Subscribe to receive featured episodes and staff favorites once a month.
Newsletter Signup
Exoneree, Zavion Johnson and others tell their fight for freedom stories in Season Two of Legal Talk Network’s For the Innocent Podcast. Real men and women spend decades in prison every year for crimes they didn’t commit. The 12-episode series will premiere on Legal Talk Network on April 11 with its first episode.
“No human endeavor is perfect. Even with the best intentions and technology, our criminal justice system still wrongfully accuses and convicts innocent people. It is important to share these stories so we can fix what needs to be fixed” said Laurence Colletti, Producer and Writer of For The Innocent Podcast.
For the Innocent episodes are grouped by topic featuring an exoneree telling their own story. Host Michael Semanchik skillfully simplifies case details in a narrative tone that is easy to understand and engages the audience.
Hear heartbreaking first-person accounts of exonerees Zavion Johnson, who was convicted of killing his 4-month old daughter and served 17 years in prison for a crime that should have been treated as a tragic loss of a baby; Angela Garcia, who was bullied into a false guilty plea of arson for a fire that killed her family; Guy Miles and Luis Vargas, who went to prison because eyewitnesses misidentified them; and Marilyn Mulero, who faced the death penalty because of poor legal advice from her attorney.
Then legal and criminal experts help us understand and analyze what went wrong in these cases. Expert guests provide insights about our criminal justice system and how these convictions become a terrible reality. Season 2 legal experts include Justin Brooks, board member of The Innocence Center; Matthew Cooke, an Oscar nominated filmmaker; Scott Budnik, a Hollywood producer, Wayne Little, former LA Prosecutor; and David Rudolf, famed criminal defense attorney from Netflix’s documentary, ‘The Staircase.’
“I’m thrilled Legal Talk Network continued to help us tell the stories of those convicted wrongfully in Season 2,” said Michael Semanchik, Executive Director of The Innocence Center, and host of the podcast. “The stories of the men and women told in the podcast are some of the gravest miscarriages of justice. It is imperative to learn from the past mistakes our criminal legal system has made. Legal Talk Network has been a great partner in our mission to educate the public on the causes of wrongful convictions.”
Junk Science Episodes:
In the Junk Science series of episodes, For the Innocent Podcast delves into debunked forensic sciences that convict people wrongfully. As we look backwards in time, we examine how those sciences initially gained prominence only to lose it later. But many of those who were convicted by junk science still remain behind bars.
In Season One of For the Innocent, former NFL football player Brian Banks and celebrated attorney Marty Tankleff, both exonerees, discuss their experiences of being falsely accused and how they were able to thrive following a wrongful conviction.
For the Innocent Podcast, produced by Legal Talk Network, is available now on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Click here for Photos, Bios, and Media Resources about For the Innocent Podcast and Legal Talk Network.
About Legal Talk Network:
Legal Talk Network is a leading podcast network that covers a wide range of legal topics, including legal news, practice management, and career development. With a diverse roster of hosts and guests, the network is committed to advancing the legal profession by providing quality educational content and fostering a community of legal professionals who are passionate about improving the practice of law. For more information visit legaltalknetwork.com.
About The Innocence Center:
The Innocence Center is an independent non-profit law firm dedicated to freeing the innocent from prison, educating the public on the causes of wrongful conviction, and assisting freed clients as they reenter society. Launched in 2023, the Board and Staff have decades of innocence work under their belt, all having worked at the California Innocence Project as a staff or faculty member. Collectively, the group has freed more than 40 people who have served 560+ years in prison for crimes they did not commit. The team has been responsible for getting a dozen laws changed to prevent future injustices and make it easier to free the innocent.
About Clio:
Clio is transforming the legal experience for all by creating the world’s leading cloud-based technologies for law firms. Firms of all sizes and practice areas use Clio products—Clio Manage, Clio Grow, and Clio Draft—to manage firm operations, streamline billing and payments, automate legal documents, and improve client experiences. As a result, Clio is helping lawyers and their clients better connect throughout the legal process.
Media assets available at: legaltalkenetwork.com/media
Lisa Kirkman
Director of Partnerships & Marketing, Legal Talk Network
[email protected]
Michael Semanchik
Host, For the Innocent Podcast and Executive Director, The Innocence Center
[email protected]
Laurence Colletti
Producer and Writer, For the Innocent Podcast
[email protected]
Lisa, as Legal Talk Network's Director of Partnerships & Marketing, is the bridge between show sponsors and the production team. She helps sponsors develop their message and choose the most effective shows for reaching their target audience. Lisa has consulted with clients in both digital marketing and traditional broadcast media, and loves podcasting because the medium celebrates creativity and makes room for diverse content. She loves driving fast and lives at Lake Tahoe with her family.
