Law&Crime Sidebar - 7 Disturbing Trials to Watch in 2025

Episode Date: December 30, 2024

From the quadruple murder trial of Bryan Kohberger in the case of four college students murdered in an Idaho home to the case of a Massachusetts father who Googled disturbing keywords while his wife was missing, 2025 is expected to be jampacked with huge trials. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber has details on seven of the biggest trials we’re watching in the new year.HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger and Christina FalconeScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Agent Nate Russo returns in Oracle 3, Murder at the Grandview, the latest installment of the gripping Audible Original series. When a reunion at an abandoned island hotel turns deadly, Russo must untangle accident from murder. But beware, something sinister lurks in the grand. View Shadows. Joshua Jackson delivers a bone-chilling performance in this supernatural thriller that will

keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. 20205 is certainly shaping up to be a year of explosive courtroom drama. Sean Diddy Combs facing racketeering and sex trafficking charges that could destroy his empire. Lil Durk, of orchestrating a deadly hit. Corey Richon stands trial for allegedly poisoning her husband, from devastating celebrity scandals to chilling murder mysteries. Next year's trials will be something.

And so we're going to break down the top criminal trials to expect in 2025. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Hey, so before we jump into the story, I have really, really exciting news for you. The video version of Sidebar is now. available on spotify that's right we are so thankful for your guys supportive sidebar and us getting the show on spotify video it is truly due to how loyal this audience is so thank you so much and yes you can now watch and listen on the go from ditty to the united health care murder updates to crazy court

movements it is all on spotify now so right now you can scan the QR code on screen or click the link in the description to follow sidebar on spotify as we head into 2025 the legal world is gearing up for a series of high stakes high profile trials that I have a feeling everybody is going to be following from chilling murder cases to complicated legal battles some cases have been years in the making others have captured public attention from the moment they hit the headlines today we're going to take a look at the top trials you can expect in 2025 the cases that will dominate the news cycles the courtrooms even social media so why not start right now and see what these cases are about before they even hit. We're talking about cases of Brian Coburger, who's accused of murdering

four University of Idaho students to the Shannon Gardner-Fernandez case where the ex-wife of murder tech executive Jared Bridigan faces charges. We're going to do a deep dive into what you need to know about each of these cases, the legal issues surrounding them and the families. The families at the heart of these stories, they should never be forgotten in all of this. So first up, let's talk about one of the biggest names in the music industry, Sean Diddy Combs. The rat mogul entrepreneur, fashion icon, set to face trial in May of 2025, which when you think about it is really right around the corner. Now, Combs is facing some very serious charges, sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution. This is a federal case that has rocked the entertainment world.

And while this case is currently set for May 5th, 2025, because it is on the federal level, unfortunately, there will be no cameras allowed in the courtroom. But nonetheless, this Manhattan trial is going to be one that will follow as best as we possibly can. And during his last court appearance for a pretrial hearing, to give you an example, we reported on this. We did a live Q&A session on YouTube when it was going on. The music mogul apparently appeared thinner, had noticeably grayer hair. This was from reporting by our very own, Long Crime's very own Elizabeth Milner, who was inside that courtroom. And during that hearing, Judge Arun Sub-Romanian asked his defense to get their motion schedule in place by January 3rd, worked out some discovery issues in terms of what more the prosecution is planning

to turn over to the defense. And there was even talk about whether or not prosecutors planned to file a superseding indictment with new or amended charges against Sean Combs and maybe others. If that's the case, let's see if this trial actually happens in May of 2025. Might be delayed. But Did he noticeably left the courtroom, wishing those in the gallery, happy holidays, though this year's Christmas is definitely looking a whole. lot different for the fallen rapper and producer. So we're going to break down what exactly he's up against. This indictment accuses Diddy of using his power and influence to manipulate and abuse women, sometimes under the threat of violence. It reads, for decades, Sean Combs, aka

puff daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy, P.D. Love, the defendant, abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct. Do so. Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multifaceted business empire that he led and controlled, creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice. When you're talking about a racketeering charge and all these underlying crimes that are in furtherance of this alleged criminal organization or enterprise, you can see how expansive a case like this might be.

disturbing claims, they even extend into what prosecutors have described as freak-offs. These are also mentioned in the indictment. Combs then used force, threats of force, and coercion to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as, among other things, freak-offs. Freak-offs were elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, pleasure himself during, and often electronically recorded. But I should tell you, this is just the

the beginning. Why? Because Combs is also facing dozens of lawsuits from individuals who say they were sexually assaulted or trafficked by the mogul. Now to be clear, we don't know if any of them will actually be witnesses in his criminal trial, but these cases, but these cases are important. They span decades, some going back to the early 90s, including disturbing allegations from as far back as 1991. The accusers of both women and men, by the way, one lawsuit for example, involves a woman who claims that she was trafficked and gang raped by Combs when she was just 17. Another claims he and Jay-Z raped a 13-year-old girl at a video music awards after party back in 2000 while in the presence of an unnamed celebrity, a female

celebrity. You have another lawsuit where a man says he was 10 years old when he was drugged and assaulted by Combs, and then Combs allegedly threatened to hurt this boy's parents if he came forward. And while these civil cases are, again, separate from Diddy's alleged criminal troubles, they are important to mention in the overall grand scheme of Diddy's ever-growing mountain of legal battles. So I want to go back to the beginning of how this criminal case unfolded. Diddy's legal troubles, they really took a major term in September of this year when he was arrested and charged, right? U.S. Attorney Damien Williams, or former United States attorneys for the Southern District in New York, Damien Williams, because he since

resigned, made the announcement of this indictment on September 17th. This office is determined to investigate and prosecute anyone who engages in sex trafficking, no matter how powerful or wealthy or famous you may be. No one should doubt our commitment on that. And since then, Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center out in Brooklyn. He's tried to get out a multitude of times. But to no avail, judges have determined that he is too much of a danger, that he can't be expected to follow the rules of pretrial release, especially since there

was evidence he was breaking the rules of the Bureau of Prisons while locked up in the MDC, like engaging in three-way phone calls, using other inmates' phone access codes, talking to people not on the approved list. And so while Diddy's team may not attempt to get him out again, they are adamant that all of these charges are false, that he did not do what he is accused of doing. They have maintained his innocence at every turn. His attorney, or one of his attorneys, Mark Ignifalo, said in a statement back in October that Diddy is eager to clear his name in court, saying these are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court. And his defense even recently argued that a 2016 video showing

Diddy, allegedly kicking his ex-girlfriend Cassandra Ventura, that that should be thrown out, saying that the leak of this footage prejudices the case. But the government, The government argued this is key evidence. That video obtained by CNN shows Diddy, allegedly violently assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a hotel room. And ultimately, the judge ruled that the defense didn't meet their burden that this video was in fact leaked to CNN by the government. And so it seems this pivotal video will make its way into evidence after all. That would be a huge win for the prosecutors because that is a real, tangible piece of evidence of Combs' alleged violence and gives credibility to the claim.

against him. I mean, he is purportedly seen running out of a hotel room just wearing a towel and beating Ventura. They claim that she was trying to escape a room with a sex worker, evidence of sex trafficking. So you get the idea. But what is at stake for Sean Combs? Well, if convicted, he faces some very serious time behind bars. One, the racketeering charge alone, he could be looking at life in prison. If he's found guilty of sex trafficking, he's facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. So from one of the most influential figures in hip hop and pop culture to now facing these shocking criminal charges, Sean Combs' trial is poised to be one of the biggest legal battles of the decade. And while Combs' legal team is preparing a vigorous defense,

potentially going to argue that all of this was consensual, that no one was threatened or forced or coerced into doing anything, and that there was no criminal enterprise afoot, The growing number of accusers in civil lawsuits suggest that we may be just seeing the tip of the iceberg. With more than 100 individuals reportedly coming forward or planning to come forward, it is clear that Sean Diddy Combs' legal issues are far from over. All right, so let's head over to another case that's bound to make headlines, and that is the California trial of the Grammy-winning rapper from Chicago, Lil Durk. He is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that left one moment.

man dead and another one just narrowly escaping death. Durk Banks, better known by a stage name as Lil Durk, is maintaining his innocence against federal charges that he directed a violent and deadly attack in Los Angeles in 2022, one that ended in the tragic shooting death of a man that he apparently didn't even intend to kill. Even if you take all the allegations are true, he didn't have an attention to kill this man. So let me explain this. Now, in a similar fashion to Diddy's case, this is a federal trial, so there will be no cameras in the courtroom. That's just the rule. But I will tell you again, this is one that could shape the future of the hip hop industry, gang violence, how law enforcement takes on celebrity crime. So this is definitely one that you're going to want to stay on the loop on with all the updates.

So let's take you through everything that you need to know about the case. So this all started in August of 2022. When Lil Durk and his associates allegedly flew out to Los Angeles after hearing that Cuando Rondo, a rival rapper, was in the city. So what's the motive here to go after Cuando Rondo? while prosecutors say it was retaliation. You see, to understand the full scope of this case, we actually need to go back to November of 2020 when King Vaughn, a close friend of Dirk,

was tragically shot and killed outside of an Atlanta hookah lounge. Dirk was apparently, by all accounts, devastated by Vaughan's death. And prosecutors say, as part of his grief, he vowed to avenge his friend's death. And authorities say he intended to target Cuando Rondo, a fellow rapper who was apparently involved in a confrontation with King Vaughn shortly before he was shot and killed. Although I should tell you, the man who was arrested in connection with the shooting, Timothy Leakes, this was the person authorities believed was the actual shooter,

he had his charges dismissed. Yeah. So this is where the plot thickens. Prosecutors say Dirk sent a chilling message to his associates saying he would pay a bounty for anyone who would exact revenge on Rondo, whose real name is Tyquion Bowman, for Vaughan's death. thinking that he was actually responsible for what happened here. And that is the allegation from the Feds. This is all alleged to the indictment retreats. Banks is the leader of the Chicago-based rap collective, known as only the family or OTF. In addition to OTF's status as a rap collective,

I know based on the investigation that OTF also acts as an association in fact of individuals who engage in violence, including murder and assault at the direction of banks and to maintain their status in OTF. For example, based on evidence collected during the investigation, including the interview of witnesses, I know that banks put a monetary bounty out for the individual with whom Banks was feuding named TB. Now, along with Dirk, there are other individuals who are named and listed in this indictment. Kavanaugh-London-London, D'Anne-Ga-Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsay, and Asa Houston. Their defendants, and the government says they all allegedly had a hand in this attempted hit. So let's go back now to August of 2022 when prosecutors say that Dirk and his associates, they

traveled to California to track Rondo's movements, and this deadly turn of events soon unfolded at a Los Angeles gas station. The plan, according to authorities, was to ambush Cuando Rondo, but it went horribly wrong. Rondo's cousin, Savaya Robinson, who was in the vehicle with him, he was the one who was shot and killed in a hail of bullets. At least 18 rounds were fired at the car in broad daylight, by the way, during a busy afternoon at a gas station. The indictment reads on August 19th, 2022 at the Beverly gas station, defendants Jones and Lindsay and co-conspirator 2 use the firearms procured by defending Grant, including the fully automatic firearm, to shoot at TB's car striking and killing SR, who was standing next to TB's car while TB was inside.

The images below show defendants Jones and Lindsay and co-conspirator 2 firing their guns at TB's black escalates. So, yeah, apparently, this attack. was caught on surveillance camera. And also I'll say I mentioned this before in a prior sidebar. It makes me wonder if these unidentified co-conspirators may actually be cooperating witnesses for the government. We shall wait and see when that trial happens. Now, federal authorities, what they have done is they have painted a very chilling picture of Dirk's involvement in this plot. Flight records, banking documents, they tie Dirk to his alleged associates, all in this plot to murder Cuondo Rondo, right down to the booking of the flights in the hotel rooms.

Because here's where things get more interesting. Prosecutors alleged that Dirk personally flew into Los Angeles on a private jet the same day his alleged associates were there, and his alleged associate, Grant, purchased ski masks and hotel rooms for the gunmen using a credit card in Dirk's name. Also, prosecutors say Dirk allegedly texted a co-conspirator, don't book no flights under no names involved with me. Now, Dirk, meanwhile, was allegedly trying to cover his tracks, so there is evidence linking him to several booked flights for international travel.

Authorities say he was preparing to flee the country just hours after his associates were arrested back in Chicago. Dirk was arrested in Miami, allegedly boarding a plane to Italy. The FBI claims he had also been booked on one-way flights to Switzerland and Dubai. He didn't actually board them. But again, that could be problematic evidence. for him at a trial. Now, Dirk's defense team is led by high-profile attorney Drew Finling, whose previous clients include the likes of Cardi B, NBA young boy, and Finling has been very

vocal about Dirk's innocence and in a joint statement to Newsweek said the claims in the indictment against Mr. Banks are false and lacking in the most basic due diligence. The real truth is that Dirk Banks is a Grammy award-winning artist, dedicated father, and a loving husband. Mr. Banks has been intensely committed to giving back to the Chicago community. He loved through his neighborhood heroes foundation and has put on more than a dozen charitable events over the last few years so with a trial date set for January 7th 2025 that is again really around the corner this case set to be one of the most high-profile trials of the year and you want to talk stakes if

convicted Lil Durk this rising star in the rap game could face up to life in federal prison and so the question will be will he be found guilty of orchestrating a cold-blooded murder or will he walk free We'll be following this case closely as it unfolds. Our next case takes us to Utah, where a mother of three and children's author, Corey Richens, is set to stay in trial for the shocking murder of her husband, Eric Richens. At what first seemed to be just a heartbreaking tragedy, her husband's sudden death out of nowhere, soon turned into one of the most chilling and complex cases of alleged premeditated murder

that we have seen in recent years. And this all started back on March 4th, 2022. When Eric Richens was found dead in the couple's home under very suspicious circumstances, Corey Richens apparently called 911 telling them she found her husband unresponsive in their bedroom after waking up in the middle of the night. Emergency responders, they arrived at the home in Summit County, Utah. They find Eric on the floor at the foot of the bed in the couple's bedroom. He was ultimately pronounced dead. And at first glance, it appeared to be a sudden, tragic,

unexplained death. But as the investigation unfolded, authorities believe now that this was not an accidental overdose, nor just a random tragedy, but it was actually a murder. Because less than a year after her husband's death, Corey Richens did something that really got a lot of people talking in light of the accusations that she faces now. She published the children's book titled, Are You With Me? Which she said, she wrote to help children process the loss of a loved one, something that resonated with the grief that she was supposedly experiencing. But investigators now believe that this act was more than just an effort to help her children cope. It was actually part of a larger web of deception.

While Richens presented herself as the grieving widow, authorities were already digging deeper into her past. And what they uncovered would take this case in a very chilling direction. You see, prosecutors alleged that Corey Richens didn't just lose her husband. She killed him. She killed him in cold blood, seemingly all for financial gain. And fentanyl, the deadly opioid, was the drug of choice. Ultimately, the murder weapon here, the alleged murder weapon. Because on the night of his death, Richens allegedly mixed fentanyl into a cocktail, specifically a Moscow mule that her husband Eric drank before going to bed. Now, an autopsy report revealed that Eric had five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system. And this wasn't even the first alleged attempt on his life. Just a month earlier on Valentine's Day, prosecutors claim Richens tried to kill Eric by poisoning his sandwich. Now, that attempt failed, leaving Eric so ill, broken to hives that he apparently had to take Benadryl and use an EpiPen to counteract the poisoning, or the alleged poisoning, I should say. And authorities say the motive for these

attempts on Eric's life all stems back to money. Richens was reportedly deeply in debt, over three million dollars, in fact. She had apparently taken out a $250,000 home equity line of credit without Eric's knowledge, had been allegedly forging his signature on documents to secure more loans. So while her financial situation seemed to be spiraling out of control, Eric Richens, on the other hand, was reportedly worth around $5 million at the time of his death. And prosecutors believe Richen's plan was to collect the life insurance policy, which, by the way, she had secretly, or allegedly secretly opened before his death for nearly $2 million. Problem was, Richens didn't know this, but Eric had quietly put most of his assets into a trust under his sister's name.

Now, this investigation took a very dramatic turn when authorities uncovered a series of burner phones linked to Corey Richens. And on these phones, they allegedly find disturbing searches that raise serious questions about her intent. Prosecutors say she searched for terms like, how long does life insurance companies take to pay? What is a lethal dose of fentanyl? Women, Utah prison? Can cops uncover deleted messages, iPhone? But maybe the most dramatic evidence? Richens allegedly bought fentanyl pills from her housekeeper months before police say she killed Eric.

