All the true crime we meant to get to in 2021 and didn't
Making room on the budget doc for 2022
the true crime that's worth your time
Welcome to the last full issue of Best Evidence this year. Tomorrow, we’ll have our last discussion thread of 2021, and after that, we’re off until January 3. (We hope you are, too!) If you’re looking for something to read before then, we’ve got years and years available in our archives. Otherwise, we’ll see you in 2022 — and just remember, if you need a great last-minute gift, Best Evidence is here to help.
And now, let’s dive into everything that’s been lingering on our budget document. There’s a lot! — EB
Chris Noth Out of CBS’ ‘The Equalizer’ [The Hollywood Reporter]
On the heels of THR’s bombshell report on sexual assault allegations against the Sex and the City star, reps for The Equalizer, a CBS show that Amazon Prime constantly claims will be of interest to me because I watched Evil (beats me), said that “Chris Noth will no longer film additional episodes of The Equalizer, effective immediately.” He’s also been dropped by his talent agency, but as of publication time, still has two projects marked as “pre-production” on his IMDB page, including a project with controversial true crime figure/former cop Bo Dietl. Hmmm. [“He also saw a deal killed for his tequila brand [eye-roll emoji].” — SDB]
The secret settlements that helped a baseball star play on [Washington Post]
Sexual assault allegations against Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig were reportedly covered up thanks to confidential settlements and the willful ignorance of the MLB. He signed with a South Korean ball club last week.
Discovery + has a medium and “paranormal researcher” on the case of the story that inspired Scream. This trailer is dumb as hell and that’s fine, it doesn’t air until Friday, January 14, 2022 so I have plenty of time to devise some sort of drinking game. If you’ve seen Scream, however, you’ll see that the story of so-called Gainesville Ripper Danny Rolling has little in common with the meta/clever horror franchise.
50 Cent, Snoop Dogg to Develop ‘Murder Was the Case’ Series at Starz [Variety] “‘A Moment in Time: Murder was the Case,’ a working title, will be set in 1993, when Snoop Dogg was charged with first degree murder for the Philip Woldermariam, a member of a rival gang who was actually killed by Snoop’s bodyguard,” writes Variety. I’m not nuts about the subject of a doc also being on its creative team — save that shit for the dramatic adaptation, please. Shante Broadus, Snoop’s wife, is also a producer.
More True Crime Tales Headed to Hulu Tuesday [ABC press release}
Starting today, “true-crime followers from across the country can stream some of the popular local stories on Hulu that were investigated and covered on ABC-owned news stations but carried national appeal.” As I love cheesy local news tropes, this is very exciting to me! The first one is that awesome ran out of gas/GoFundMe scam from 2017, and the other two involve violent crimes that feel far less enjoyable to watch.
A Massive Fail on Crime Reporting by The New York Times, NPR [The Nation]
This is the most comprehensive look yet at a topic we’ve discussed in passing this past year: sensational coverage of a so-called spike in violent crimes that’s unsupported by data. I dare you to share this link on Nextdoor.
NowThis, that Facebook-friendly video explainer outlet, got comedian Margaret Cho to narrate a short film on the allegations against Prince Andrew. Cho also narrated a video on claims against Alan Dershowitz and Robert Maxwell. It’s an interesting play — I sort of assume the Venn diagram of Cho fans and folks who already understand these cases is pretty much two circles atop each other, but I also think Cho deserves as much work as she can get so why not? Any theories on how this came about?
The Verdict on the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Makeover [New York Times]
I might be icked out by this piece on Holmes’s apparel in court, as I hardly think it’s news that a person will wear one type of thing in a media report about them and another when on trial. (Believe me, if I get pinched for alleged fraud, I’m not wearing a t-shirt and jeans the way I am in pretty much every story about me.) One wonders what sartorial choices fashion critic Vanessa Friedman would have found acceptable? If Holmes had shown up in outfits that express her personal style, wouldn’t that have been viewed as arrogant or unserious? I’m no Holmes apologist but this piece seems like a stretch.
The Best Podcasts of 2021 [New Yorker]
Loads of true crime pods in here; how many have you listened to?
A QAnon con: How the viral Wayfair sex trafficking lie hurt real kids [Washington Post]
”With limited immediate intervention from social media companies, the Wayfair conspiracy theory would become one of the fastest-spreading disinformation campaigns on the Internet, ensnaring concerned mothers, TikToking teenagers, racial justice advocates and people all along the political spectrum.” This story is a wild ride, strongly recommend even if you’re not in the market for affordable decorative pillows.
Carole Baskin Drops Netflix ‘Tiger King 2’ Lawsuit, Swipes at “Poor Reviews” [The Hollywood Reporter]
Quoth the Baskins: “This lawsuit was never about money damages. With the injunction declined Season 2 was aired. It received generally poor reviews and dropped out of the Netflix top 10 rapidly. We feel we were denied the only meaningful remedy available to us and that pursuing money damages is not the best use of our time because it reduces the time we can spend on our mission of stopping the abuse.”
There’s a second trailer for Crime Scene: Times Square. Does it make you more or less inclined to watch the Netflix/Berlinger series when it drops on 12/29?
The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media dropped on Peacock last Friday. I mean, this is obviously a rush job and it’s not like there are any new developments/details to be revealed. Sure, they say that it’s a “fresh take on the case that captivated millions,” but I’m not sure what the point is besides cold, hard cash. It’s a nope from me, dog.
‘Finding Kendrick Johnson’ Filmmaker, Former Detective Discuss New Evidence in Mysterious 2013 Death of Black Georgia Teen [The Hollywood Reporter]
“Gravitas Ventures’ Finding Kendrick Johnson, which premieres on Starz on Dec. 27 following an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run, reopens the investigation into the mysterious death of African American teenager Kendrick Johnson, who was found in a vertically rolled-up gym mat at his high school in 2013.” This is a conversation between doc director Jason Pollock and Mitch Credle, a former investigator into the case. The Q&A makes me eager to watch the movie when it airs next week.
I Accidentally Hacked a Peruvian Crime Ring [Wired]
I have a burner phone that constantly gets texts for someone who apparently voted for a lot of conservative candidates — but that wrong-number drama is nothing compared to this short and sweet opinion piece from civil rights and privacy group expert Albert Fox Cahn.
I am Ann Burgess, author of A KILLER BY DESIGN. AMA! [Reddit]
“I am a forensic and psychiatric nurse who worked with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit for over two decades. My book, A KILLER BY DESIGN, reveals how I helped identify, interview, and track down some of the country’s most notorious serial killers, including Ed Kemper, Dennis Radner, Jon Barry Simonis, and many others. Ask me anything!” wrote the author earlier this month. The question period is over, but all her answers remain up on Reddit and are illuminating and fun.
Wednesday on Best Evidence: Resolve to read our last discussion thread of 2021!
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