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The Case of Larry Smith Jr.
📻 Episode #425
🎙️ Hosted by Jason Flom
📅 Feb 08, 2024
About This Episode
In the early morning of March 24, 1994, 20-year-old Kenneth Hayes was getting out of his car when someone emerged from the bushes, chased him down, and fatally shot him in front of his home in Detroit, MI. 18-year-old Larry Smith Jr. became a suspect when a car belonging to a friend of his was…
Case status as carried in this site's original 2026 profiles. Independent record verification is rolling out episode by episode — statuses are being re-checked against court and registry sources and date-stamped as verified.
The Case
In the early morning of March 24, 1994, 20-year-old Kenneth Hayes was getting out of his car when someone emerged from the bushes, chased him down, and fatally shot him in front of his home in Detroit, MI. 18-year-old Larry Smith Jr. became a suspect when a car belonging to a friend of his was spotted near the scene of the crime. Since there was no physical evidence tying Larry to the crime, authorities relied on junk science and questionable eyewitness testimony to convict him of the murder and sentence him to life in prison without parole.
https://www.lifeafterjustice.org/
https://www.jarrettadamslaw.com/redeeming-justice
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiterrorism_and_Effective_Death_Penalty_Act_of_1996
https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/396-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-footwear-comparison-evidence/
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.
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.
00:04:50“Speaker 2: he makes a purchase or not he comes back. When Speaker 2: he's coming back and he's getting out of his vehicle Speaker 2: is when someone is lying in wait and runs out Speaker 2: of the bushes and fire shots. The victim takes off Speaker 2: and runs across the front of the car from whether”
00:19:36“Speaker 2: She knew Larry was in the house because she was Speaker 2: in the front room finishing up their dissertation to complete Speaker 2: her Masters and it was only one way Larry could Speaker 2: get out of his room. He would have to come Speaker 2: up the stairs and go out the front door.”
00:32:32“Speaker 4: Go to the door. They're like, man, you going home tomorrow. Speaker 4: You're going home tomorrow. And it's people all I'm talking about, Speaker 4: like prisoners. They all in the hall way and I'm Speaker 4: coming out. I'm looking like what's up? And the security”
Listen to the Episode
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← #424 Odelia and Nerissa Quewezance #426 Jason Walton →
Also on the podcast: #184 Larry DeLisle · #342 Nancy Smith · #417 Larry Walker