So in May of 2023, after months of investigating, Corey Richens was a lot of. officially arrested. She is facing nine charges, which is our understanding, five of which will be at one trial, aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery and insurance fraud charges, while other mortgage fraud and forgery charges were severed, and we believe those are going to be addressed at a different day at a different trial. And despite what appears to be overwhelming evidence against her, Richens has maintained her innocence. Her defense team argues the evidence is circumstantial, particularly pointing to the fact that no fentanyl was ever found in the home after Eric's death, suggesting that this housekeeper, this star witness, might have fabricated the story about selling Richens the drugs

in exchange for leniency with respect to her own drug charges. But with Richens trial set for April 28, 2025, this case promises to be one of the most high-profile legal battles of the year. So we are going to be following this case closely. We'll be sure to keep you updated. and turn as it unfolds. All right, now time to head out to Massachusetts, where there are two trials on the horizon that we expect to shake up 2025. So we want to start with the case of Brian Walsh.

This is the man accused of murdering his wife, Anna. It is a bizarre and chilling case that has captured national attention. And it's set to begin in October of 2025. This trial is already, or this case, I should say, is already making headlines. And with good reason, there is a lot here to this case and a lot more than meets the eye.

So the story begins in the early morning hours of January 1st, 2023, when Anna Walsh, a 39-year-old mother of three, originally from Serbia, went missing. She and her husband, Brian, had just reportedly celebrated New Year's Eve at their home in Cohasset, Massachusetts with a family friend. But something was off when Anna reportedly left for a work emergency in Washington, D.C., a New Year's Day.

Problem there is, her employer was never contacted about any work emergency. said there was no work emergency. And Brian Walsh's story that his wife was called away, suddenly for work, didn't quite add up. Her employer was the first to report her missing when it turned out that Anna had never traveled to D.C. That was the first red flag.

So as police began investigating, a horrifying truth began to emerge about Brian Walsh. Authorities say that from January 1st onward, Walsh allegedly made several disturbing online. searches, including queries like best ways to dispose of a body. Can you be charged without a body? And can identification be made on partial remains? Yeah. Now, despite extensive searches by local law enforcement, Anna's body to this day has never been found. But prosecutors say Walsh's actions in the days following his wife's disappearance are highly suspicious. And they suggest that the

murder occurred sometime in the early hours of January 1st of last year. And among the most incriminating pieces of evidence, going back to the alleged online searches, there was one that said hacksaw best tool to dismember. Well, investigators reportedly found the Walsh's DNA, along with a COVID-vax card for Anna, some of her clothes, a hacksaw, cutting shears, and a hatchet, all in trash bags in a dumpster, out of all places, at Brian Walsh's mother's apartment complex 40 miles away from the Walsh home. Not to mention, they apparently also found blood and a bloody damaged knife in the couple's basement, too. And to make matters worse, it was revealed that Anna Walsh had taken out a $2.7 million life insurance policy before her disappearance,

naming her husband as the sole beneficiary. The idea here, prosecutors are suggesting, Ryan's motive for murder was financial gain. And the case takes a further twist when we look into Brian Walsh's past. Why? Because prior to being charged with Anna's murder, Walsh was already convicted for his role in an art fraud scheme. Yeah, earlier this year, he was sentenced to more than three years in prison for selling fake Andy Warhol paintings and was ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution. And some experts, commentators believe that this history of fraud and deception could be very critical in understanding. his alleged motives in this case.

Separate question of whether or not any of that evidence would actually be allowed in. Probably not, probably prejudicial. But was it just about money or was there something more sinister at play? I don't know. But I'll tell you what, as we approach his trial set for October 20, 2025, the stakes are incredibly high. Brian Walsh is facing charges, including first-degree murder. His defense attorney, Tracy Milner, said last year that the prosecution's case is not strong because it was taking them a while to hand over evidence.

her. She said in an official statement in my experience, whereas here the prosecution leaked so-called evidence to the press before they provide it to me, their case isn't that strong. When they have a strong case, they give me everything as soon as possible. Now, at a pretrial hearing this month, Walsh appeared in court, dressed in his suit, his wrists shackled as his defense team seeks to challenge the handling of the case by the lead investigator. And by the way, you might know who this lead investigator is, suspended state trooper Michael Proctor, who handled the case against Karen Reid. So as the trial date approaches, the world will be watching as Brian Walsh faces the charges that could potentially put him behind bars for the rest of his life.

So since we just mentioned, Trooper Michael Proctor, the former lead investigator at the center of the Karen Reed murder trial, that is actually a perfect segue into the highly anticipated retrial for the woman herself accused of running over and killing her boyfriend and Boston police officer John O'Keefe. He was found dead in the snow after a night. out outside of the home of another police officer, Brian Albert. This is one of the most intriguing retrials to follow. It is a case filled with controversial defenses, multiple twists. It's set to begin in April of next year, and Karen Reid will once again face the jury for round two of a high-stakes courtroom drama that has surrounded this complicated case. This all started back on the cold night

of January 29th, 2022, when John O'Keefe, a beloved Boston police officer, was found dead outside of a home in Canton, Massachusetts. An authorities say Karen Reid, his girlfriend, hit him with her SUV during a snowstorm, leaving him to die on the cold ground. Prosecution claims Karen Reid drove away from the scene, leaving O'Keefe to succumb to his injuries in the snow. Now, the 44-year-old is being charged with second-degree murder,

manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. But Reed's defense has been very consistent. They say this whole case, was a cover-up, and it's one that involves law enforcement and a web of lies designed to frame her for a crime she did not commit. And at the center of Reed's case was Trooper Michael Proctor, a very, very controversial figure who was suspended after he admitted to making derogatory comments about Reed while investigating her case. He didn't even have to admit it. It was in text messages that he sent. Now, Reed's first trial held earlier this year, ended in a mistrial. The

jury just could not come to unanimous decision. And maybe not surprising since so many commentators and analysts were divided about whether or not Karen Reid was guilty or not. But while this was a pivotal moment in the case, it didn't really end there. The defense has raised serious concerns about the jury's ability to decide on the charges, citing possible jury confusion as a possible factor here. The reason for this, interestingly, is that some jurors came forward after the trial claiming the jury had actually decided to unanimously acquit Reed on two of the three charges. They say they just were unsure on how to communicate their decision to the judge, thus no decision, thus the mistrial.

And this claim has now become a key part of Reed's defense because she has filed this all the way to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court asking for some of the charges to be thrown out on double jeopardy grounds. This is one of the reasons this case has become so complex. It's not just about the evidence or the actions in the night of O'Kee. death. It's about whether or not Reed will even face trial on the same charges again. The Supreme Judicial Court's decision will have a massive impact on this retrial, and we're going to be waiting to see if they grant her request to dismiss the charges. And another

key issue that's been heating up is the defense's attempt to introduce dog bite testimony into the case, because in the months leading up to the retrial, Karen Reed's defense has pushed to bring in an expert witness, Dr. Marie Russell. This is a retired physician who believes that the injuries on John O'Keefe's body were consistent with a dog attack, not just the result of being hit by a car. This has been consistent with the defense's narrative that O'Keefe actually went into Albert's home that night and was attacked. Now, Dr. Russell testified at Reed's first trial that she believed O'Keefe's arm injuries were inflicted by a dog, the Albert's family dog, this German Shepherd, and it wasn't from a car. She pointed out puncture wounds on O'Keefe's

shirt that seemed consistent with a dog bite. Prosecutors, not surprisingly, pushing back hard. The prosecution, led by special prosecutor Hank Brennan, argues that Dr. Russell, an emergency medicine doctor and pathologist, isn't qualified to testify on dog bites. Brennan has made filings to keep her off the stand in this retrial to limit her testimony significantly. And we will see what happens, but it is a dramatic back and forth

that could play a major role in how the jury views the evidence. If Dr. Russell's testimony is allowed, it could provide a compelling argument for why the defense, or what the defense says, that O'Keefe's death wasn't as straightforward as the prosecution claims. So as April 1st, 2025 approaches, the world will be watching as Karen Reed faces trial for a second time. Will the jury finally reach your verdict? Will there be another mistrial? Will the dog bite testimony be allowed to sway the case and Reed's favor?

