S1E9: Passing the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Survivors Act, with Alex Bailey, Senior Campaign Strategist from the Sentencing Project

Alex Bailey, Senior Campaign Strategist for the Sentencing Project, led the push for passage of the Oklahoma Survivors Act of 2024, a ground-breaking law that allows people convicted of serious crimes a chance to show that domestic violence or sexual abuse contributed to their actions. Alex is a master story-teller, who vividly shares the experiences of incarcerated survivors who inspired the creation of this law. Along the way, Alex takes us on the wild political ride that led to passage of the bill in Oklahoma, an overwhelmingly Republican state. Be warned: This episode contains graphic depictions of violence and sexual abuse.
 
To learn more about the Oklahoma Survivors Act of 2024:
Read this article in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/17/oklahoma-survivors-act-domestic-violence
Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03j8VHm2bj8
To learn more about Jessica Henry:
Listen to Just Justice, my new podcast. 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Subscribe to newsletter
Learn more about my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire

S1E8: Getting Lost and Getting Found, with John Pace, Senior Reentry Coordinator for Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project

John Pace was just 17 years old when he pled guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to mandatory life without parole. John spent 31 years in prison until a change in law allowed for his release. John now works to impact the lives of others as a Senior Reentry Coordinator for YSRP and as an active member of the Inside-Out Program at Temple University. John has been featured in the Nation Magazine, CBS Sunday Morning and on NPR for his inspiring efforts and vision of justice. Join us as we talk about John's journey to prison and beyond, the importance of education, his upcoming documentary "Disrupted," and taking his first walk after prison to the local 7-11.
 
To learn more about John Pace and the work that he does:
Explore the Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project,.
From the Nation Magazine, "John Pace and HIs Friends Expected to Die in Prison."   
Take a sneak peak at his upcoming documentary Disrupted: Injustice, Trauma and Healing.
 
To learn more about Jessica Henry:
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened

BONUS EPISODE: Live from Watchung Booksellers, a Conversation with Law Professor Kim Wehle on the President’s Pardon Power

In this bonus episode of Just Justice, join me in an unedited post-election night recording of a fascinating and sometimes frightening live conversation with law professor Kim Wehle about her new book, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works and Why. We discuss the history of the pardon power, look back on how President Donald Trump used his pardon power in his first term in office, and predict what we might expect from him in the next four years. 
 
Special thanks to Watchung Booksellers and the Watchung Booksellers Podcast for this recording. Be sure to check them both out! 
 
Learn More About Kim Wehle:
Website: https://kimberlywehle.com/
Book: Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works and Why
 
Learn More About Jessica Henry:
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Learn more about my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire

S1E7: Judging Remorse in Criminal Sentencing, Susan Bandes, Law and Emotions

Susan Bandes is a pioneer in the study of law and emotions. The law looks for remorse from people who commit crimes at sentencing and in the parole process. But as Professor Bandes warns, judging remorse is far more difficult than it seems. 
 
To learn more about Susan Bandes:
Go to her website: https://www.susanbandes.com/
We discussed her book The Passions of Law, which you can find here: https://nyupress.org/9780814713051/the-passions-of-law/
 
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened
 

S1E6: Meet the Prosecutors Fighting for Second Chances, with Hillary Blout from For the People

You don't necessarily think of prosecutors when you think about second chances. After all, prosecutor offices are the very entities that send people to prison in the first place.  
 
Join me for a fascinating conversation with Hillary Blout, a former prosecutor and the Founder and Executive Director of For the People, a national nonprofit working with prosecutors to look back at past sentences and bring people home from prison. Hillary is working hard to make prosecutors be part of the solution to ending long prison terms. She spearheaded the passage of the first prosecutor-initiated resentencing law in the country.  Listen as we talk about prosecutor-initiated resentencing laws, Hillary's response to the skeptics, and how Vice President Kamala Harris changed the course of Hillary's career. 
 
To learn more about Hilary and her work at For the People, check out their website. 
 
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened
 
 

S1E5: Author Ben Austen Talks Parole, Innocence, and "Buck Rogers" Prison Time

Ben Austen, author of Correction: Parole, Prison and the Possibility of Change, provides a rare glimpse into the often opaque and dysfunctional parole process. He shares the stories of two men who spend decades in prison before they present their cases to the parole board. In the telling, Austen reveals the possibilities and the brokenness of parole as a vehicle for second chances, and asks important questions about whether parole truly allows people to move beyond their convictions and prison to freedom. 
 
Ben Austen's Books:
Correction: Parole, Prison and the Possibility of Change
 
High Risers: Cabrini Green and the Fate of American Public Housing 
 
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened

S1E4: "Never Write Anyone Off", with David Singleton, Associate Dean for Experiential and Clinical Programs at UDC School of Law

David Singleton has worked for the poor and against racial inequity throughout his career. Join us as we talk with David about being a public defender, his service as the Executive Director of the Ohio Justice, and the "Beyond Guilt" project. David exhorts us to "never write anyone off," and persuasively makes the case for second chances. 
David is a law professor and Associate Dean for Experiential and Clinical Programs at UDC School of Law. 
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened
 

S1E3: Sentenced to 241 Years in Prison at Age 16 for Robbery, with Bobby Bostic

Bobby Bostic was only 16-years-old when he was sentenced to 241 years for an armed robbery in Missouri where no one was seriously injured. In this episode, Bobby takes us through the heartbreak and hope that he carried with him throughout his 29 years in prison, where he took classes, wrote books (8 to date!), and transformed. Even the sentencing judge became an advocate for Bobby, and helped create a new law that gave Bobby a second chance for freedom. Bobby's story of redemption and possibility is a compelling listen.
 
To learn more about Bobby Bostic::
Website: http://www.freebobbybostic.com/
Buy one of Bobby's inspiring books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bobby-Bostic/author/B0857JNJRT?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1730844878&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
 
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened

S1E2: How the Personal Became a Passion for Second Chances, with Becky Feldman

Becky Feldman is the Director of the Second Look Network (SLN) at the Sentencing Project, an organization that provides support to attorneys and advocates across the country who represent people serving lengthy and often unfair sentences. Becky also is a former public defender, a former prosecutor, and a person who lost her brother to murder. Join us as we discuss how that tragedy shaped the course of her diverse and impactful career in ways that you might find both surprising and inspiring. 
In addition, as Director of the SLN, Becky has her finger on the pulse of what is happening in the second look legal community. In this episode, Becky fills us in on the most recent developments in criminal justice reform and in the movement for second chances.
Giving people a second chance in our criminal justice system is a passion for Becky. Take a listen to hear more about her remarkable personal and professional journey.
 
To Learn More: about Becky's work for the Sentencing Project: Second Look Network
To learn more about Jessica Henry: 
Website: http://jessicahenryjustice.com/ 
Watch my TEDx talk No-Crime Wrongful Convictions here.
Subscribe to newsletter
Check out my award-winning book Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened