Previously on Proven Innocent...
If someone needs our help, we don't give a damn
where they come from.
We believe the justice system is flawed.
- The hell's going on? - Ah, there he is.
Mr. Bellows. Noah Weiss, campaign strategist.
We're gonna need to change the entire structure of the campaign.
- This is ridiculous. - You think that you're there for me, but really,
- you just show up when you want to be the hero. - I do not.
I don't need you saving me anymore. I'm fine on my own.
Offer a deal that sends Levi Scott
to anger management counseling. I'll do the rest.
- And you can get him to talk? - Of course.
If this was speed dating, I'd be into it.
Man, this place is rocking.
Really makes me rethink my lifestyle choices.
Being gay is not a choice, Bodie.
It is if you love Fox News.
Ladies! I don't know how you're pulling it off,
but you are absolutely killing it.
Oh, baby, there ain't no pulling anything off. We tuck it in.
Do you happen to know where...
Oh, my God. Madeline? Madeline Scott, is that you?
Your trial was the biggest thing around here.
We cheered so loud when you got out of prison.
We cried, girl.
- We even had a Madeline Scott night. - At our bar.
Everybody came dressed like you.
- She even wore your hair. - You do have my hair.
- It's kind of amazing. - I do have your hair.
- You're amazing. - What are you doing here, mama?
I'm looking for a law firm. Do you know where Watts & Watts is?
Loca, that's right down the street
and go right around the corner.
- Perfect, thank you so much. - Oh, no, baby. Where you going?
- Oh... - Get your phone out. We need a selfie.
- Get in here. - Girl, no one's gonna believe us.
We say three, you're gonna smile, say "yas."
- Ready? One, two, three. - Yas!
Her name is Cindy Whitman.
She was convicted of killing a transgender woman back in 1982.
The victim, Vanessa Evans, was the most important
trans activist of her time.
Cindy is transgender herself, and the prisons have stopped
issuing her hormones due to cutbacks.
I'm suing them to get them back.
I can't imagine what she's going through.
That's like having your identity ripped away.
I was friends with a trans man in prison.
Taking away his testosterone would have been like
- taking away his existence. - Exactly.
And to get her hormones back, I have to prove
how long she's been on them.
I confirmed with the doctor that she's been
taking them since the late '70s, which led me
to a really interesting discovery.
The blood at the crime scene matched Cindy's blood type,
which is AB negative.
It's the rarest blood type.
Right, only 0.6% of the population has it.
At the time, it was primarily what they used to convict her.
But I just discovered from the lab reports
that the hormone levels in the blood
were significantly lower than that of someone
- who is transitioning. - So the blood at the crime scene
couldn't have been Cindy's.
I think we have grounds here to reopen this case.
I'd say so.
Which leads me to another problem,
but I think you're the perfect person
- to help me with it. - Why is that?
Cindy doesn't want to get out of jail.
Imagine you are looking at yourself in the mirror.
It sounds like you and it looks like you.
But deep down, you know this isn't your true self.
On this week's episode of Until Proven Innocent,
we'll explore what happens when one dares
to finally live in their truth,
knowing that so many in the world will hate them for it.
I know I'm not much to look at now,
but you should have seen me back in the day.
Mmm. Oh, Lord Jesus, I was fabulous.
You're still fabulous.
Really, sweetie?
I swear on the Bible.
Mmm. Oh, hell.
The religious boys, they love me.
Honey, the bigger the Bible, the bigger the closet.
They were always chasing after me.
Tell us about Vanessa.
Vanessa Evans was our hero.
She was one of the bravest trans activists I knew back then.
Ness held it down.
Police report said you got in a fight the night she died,
that it was a lover's quarrel.
Hmm. Yeah.
Because they thought we were queer men and not women.
Vanessa and I, we were never lovers.
She was like a sister to me.
But the cops saw me as trans-trash,
so they threw the book at me.
Well... thanks to what Garrett found,
- we think you have a real shot. - At getting my hormones?
At getting your conviction overturned.
You shouldn't have to suffer in jail
for a crime you didn't commit.
You know, the real suffering happened
when I had to live my life as Steve.
That was torture every day.
And that torture's coming back if I don't get my hormones.
Cindy, why don't you want to get out?
'Cause there's nothing out there for me.
Everyone I knew is gone.
AIDS, hate crimes, suicide.
40% of trans folks are trying to kill themselves.
40%. Can you imagine if that number was that high
for any other group of people?
Honey, there'd be a telethon around the clock.
No. I'd rather stay in here.
But if you really want to help me,
if you really want to help me,
get me my hormones, please.
Because I'll die without them.
*CREDITS*
It's as if I've never done this before or something.
Wow, I'm a little nervous.
Oh, I totally get that.
- I get nervous. - No, you don't.
Nervous means like, you know, you're in the game, like,
nervous means you want to win.
Being nervous is good.
Okay. Right. Nervous is good.
- Nervous is good. - I'll just be nervous all the time.
- That's the spirit. - Okay, um...
Our guest today is podcasting icon
- and my personal hero Ira Glass. - Glad to be here.
"Podcasting icon" is such, like, a funny thing to say.
Like, I'm this "icon" of this thing
that most people have never heard of.
Uh, one of the biggest challenges in podcasting
is balancing the story that you're actually telling
with some kind of bigger meaning or message,
which is something you do effortlessly.
- What's your secret? - I mean, honestly, we just try
to tell the plot of what happened to a person,
and then, ideally, they are the one who have
the bigger thought or idea about what it means.
Um, and then if they don't, like, then the host or reporter
can jump in and give that meaning.
There's a really amazing example
that I just heard where it was this story of this 14-year-old,
who, uh, who the police would treat as an adult
because he looked just like an adult.
And then the host is the one who jumps in
with this really beautiful thought
about how deceptive appearances can be.
OMG.
You're talking about my show.
Yes, I am talking about your show. Yes, congratulations,
you recognize your own show.
Yeah, you're doing such a nice job.
Thanks again
- for doing this. - Totally glad to do it.
And for pretending to be a fan.
- That was nice. - I'm not pretending.
Your show's really good.
Thanks.
Hey, okay, so, I fly out of here in a couple days.
What are you doing tomorrow night?
Um... Oh, I guess I'm,
I'm doing whatever it is that you are doing.
You're funny. Um, do you want to have dinner?
I... I, um, I do.
I do want to have dinner. That would be nice.
- That's great. Okay, so, I will be in touch. - Okay.
- We will make arrangements, the way that adults do. - Yeah.
- Good. All right, great. Okay. - Great. Thanks.
So our first goal is to reframe you
into what I call a hero campaign.
We lean into your incredible bio,
display images of you looking heroic.
Here you are as the man who saved Chicago.
A loving husband, American as apple pie.
Tested great in the burbs.
This one says Gore Bellows is the law.
- Powerful. - Yeah.
- Forceful. - Absolutely.
Makes me look like a winner.
Which you are, sir.
Best part is it makes the campaign about me,
instead of the Scott case.
Mayfield was always obsessed with how Madeline's press
was affecting my numbers.
Yeah, I don't want to say anything negative about him,
'cause he's a great guy, but he's an amateur and a hack
who will lead you to a crushing defeat.
All right, fighting Madeline Scott... going tit for tat...
it puts her at your level, and she is not.
She's a murderer.
- You really believe that? - I always did.
I knew you were my guy.
So you think I should just ignore her?
I do, I do.
I mean, unless...
Unless what?
Well, attacking her would be a disaster,
but if you had new evidence...
... of her guilt...
I mean, then you would win in a landslide.
You mean, recharge her for murder?
Only if you had new evidence.
If you had it, you would dominate every news cycle.
I believe she's innocent, but if she doesn't want our help...
Prison is a hopeless place, we just need to give her some hope.
So, what, we go against her wishes and do it anyway?
It's not even ethical to assume representation for a client
without their consent.
Then let's find some new evidence,
give her a reason to say yes.
2018 was one of the most violent years
in history for transgender women.
This could be an amazing case to shine a light on those issues.
We can't take the case of someone who doesn't
want to be exonerated.
Are you uncomfortable with this case?
No. I'd gladly move forward if she actually wanted our help.
Well, she does, she doesn't know it yet.
Come on, let's dig around.
Let's give her a reason to change her mind.
Amazing, isn't it?
All the hatred for this community.
All they want to do is just live their lives for who they are.
I wouldn't know anything about that.
Does the black community share any connection
with the gay community for being targeted by hate groups?
Some might say yes because we both know what it's like
to be hated for being who you are,
and we're both generally hated by the same people.
But others say you can hide who you love,
but you can't hide the color of your skin.
But what do you do when you can't hide who you love?
No way Cindy killed her.
Cops will pin anything they can on queer people.
- Did you own the bar then? - No, I was just a server.
It was mob-owned, like most gay bars.
They walked away in '98 and someone had to keep it alive.
This bar was special. A safe haven,
where everyone could be themselves.
Everyone?
My understanding is not all gay bars
were welcoming of the trans community.
This wasn't most gay bars, honey.
This was the Tulip.
Vanessa was an icon.
A true hero.
Everybody loved her. Except the cops.
- Why is that? - The usual.
Thought she was a he and a pervert.
If they weren't harassing her, they were putting her in cuffs
for prostitution, and believe me, she wasn't.
- Walking while trans. - That's right, honey.
You look visibly trans on the street,
cops cuff and say you're a prostitute.
In my community, it's walking while black.
Now imagine being black and trans.
'Cause that's what these girls had to live with.
I remember a few days before she was killed,
some jerk accosted Vanessa. He was obsessed with her.
And when she called it off, he went after her.
Then the cops arrest Vanessa for assault.
Do you know who this guy was?
No, but I'll ask around.
A few of us are still alive from those days.
A few.
You wanted to see me?
Yes, come on in. Come on in.
So... this is the big day.
Your first day in court.
It's just a P.C. hearing.
First P.C. hearing in court.
Here. Congratulations.
I'm very proud of all your accomplishments.
Oh, I love it.
- Thank you. - You deserve it.
Come have a seat.
So, tell me about Levi Scott.
Are you still attending that anger management class with him?
Levi's a tough nut to crack.
He keeps to himself, mostly.
You just got to get him to loosen up.
Find out what he likes.
I bet it's you. Who knows... maybe,
if he can give you some evidence that might help
reopen Rosemary's murder case...
you could find yourself sitting second chair
in the biggest trial of the year.
Understood.
Vanessa had a few stalkers.
The straight boys loved her.
And when they couldn't keep her it could get violent.
You have any idea who attacked her
- when she was charged for assault? - Honey...
everybody harassed us.
Cops, neighbors, drunkards, robbers,
even family.
Everybody hated us.
We're just trying to find an alternative suspect.
It's the key to getting you out.
Well, what's the key to getting my hormones?
Cindy, you deserve your hormones and so much more.
Let us help you get out of prison.
- Then you're free to get the hormones you need. - But like I said,
I've got no one out there.
The gays hate us.
The lesbians don't want anything to do with us,
and the straights don't even think we're human.
All of my friends are gone.
There's not one single person in the world for me.
I'm better off in here.
But this isn't freedom.
Your life's not your own,
and even though the idea of being free is scary,
it is your right because you're innocent.
I won't say it's gonna be easy.
But a year from now,
maybe two, maybe three...
... you're gonna start to wake up with tears in your eyes
that your life is your own.
Why are you being so nice to me?
Because I suffered for ten years in prison.
Just like that man over there alleviated my pain,
I vowed that I would do the same for others.
Cindy, let us help you.
Let us stand next to you and fight.
All right... fine.
Let's do it.
- Oh, Lord. - Who is it?
- Judge Speer. - Oh, Lord.
- Ms. Scott. - It's good to see you again, Your Honor.
I wish I could say the same for you.
Thank you, Your Honor.
The justice system is based on the principle
that all people are treated equally under the law.
That principle was violated
at Cindy Whitman's original trial.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, we have on the docket here
a Steven Whitman, not Cindy.
Your Honor, that's my point.
- The Constitution... - Ms. Scott,
you're my first case of the day.
Let the coffee kick in before you
go full Atticus Finch on me.
What's your issue?
Your Honor...
we move for a new trial in the interest of justice
on the basis of overwhelming new evidence of the Chicago PD's bias
against the transgendered community in the '80s.
Lovely history lesson, but you seem to have left out
the Chicago PD's investigation into your client.
In addition to exculpatory blood evidence already before you,
the hormone levels in the blood at the scene
did not reflect someone who was transitioning...
Do these blood samples still exist?
They do not, Your Honor.
Motion for a new trial denied.
Then we request, at the very least,
post-conviction discovery,
in the form of access to the police files
- to explore the possibility. - Fine. Motion granted.
But then again...
that's what you wanted all along,
- isn't it, Ms. Scott? - Maybe.
Next case.
How nice of them to bury us in paperwork.
Yeah, and literally none of it
has anything to do with our case.
The arrest date was July 14, right?
- Yeah. - I have an arrest report here
for Debbie Urmand, same date, same charge.
- It's a codefendant? - Same arresting officers.
If Debbie was there, she might be able to tell us
who the guy was. If she's still alive.
Ah, ah, ah... I found a Debbie Urmand.
She manages a drag club called Medusa's Den.
I think there's a slightly good chance
that that is the same person.
This is gonna be fun.
Can't wait.
? I don't want to lose you ?
? This good thing ?
? That I've got ?
? 'Cause if I do ?
? I would surely ?
? Surely lose a lot ?
? 'Cause your love is better ?
? Than any love I know ?
? It's like thunder ?
? Lightning ?
? The way you love me is frightening ?
? You better knock, knock ?
? On wood, baby ?
? Whoo-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo ?
? Baby, whoo-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo ?
? Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood ?
- That's her. - ? Knock, knock, knock on wood ?
All right, let's go.
? Think I better knock, knock, knock... ?
It was another world back then.
You didn't show your true colors
unless you were willing to pay the price.
On the night of July 14, you were arrested
with another woman, Vanessa Evans.
- The police say you both attacked the victim. - Yeah, right...
we attacked him. Sure.
I was working
when Vanessa saw me on my corner
and she came to say hi.
It wasn't but five minutes when some guy
came out of nowhere, jumped us.
So it was a stranger who attacked you?
Not someone Vanessa knew?
That's right. Sh... she didn't know him.
Do you remember anything about him?
No. It was a long time ago.
And one of many.
You said you were working on your corner.
Were you working working?
Only way to pay the bills, sweetheart.
I couldn't pass... so I couldn't get a job.
Some of the girls were lucky enough to find sugar daddies.
Guys on the down-low...
... but not me.
Vanessa had someone, right?
Many. The straight boys loved her.
- Anyone around the time she was killed? - Oh, yeah.
Sam Marshall.
He was obsessed with her.
Lost it a little when she called it off.
Big finance guys don't like to be told no.
? Gotta knock, knock, knock on wood, yeah ?
? You gotta knock, knock, knock on lightning ?
And I like that part.
- ? It's like thunder ? - And... and I had fun.
- Hey! - Hey.
Die of AIDS, faggots.
Call the cops!
- Are you okay? - Someone call the police!
You're not gonna need stitches. You got lucky.
An inch lower and you could've lost your eye.
So you didn't get the license?
No. It... it... Look, it all happened so fast.
Can you guys not check the neighborhood cameras,
get their license plate?
Yeah, we'll get right on that.
- You're not gonna do anything, are you? - Sir, please stay calm.
- Listen, I'm not even gay and I'm pissed off. - Of course you're not, sir.
- You're wasting your time getting angry. - Excuse me, sir.
- We're taking a police report. - Can you at least show her some respect
and refer to her as ma'am?
And you'll refer to me as Officer Thompson.
All right, all right. We get it. You don't care.
Let's just get out of here.
So I have a Sam Marshall of a Marshall Financial Group
- on Michigan Avenue. - Is that the guy?
- That looks like a DL sugar daddy. - And you would know?
- I could be DL. I could never be a sugar daddy. - I believe that.
- That I couldn't be a sugar daddy? - Yeah.
Because you don't have any money.
Mr. Marshall's office.
Hi, may I please speak to Sam Marshall?
It's Madeline Scott calling
from the Injustice Defense Group.
- It's a legal matter. - Hold, please.
Uh, this is Sam Marshall.
Hi, Mr. Marshall. Uh, this is Madeline Scott.
We have a few questions for you about Vanessa Evans.
I don't know who that is.
We think you do.
Don't contact me ever again.
I think someone just put "suspect"
above their head in flashing lights.
Isabel?
Hey.
- You okay? - Yeah, I'm fine.
Okay, maybe I'm not fine.
But that's why we're here, right?
- Right. Right, yeah. - It's just...
coming here, sometimes...
makes me more sad.
Yeah.
Why don't we do something not sad?
What do you mean?
I don't know.
Let's get out of here.
Come on.
Sam Marshall?
Hi, I'm Madeline Scott.
We spoke on the phone.
This is my partner, Easy Boudreau.
I asked you not to reach out to me.
Crazy enough, that made us want to talk to you even more.
- I don't have to talk to you. - Of course not.
But if you don't,
we'll ask your friends and coworkers
if they knew about your relationship with Vanessa.
Probably more beneficial
to talk to us directly, don't you think?
It was very long ago.
- Are you still married? - Wife passed away two years ago.
Pancreatic cancer.
- Sorry to hear. - Thank you.
I have children, I have grandchildren.
I cannot have anyone find out about Vanessa.
We have no interest in exposing your personal life.
We're just trying to find out what happened to her.
I have no idea what happened to her.
I was in New York that night for work.
I left that morning, which I can probably prove.
Came back the next day.
I didn't even hear about her murder
until the next week.
We hadn't seen each other in months.
We were told that you had.
That she'd recently broken up with you
and you were really upset about it.
Please.
She didn't break up with me. I ended it.
Okay? It was a very strange time in my life
and it was 37 years ago.
So I hope that this was helpful
and I sincerely hope that I never see
either of you ever again.
I think he's lying.
He wasn't lying.
He e-mailed us his credit card statements from 37 years ago.
He says he kept them all for 45 years.
- Only a finance guy would do that. - Yeah, and there were charges
from New York City on the night of the murder.
Which gives him a tight alibi.
But that doesn't mean he didn't
kill her that day before he left.
Plus, he could have falsified his credit card statements.
Also, someone else could have been using the card that night.
Exactly. But what's really, really interesting is...
these hospital charges from Mount Carmel ER.
Two days after the murder. Check this out.
He could have cut himself at the crime scene
and then, a couple days later, the wound hasn't healed
so he goes to the ER for stitches.
And if he killed Vanessa, then his blood
would've been the other one found at the crime scene.
We should check to see if he's the rare AB negative.
Let's do it. We'll get a court order,
- subpoena his records. - All right, I definitely think
that our stockbroker douchebag is the best bet.
But I did find some really interesting information
about our bartender, Thomas Stone.
Okay, so, he talked about how the trans community
was always welcome at the Tulip, right?
To quote Dick Cheney, "Big time."
A safe haven where everyone could be themselves.
Hmm. It was a haven, all right.
A haven of anti-trans sentiment.
Found a dozen quotes from Thomas back in the day,
all of them distancing the gay community
from the trans community.
