The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case

Following Catherine Fuller's murder in DC in 1984, eight young Black men were sentenced to life in prison. Now, 40 years after they were convicted, the accused men—for the first time, in their own words—recount their decades-long saga with the American criminal justice system that failed them. Listeners will also hear from attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, and criminal reform advocates to help shine a light on the flaws and biases of our legal system still present today. Presented by New America, this is The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case. email: [email protected]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered 10/23/2024

Signed, Sealed, Delivered In the summer of 2024, the men from the 8th and H Case submitted applications for a Presidential pardon. Lawyers Shawn Armbrust (Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project) and Eden Schiffmann (Williams & Connolly) share what went into this arduous process. Chris Turner discusses the immense impact a Presidential pardon would have on his life. ---- There are two critical actions you can take to support the pardon effort. First, you can go to 8thandHjustice.com to add your name to the list of supporters. It takes no more than two minutes. There are two separate links: one for former or current DC residents and one for non-DC residents. You can find this on the "get involved" page. Second, share your thoughts about the case on any social media platform using the hashtag #8thandHJustice. In recent years, we've seen the power of social media in influencing Presidential pardon decisions. Your posts can increase public pressure, making it more likely that the 8th and H case will catch the president's attention. /episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/33577257

One Last Shot 09/06/2023

One Last Shot

Six of the surviving accused men adjust to life outside of prison walls. In a final act, they consider a last-ditch effort to clear their names and bring justice to light: a presidential pardon.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276752

Revival 08/30/2023

Revival

Two decades later, the Catherine Fuller murder case is cracked open again—with the support of a dogged reporter, the Innocence Project, and a team of expert lawyers. And in a moment of hope, it goes all the way to the Supreme Court, where only 2 percent of cases are accepted.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276757

Through The Trenches 08/23/2023

Through The Trenches

An unchecked theory leads to the incarceration of eight young Black men. What is it like to live in prison for decades for a crime you didn’t commit? The accused share their firsthand experience, and criminal justice reform experts Reuben Jonathan Miller, Josie Duffy Rice, Christine Montross, and Melissa Segura “zoom out” to discuss the long-term impacts of incarceration.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276762

Fox Guarding the Henhouse 08/16/2023

Fox Guarding the Henhouse

As the accused prepare for trial, the theory of a “vicious gang killing” is presented as fact by the media. Listeners discover that key evidence was hidden from the defense attorneys by the prosecutors. This represents a constitutional violation of the Brady rule, which requires the disclosure of any material evidence.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276767

Like Dominoes 08/09/2023

Like Dominoes

A series of chain reactions resulted in police arresting 17 young Black people for the murder of Catherine Fuller. Four charges were dropped, and two suspects plead guilty to lesser crimes. Meanwhile, 11 of the arrestees—all of whom maintained their innocence—prepared to face the biggest murder trial in Washington, DC’s history.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276772

The False Confession Trap 08/02/2023

The False Confession Trap

Intense interrogation tactics and a threat of life in prison leads to a coerced confession, setting off a chain reaction that would ultimately lead to 17 arrests. False confession experts Jim Trainum and Marissa Bluestine weigh in on why innocent people confess to crimes they didn’t commit.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276777

Prisoners of Their Initial Hunch 07/26/2023

Prisoners of Their Initial Hunch

An anonymous tip led to a theory of a “violent gang attack” that captured detectives’ imaginations—without any physical evidence. How could the DC justice system mishandle this case so egregiously from the start? In a city built by slave labor and steeped in racial politics, you don’t have to look too hard to find answers.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276782

October 1st, 1984 07/19/2023

October 1st, 1984

New America’s Shannon Lynch revisits the 1984 murder of Catherine Fuller that rocked Washington, DC. The story starts at the scene of the crime—an alley near the busy intersection of 8th and H Streets Northeast—and unveils the fateful tip that caused investigators to settle quickly on a theory of the murder.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276787

Trailer: What Happened at 8th and H? 06/13/2023

Trailer: What Happened at 8th and H?

On October 1st, 1984, Catherine Fuller was brutally killed in the H Street Corridor in northeast Washington, DC. Her murder not only scarred the nation’s capital for decades, but it also resulted in the arrests of 17 young Black Washingtonians—the most arrests in D.C. history for a single murder. Of those charged, eight young men were sentenced to life in prison.

/episode/index/show/b14e081f-5afc-4fb4-b7c3-daf2790564c2/id/32276792

The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case

TOPICS