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The Case of False Confessions - Peter Reilly
📻 Episode #356
🎙️ Hosted by Jason Flom
📅 May 08, 2023
About This Episode
Why do we tell these stories?
The Case
Why do we tell these stories?
Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin tell us the story of Peter Reilly, one of the first modern-day false confessors.
In 1973, police continued to interrogate 18-year-old Peter until he started to believe he was actually guilty of murdering his own mother. But Peter’s friends and neighbors believed in his innocence. Their small-town campaign for Peter’s freedom was eventually joined by a host of big name celebrities.
This episode was originally the finale of Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions Season 1. We are releasing this update because of its profound impact on Laura and Steve’s work and the movement for uncovering false confessions and wrongful convictions. It inspires the work that Steve and Laura do to this day.
We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In Their Own Words — transcript excerpts
Short excerpts from the episode's official published transcript, with timestamps — listen from these moments, or read the full transcript via the podcast's own platforms.
00:04:12“Speaker 1: called Canaan. If you've been to New England, Falls Village Speaker 1: is pretty classic, complete with rivers, horse farms, and covered bridges. Speaker 1: It's the kind of place where no one locks their doors, Speaker 1: where everyone looks out for each other. In September nineteen”
00:16:20“Speaker 3: at least believe that this confession was false. And here Speaker 3: they are taking this suspected, confessed murderer into their own Speaker 3: homes or being willing to do so, and to raise Speaker 3: money for him, and to advocate for him and to Speaker 3: fight for him. That's remarkable.”
00:27:33“Speaker 5: favorite song to play? I don't know anything by the Speaker 1: You know, Steve and I are two lawyers who have Speaker 1: the honor of standing up in courts and fighting for Speaker 1: people we believe in. But we're also trying to change Speaker 1: the world here.”
Listen to the Episode
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← #355 Juan Roberto Melendez #357 Jennifer Del Prete →
Also on the podcast: #12 Peter Pringle · #115 False Confessions - Origin Story · #116 False Confessions - Robert Davis