Some of them, he even attacks Vanessa head-on.
In this one he says, uh,
"She was a she-male that was the worst thing
to happen to gay rights."
Damn, that's harsh.
Well, I think we need to talk to Thomas.
I got us shots.
Uh...
- that's probably not a good idea. - Oh, come on.
Just one shot. Remember, today's Don't Be Sad Day.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, one shot.
Let's do another one.
- Mm, no. - One more shot.
Listening to your podcast, I had to wonder,
okay, so you're making these things,
you're churning them out by yourself?
So, are you just, like, working all the time?
Well, I throw myself into my work
because I barely have a personal life.
Seriously? Like, I would think, like,
you're smart and you're idealistic
and you're attractive, like, I would just think
men must throw themselves at you.
Yeah, well...
yeah, I guess I do all right.
And what about you?
Are you seeing someone?
Oh, my God. Yes.
You would love her. She is, like,
very interesting all the time.
She's incredible, she's incredible.
That's incredible.
That's, uh... that's like that TV show.
That's Incredible!, it's like that.
It's... that's... incredible.
Uh, yeah, totally.
All right, so... Ira...
... why did you want to have dinner?
Okay, it's very exciting.
My team, we have this idea for a new podcast.
It's criminal justice, it's very ambitious.
And we think you would be the perfect host.
I'm here to offer you a job. It would be your own show.
Wh... Uh...
I don't know what to say. That's... that's...
This would be a dream come true for me.
And we would get more listeners for Until Proven Innocent.
Oh, uh, this would be a full-time thing. I'm so sorry, you would...
you would have to quit Until Proven Innocent.
You'd have to move to New York City.
This could be a really big show.
Yeah, but I don't think I can just...
Just think about it, okay?
This is a really big opportunity.
Think about it.
- I'll think about it. - Think about it.
To that.
Hi, Thomas.
- Hello. - Back so soon?
We need to talk about the truth between you and Vanessa.
You said this was a place where everyone was accepted.
You meant everyone but the trans community, right?
Because you're quoted all over articles from the '80s
attacking them and Vanessa.
Look, you got to understand what was going on back then.
Cops were raiding gay bars, beating us up.
Stonewall didn't change how they treated us.
So, we started a gay and lesbian alliance to protect us.
And who was supposed to protect the trans community?
At the time, a lot of gay people felt that
the trans community was holding us back from equal rights.
Straight people saw them as freaks
and... so did some of us.
Believe me, I wish I could take it back.
Did you and Vanessa have a fight before she died?
Me and Ness argued every time we saw each other, but...
What were you arguing about?
We got into it at the bar.
She was yelling and throwing a fit.
She could be a real drama queen when she wanted to be.
She was furious because we told her not to speak at a pride rally.
I have been beaten, I've had my nose broken,
I've been thrown in jail.
I've lost my job for gay liberation.
I've got as much right to speak at that rally as anyone else does.
I'm not going anywhere, Thomas,
and if you think just for one second
that we're gonna roll over and die,
think again.
That was the last time I ever saw her.
What did you do after she left?
I... I was here all night.
And I got a dozen people who can testify to that.
No one could ever forget the night Ness died,
and we never will.
Look, I hated Vanessa...
back in the day.
But I would never kill her.
- And why is that? - Because she was my sister-in-arms.
Even when I hated her, I loved her.
And I always will.
Of course, we call it a Revolutionary War,
but really, it's a civil war, if you think...
Okay, so I've got bad news
- and I've got bad news. What do you want first? - The bad news.
Judge hates my guts, denied our motion for Sam Marshall's
hospital records. She said it was a fishing expedition.
- Okay, how about the bad news? - We don't have any other suspects.
I don't buy Thomas did it. His motive's weak,
and he's got witnesses to corroborate his alibi.
That brings us back to Sam Marshall, who also has an alibi.
And he's definitely got motive.
I agree. He's our best bet.
And if his blood type is AB negative,
- that might be enough to get Cindy out. - Okay.