Or will the prosecution's evidence be enough to secure a conviction? That is, if we actually get to a trial. So we'll have all these updates on this case from right inside. that courtroom and we'll follow it closely. Now, in the world of criminal justice, some cases they stand out for their complexity, their chilling nature, their emotional toll, and one such case is the tragic death of Jared Bridigan, a Microsoft executive and father of four whose life was cut short in a violent murder in February of 2022. His death, which at first seemed like just a routine roadside tragedy, quickly spiraled into this tangled web of conspiracy, family

feuds, allegations that have just captivated the public. And now as 2025 approaches, the key players in this case will stand trial. So we want to break it down for you. Jared Bridigan was a 33-year-old father and tech executive, a father of four. And Jared shared two children with his ex-wife, Shannon Gardner, twins, Abby and Liam. He lived in St. Augustine, Florida, with his second wife, Kirsten Bridegan, their children, London, and Bexley. And while Jared's life appeared ideal, beneath the surface, he was embroiled in a contentious divorce with Shanna Gardner. Their relationship, though, had soured long before Jared's death with bitter custody battles, accusations from both sides, public disputes about their children's well-being,

and on February 16, 2022, Jared had dropped off his twin children at his ex-wife's home in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He was on his way back to his home in St. Augustine when he stopped his car near the exit of the sanctuary neighborhood. Apparently, a tire was in the road. And according to investigators, Jared Bridigan attempted to move that tire when he was ambushed. Multiple gunshots rang out. His vehicle's hazard lights continued to blink, and his two-year-old daughter, Bexley, who was in the car, was miraculously unharmed. Authorities determined this was a planned execution, that Jared Bridigan was murdered in cold blood while his child sat in the backseat, again, a chilling and intentional act of violence. Now, Jared's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, was one of the first people of interest.

The couple's marriage had fallen apart years earlier. Their bitter divorce was marred by accusations of spying, emotional manipulation, control over the children. But China wasn't alone in this plot. Enter Mario Fernandez-Salda. Her new husband and the man charged with conspiring to murder Jared Bridigan, along with Henry Arthur Tenant. This is the 61-year-old who police say pulled. the trigger. So Shannon Gardner, once a mother of twins and a businesswoman, has been accused of orchestrating Jared Bridigan's death, along with her husband. Both are facing first-degree

murder charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against them. Now, Henry Tennant, a man with a criminal history, was arrested and ended up pleading guilty to second-degree murder for his involvement in Jared Bridgen's death. But what connected him to the murder? Well, Tenin was apparently a tenant at a rental property owned by Fernandez-Salda. And authorities discovered that Henry Tennant's truck was seen near the scene of the crime. His financial records revealed checks that were written to him by Mario Fernandez-Seldana, and the investigation revealed multiple phone calls between the two men just before the killing. So what's the motive? Jared's divorce and the custody battle over the twins, that Shanna Garder was reportedly

unhappy with Jared's success and the way their custody arrangements were going. On August 17, 2023, after months of investigation, Shanna Gardner was arrested in Washington State, where she had moved with her children following the murder. And this arrest has been a pivotal moment in this case as it led to a dramatic shift in custody battles over her twin children. In a surprising turn, the guardianship of Jared's twin children was actually awarded to Shannon Gardner's parents. Yeah, the children had apparently been living with them since Shanna's arrest, but their

new guardianship, it has sparked its own set of controversies because with Shanna Gardner, Masing multiple murder charges, the future of these children hangs in the balance. With the trial of Shannon Gardner and Mary Fernandez-Sildana set for October 20th, 2025, the case will finally go to court. The stakes are high. Prosecutors seeking the death penalty, so we will see how this all ultimately concludes. And for our last trial, we're going to head over to Moscow, Idaho, where the brutal killings of four college students in the quiet town of Moscow, Idaho, brought a new figure to the forefront of the justice system.

Brian Coburger. The trial of Brian Coburger charged with the murders of Ethan Chapin, Xanacernodal, Madison Mogan, and Kaylee Gonzalez is set to begin in August of 2025. But the road to this trial has been long. It has been filled with delays, legal battles, emotional turmoil for the victim's families. So we want to take a closer look at this case. What's next? Why it will dominate the courtroom in the coming year, or I should say dominate the headlines

in the coming year. It was the dead of night on November 3rd. 13th, 2022, when a horrific crime unfolded at a quiet rental house in Moscow, Idaho. Inside, Ethan Chapin, Xanernernernernodal, Madison Mogan, and Kaylee Gonzalez, all University of Idaho students were viciously stabbed to death. The details were chilling. The victims were attacked while they were sleeping. And the brutal nature of the stabbings just left investigators searching for answers.

