25: Sam Riggio: The Miracle Walker

Legal professor Jeremy Gans teaches at Melbourne University's Law School. An accomplished author, he conducts research across all aspects of the criminal justice system, including the highly unconventional.  One of Jeremy's books details a case of juror misconduct involving the use of an Ouija board. Another details the history of the law's treatment of animals. We're talking guilty pigs and trespassing bees. Join Jeremy and I for this episode of Unfiltered as we dive into some of the more bizarre aspects of the criminal justice system.  Links: The Ouija Board Jurors: Mystery, Mischief and Misery in the Jury System Guilty Pigs: The Weird and Wonderful History of Animal Law

In the early 1990s, Mike DiVicino was convicted of a string of robberies and kidnappings in Los Angeles. He was subsequently given three consecutive life sentences. Behind bars, Mike began collecting heartfelt letters from his fellow inmates to centre at-risk youth, giving them insight into how the choices they make today can have dire consequences in the future. Mike was released in 2019 after serving 29 years. In today's Unfiltered conversation, he speaks candidly about his life and reminds us that people are redeemable. Links: Dear Joey: Letters From Prison

When an individual is released from prison, only to relapse into criminal behaviour and be sent back behind bars, it’s known as the “revolving prison door.” In Australia, it’s estimated that over 50% of incarcerated people re-offend within two years and end up back in prison. In the US, that number is estimated to be as high as 75%.  My guest today is Human Rights Activist Martin Hodgson. Martin works relentlessly, pro-bono, to get incarcerated people in Australia out of prison and away from a life of crime. In his 20-year career, not a single one of his clients has ever re-offended. Martin joins me to discuss how he helps to get his clients back on their feet - and stay on their feet. Links: https://www.instagram.com/martinghodgson https://curtainthepodcast.wordpress.com

Madeline Heather is the host of Reclaim Me, a remarkable podcast that spotlights the voices of individuals who’ve survived unimaginable crimes.  Madeline herself is a survivor. At the age of 14, she attended a sleepover at a friend’s house, which quickly turned into a nightmare. In this week’s episode of Unfiltered, Madi shares her first-hand account of waking in the middle of the night to find her friend’s father on top of her.  Madi is quick-witted and gets straight to the point. She reminds us that sometimes, when life gets heavy, we just gotta laugh to help lighten the load. Links: https://www.reclaimme.com.au https://www.patreon.com/reclaimme https://www.instagram.com/reclaimmepod

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the Bay Area of Northern California, murdering at least five people. He toyed with law enforcement officials, leaving clues about his identity in letters and cipher codes he sent to local newspapers. To this day, the case remains unsolved. Tom Voight was a kid growing up in Southern California when the Zodiac was active, and he lived in fear of the killer's next move. In 1998, Tom launched the only Zodiac Killer website recognized by law enforcement. In this episode, he shares why the case has kept him captivated all these years. Links: https://zodiackiller.com https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/zodiackillerfr https://www.youtube.com/@tomvoigt

On the 26th of January 1999, Sam Riggio’s life took an unexpected turn. A routine drive through his hometown turned into a catastrophic collision when a truck merged into his lane. Sam was left with a dislocated skull, shattered pelvis, broken ankle, ruptured spleen and stomach, lacerated liver and a punctured lung. Paralyzed from the neck down, medical staff told him he would never walk again.  Please join Sam and I for this week’s episode of Unfiltered, as he shares his miraculous story of recovery, defying all the odds to walk again.  Links: Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation - https://www.pcsrf.org.au

For this week's episode of Unfiltered, I'm joined by Emmy Award winning crime reporter, Olivia LaVoice. Olivia hosts the Bakersfield Three podcast, which tells the story of three friends who either went missing or were murdered in the space of six weeks. Unconvinced that the cases were unrelated, the mothers of the three friends joined forces, transforming their grief and despair into action.  As the podcast shows, sometimes the only way to get justice is to fight like a mother.  Links: casefilepresents.com/the-bakersfield-three

In 2015, Netflix released a 10-part documentary series, Making A Murderer, that explores the 2005 Manitowoc area homicide of 25-year-old photographer Theresa Hallback and the convictions of Stephen Avery and Brendan Dassey. The series became a true crime cult classic, leaving a lot of viewers with an overwhelming sensation that Stephen Avery had been framed. But then, in 2023, director Shawn Rech created a response piece titled Convicting a Murderer. Today, I’m joined by Shawn Rech and Brenda Schuler, who features in the series, to discuss documentary ethics and an alternate version of the case against Stephen Avery. Links: https://www.dailywire.com/show/convicting-a-murderer

On the 19th of November 2023, I got my first response to the call-out I extend at the end of some of our episodes, asking for personal stories from listeners related to justice and transformation.  Erika Schlotthauer, a licensed psychotherapist, answered the call and is ready to share her story publicly for the first time.  Please join Erika and I for this week’s episode of Unfiltered as we plunge into the gray areas of experiences intertwined with trauma, exploring the unanswerable questions that shape our lives.

Here’s a staggering reality: The United States, with only about 5% of the world's population, holds 25% of the world's prisoners. This raises a critical question: Does the US prison system perpetuate the oppressive legacy of slavery? In hopes of some perspective, I’m joined by James Nelson, an abolitionist who, at just 19 years old, was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Now a free man, James shares his insights on why abolition is not just a vision but a viable path forward. Links: Dignity and Power Now