So let's subpoena Sam Marshall,
hammer it out of him on the stand.
Yeah, but what if he testifies to being
a different blood type? Then we're dead.
Or maybe there's another way we can get his blood type.
Pray tell.
It's not exactly legal, so maybe I shouldn't say anything.
- I didn't hear that. - I never had this conversation.
- Boston Tea Party. - Hey.
No, think about the Boston Tea Party.
What are we dumping? Are we dumping coffee?
I know my own stuff is hard enough to deal with,
but I have no idea how you do it publicly.
You're so resilient.
And that article...
Does Madeline really think that you killed Rosemary?
I don't know.
I find it a bit ironic that...
that she thinks that I did it, but...
Why?
? You've been forewarned... ?
You can tell me.
I won't say anything.
Group code of silence.
The night that... that Rosemary was killed,
before we even knew that she was dead,
everybody's looking for her...
except for Madeline.
- What? - She was... she was just acting so strange.
You know, like she was... she was high or something.
Just looking straight ahead in a haze.
So she didn't help you look?
No, that's the weird thing.
Something was definitely wrong.
Do you think that Madeline might have done something to Rosemary?
No.
I just never understood
why she's acting so strange, you know?
Before anybody even knew that... that Rosemary was killed.
This isn't exactly the "let's just be friends" pact we just made.
I know. I can't help it.
Me neither.
Okay, we have to stop or they're gonna throw me out of here.
No, they won't. I took care of it.
You've always had this place wired.
But maybe not for long.
Why? What do you mean?
My parole board hearing got set.
My lawyer actually thinks I'm gonna have a shot
of getting out of here.
Wren, that's amazing.
Is it?
Of course it is.
Madeline...
let's be real.
Do you really see us together out there?
Like, hanging with your pals, meeting your folks?
Yeah, I do.
Okay then.
How many people have you told about me?
That's what I thought.
This thing we have between us...
it exists only in here.
I know on the outside
you hide this side of you. I'm not mad about it.
I just... I don't want to be disappointed.
I don't know what's gonna happen between us when you get out.
But can we worry about that later?
All that matters is that you get out of here.
- Get out of here. - Okay.
All of the students organized a search party.
Everyone was looking. Everyone except for her.
I've been looking at this backwards.
I always thought he killed her
and that Madeline was his accomplice.
I never considered that she might've acted alone.
So what now?
Maybe...
... we make Levi Scott our star witness.
Oh. Hi.
Sorry. Um, I have a court order
for the medical records of Samuel Marshall
from September 17, 1982.
This is not for Samuel Marshall.
This is for a Betsy Miers.
Oh, my God, really?
I brought the wrong one, and I drove an hour to get here.
You want to save me a two-hour drive?
It's from 37 years ago. I don't even think he's still alive.
Do you mind?
I'll get you a coffee or a doughnut.
All right, let me check.
Excuse me?
You gave me the wrong file. It's his wife's.
It's S. Marshall,
but the "S" is for Sharon, not for Samuel.
Okay, let me look again.
Mr. Marshall, can you describe your relationship with Vanessa Evans?
I wouldn't call it a relationship.
What would you call it, then?
Please remember you're under oath.
- We were friends. - As friends,
were you having a sexual relationship with Vanessa?
Objection. Leading the witness.
Sustained. Ms. Scott, your point?
It's coming, Your Honor.
Mr. Marshall, what is your blood type?
Objection. Relevance.
Your Honor, my client was convicted
because her blood type is AB negative, the same blood type
found at the scene of the crime. I think it's relevant to know
what Mr. Marshall's blood type is.
- Please answer the question. - Be happy to answer.
My blood type is O positive.
And do you happen to know the blood type of your wife?
What?
Your wife. What was her blood type?
- I... don't know. - Well, let me tell you.
It was AB negative.
The same blood type found at the crime scene.
It's also the rarest blood type in the world.