Who could have done this? There were no immediate suspects. And again, we are talking. about a small town of Moscow. It is known for peace, safety, quiet. It was rocked by this. These were bright, promising young people. Ethan Chapin, freshman, beloved member

of the Greek life community, Zana Kernotal, a student at the University of Idaho close to her family and friends, Madison Mogan, Kaley Gonzalez, they were roommates, they had this close-knit bond that was evident to anyone who knew them. Their deaths shook this tight-knit community

and it has left their friends. families devastated. So needless to say, the hunt for this killer was on and it was intense. Authorities worked tirelessly, following every lead, conducting interviews, analyzing evidence. But as the weeks went on, the case seemed to hit a dead end. That is until December 30th, 2022, when Brian Coburger, a 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student at Washington State University was arrested in connection with these murders. Koberger had been living just a few miles away from the victim's home, and after weeks of investigation,

law enforcement traced him to his parents' house in Pennsylvania, where he was officially arrested. And this arrest certainly brought relief, but obviously a lot of questions. Who was Brian Koberger? How did he know these individuals and what drove him to allegedly commit such a brutal crime? And honestly, Brian Kovberger's background has raised

raised even more questions than answers. This is a criminal justice student. He was studying at Washington State University just across the border from Idaho. Authorities have suggested he may have been trying to gain access to the crime scene, trying to stalk the victims in the days leading up to the murders, but to be clear, nothing has been confirmed as of yet, again, why we are waiting to see what will be revealed at this trial. But what has been identified is the alleged evidence linking him to this crime. Authorities say his DNA was found on a knife Sheath at the crime scene. One of the surviving roommates in that house allegedly IDed a man in that house that she saw that night who, based on her descriptions of his features, are arguably

very consistent with how Brian Coburger looked at the time. The probable cause affidavit revealed that Coburger's phone GPS allegedly pinged at or near the house at least 12 times before November 13th. Police say every one of those pings, except for one, happened late at night or in the early morning. And by the way, authorities say that the cell phone data is consistent with the movement of the Hyundai Allantra that has been linked to Coburger. That car was apparently spotted on several cameras passing the King Road home four times between 3.29 a.m. and 404 a.m. on the night of the killings and then speeding away 16 minutes later. Then they have the car leaving the Washington State University campus at 24.m. They capture it headed towards Moscow. 525 a.m. The camera show it

returning to WSU, and by the way, later on in the afternoon, investigators tracked the phone to the Albertson's grocery store, and they see Coburger exit the white Hyundai Alantra. And not only that, after the killings, a Washington State University officer had spotted a white Hyundai Alantra in the parking lot of an apartment complex near campus. The car came back registered to Brian Coburger. Now, to be clear, Brian Coburger is still presumed innocent, and his department, defense team is preparing for a lengthy trial. And this trial was actually tentatively scheduled to begin in June of next year, but in a surprising turn, Judge John Judge ruled that the trial

would need to be moved out of LATOC County due to the intense media coverage and public sentiment surrounding this case. With so many people closely following the case and public opinion potentially affecting the jury pool, the judge decided that Boise, Idaho, more than 300 miles away, that that would be the new location for the trial. And the decision to move the trial has sparked controversy, especially from the families of the victims who feel that the case is just being delayed for too long. Kaley Gonzalez's family in particular,

they have expressed frustration with how the case has been dragging on in a public statement. They said they felt like they were stuck on a hamster wheel of motions, hearings, delays without any resolution in sight. But after nearly three years of legal wrangling, this trial of Brian Koeberger is said, to begin in August of 2025. The trials expected to last for several months, expected to include two weeks of jury selection, eight weeks of testimony, two weeks for mitigation and sentencing,

and in that vein, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Brian Koberger is convicted. And again, although he is presumed innocent, as this trial approaches, the families continue to demand answers, hoping that the legal system will finally deliver justice for their children. so there you have it some major trials to look out for and that we plan to cover here on law and crime and sidebar make sure to stay with us that's all we have for you right now here on sidebar everybody thank you so much for joining us and as always please subscribe on apple podcast Spotify youtube wherever you get your podcasts i'm jesse weber speak to next time You can binge all episodes of this

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