I would like to submit Petitioner's Exhibit A,
a copy of Sharon Marshall's medical file
proving that her blood type was AB negative.
Mr. Marshall, did your wife murder Vanessa Evans?
My client has spent 37 years behind bars
for a murder she didn't commit,
so will you please tell this court the truth.
For once in your life, will you tell the truth?
Your wife found out about the affair, didn't she?
Didn't she?
When I came home from New York the next day, I...
... found my wife sitting on the floor.
She was covered in Vanessa's blood.
My wife was not a killer.
Just that when she found out that I was...
... having an affair with...
Vanessa...
... she snapped.
And so you let Cindy Whitman take the fall for a murder
that your wife was responsible for.
You may as well have locked an innocent woman in a cage yourself.
Your Honor, my client has lost her life over a lie.
Can she please go home now?
Ms. Whitman,
based on the newly-discovered evidence presented here today,
it is clear that the State of Illinois owes you an apology.
This court hereby declares you actually innocent.
Does this mean I get my hormones now?
Yes, it does.
You're gonna be okay out there.
Sometimes it's terrifying to show who we are to the world,
but if we keep our true identity a secret,
it can mutate and form a disease that can kill you...
or, even worse, the people around you.
We have to be true to ourselves,
or we could end up hurting
the people we love most.
- Ira, hi. - Hey. So?
Um, I've been thinking about your job offer a lot.
- Great. What do you think? - Have a seat.
- Okay. - So I would be totally lying
if I didn't say that working for you would be a dream come true.
But if I'm being honest,
I'm already living my dream.
I'm a wrongful conviction advocate,
I am a investigator,
it turns out I'm a truth seeker.
I think that I only do the podcast
so that I can shine a light on the issues,
- not so that I can be famous. - Yeah.
I want to stay here, on the ground,
working to get innocent people released,
because that is my purpose.
- I hope you can understand that. - I do, I mean,
I do, totally. I mean, sort of. I mean, it's totally great.
Like, this is your life's purpose.
But maybe a big mistake? Like, from my perspective, like,
I don't know, maybe you're making a big, terrible mistake.
I don't know. But you need to do what you need to do,
and so, I... I respect that that's what you need to do,
so, um, so good luck.
- Thanks. - Yeah.
Obviously, from this point forward, you know,
our podcasts... we're enemies and all, so...
You know I'm kidding, right?
- I do. - Like, seriously, good luck.
- Thanks. - Okay.
Did you tell him you're not gonna do it?
Yeah.
Am I making a terrible mistake?
Eh...
I mean,
I'm sure you would've had a great time hobnobbing
with the New York City elite
and eating at the best restaurants in the world,
living your life like a joyous 1950s movie montage,
but if you did all that, guess who wouldn't be there?
- You. - That's right, this guy.
Yeah, I want you here,
but this firm needs you here.
And as the chairman of the board said,
"Chicago is my kind of town."
It's my kind of town, too.
? My kind of town ?
? Chicago is ?
? My kind of town ?
? Chicago is ?
? My kind ?
? Of people, too ?
? People who... ?
How you doing, Cindy?
? Smile at you... ?
I shouldn't even be here.
I should be dead, too.
We all lost so much in the fire,
but we're still here.
You finally down for us girls now?
I am so sorry, Cindy.
We were so consumed trying to protect ourselves,
we lost sight of what the fight was about.
It's okay, sweetie.
It's time for all of us queens to move on.
Welcome home, Cindy.
? My kind of town ?
? Chicago is ?
? My kind of town ?
? Chicago is ?
? My kind ?
? Of razzmatazz ?
? And it has all that jazz... ?
Hey, Maddie.
- Hi, Mom. How are you? - I'm good, how are you?
I'm good.
I just called to tell you that I'm bisexual
and I'm dating a woman.
- Mom? - Um...
th... that's very interesting. When can we meet her?
That's a bit tricky because she's in prison,
but she might be paroled soon.
Mom?
_
- Synced and corrected by chamallow - - www.addic7ed.com -