Proven Innocent (2019) s01e02 Episode Script

1 Previously on Proven Innocent We're here with wrongful conviction attorney - Madeline Scott.
- We'd like to be your lawyers.
VIOLET: Gore Bellows is the very prosecutor who wrongfully convicted Madeline and her brother of the first-degree murder of her best friend.
HEATHER: Most of us in town still think you should be in jail.
I would lose a Pulitzer for a date with you.
I got a line on Madeline Scott.
I announce my candidacy for attorney general.
How many innocent lives has he destroyed? Are you sure you want to poke the bear? No, I want to rip his heart out.
- [LAUGHING.]
- Okay.
Hilarious.
[SNIFFS, GRUNTS.]
- You want another? - Yes.
- Yes.
- Okay.
- Roxy, another round.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Hey, I ain't never seen you in here before.
No, but I love it.
- It's so hard-core.
[LAUGHS.]
- Yeah? Oh, we should do a selfie.
Yeah? Yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
Oh, wait, no, I want to see the scar.
Oh, it's so hot.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- Okay.
Okay.
- Okay.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
- How's that? - That's perfect.
- [CLICKS.]
[BOTH LAUGH.]
What are you doing in here all by your lonesome, huh? You, uh, looking to meet your prince charming? [LAUGHS.]
God, no.
No, I'm here to serve you a subpoena in the Tamara Folsom case.
[GRUNTS.]
["CAN'T CATCH ME" BY NOMBE PLAYING.]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah [MAN GRUNTS.]
MADELINE: Bodie, cut him off at the next block! Go Just go after him! See me down the street You can't get close 'Cause I'm much too fast And I'm much too loud - And I'm so caught up - [ENGINE REVVING.]
[TIRES SQUEAL.]
Is it me Or my luck, can't get enough Feed on alchemy And I'm running petrol through - [FABRIC TEARS.]
- [YELPS.]
Watch me go [GRUNTS.]
And I feed off your love Can't get enough - Where is he? - He's in that truck go.
You're bleeding.
[GRUNTS.]
I'm fine.
Will you go? No, come on.
We'll live to fight another day.
Got to get you some stitches, maybe.
Does it hurt? MADELINE: Yes, it hurts! VIOLET: The fight for justice is unending.
Every day in America, someone is wrongfully accused.
And far too many are convicted.
This podcast tells their stories.
On today's episode of Until Proven Innocent, we'll discuss the case of Tamara Folsom.
Tamara was charged with the murder of a man she never met.
The police were confused, conflating her boast of fighting back against the attacker as a confession to the murder of a totally different person.
It was a terrible mistake that got Tamara locked away for life.
Tamara told the truth, but the police either didn't hear her or didn't believe her.
People say "the truth will set you free.
" So what happens when telling the truth is what ends up costing you your freedom? TAMARA: Yeah, that's him.
That's him, all right.
I'll never forget his ugly-ass face.
He look old now, though.
So, now what? Put him on the stand and he tells the judge I cut him.
Once we find him again, yes.
- Wait, you lost him? - We're going to find him and this photo's gonna get us another hearing.
To prep you, we want to go over your story - one more time, okay? - MAN: I'll just need to go over your story again, okay? It's not my "story," it's the truth.
TAMARA: I've been telling the same story for years.
Why did you tell the police you slashed a man that night? I was proud of it.
Creep tried to rape me in a parking lot.
Damn right I cut him.
Why were you carrying a knife? Where I'm from, you always carry a knife.
When I was 12 my mom married a man that would rape me every chance he got.
When I finally got old enough, I vowed I'd never let nobody do that to me again.
After she divorced the son of a bitch, - we never looked back.
- Does she still visit you? No, ma'am.
She died a few years after they locked me up.
I never even got to go to her funeral.
I'm so sorry.
Then, after you cut Jeff Skadden, the police arrested you the next week for the murder of Tim Manning, who was also slashed that night.
They kept asking me why I killed him.
I said I didn't.
This wasn't the guy I cut.
I never even met the man.
I didn't kill Rosemary.
I swear.
Why won't anyone believe me? I was defending myself against someone else.
EASY: Why didn't your original lawyer look for the man you really slashed? My public pretender.
He didn't believe a word I said.
Worst piece of crap lawyer ever.
MADELINE: Tamara.
We hear you.
We believe you.
And we're gonna do everything we can to get you the hell out of here.
The number of wrongful convictions in Cook County is skyrocketing, and lazy, sloppy, corrupt prosecutions are the reason.
There's only one man to blame for that.
Gore Bellows.
ALDERS: If you're just joining us, my guest today is Madeline Scott.
You may remember her as a drunken, lovesick teen who, along with her brother Levi, allegedly murdered her best friend Rosemary Lynch.
A conviction that never would have happened except for the corrupt prosecution by Mr.
Bellows.
My brother and I spent ten years in prison for a murder we didn't commit because Bellows ignored a medical examiner report that would have exonerated us.
How many others are suffering in silence because of his incompetence? Makes me wonder how the man thinks he's qualified to be Illinois' next attorney general.
MADELINE: He's not.
And I'll keep telling my story to make sure that never happens.
Thank you, Madeline.
We'll be right back.
VIOLET: Nearly every defendant who can't afford their own attorney gets assigned a public defender.
The same was true for Tamara Folsom.
But, like many public defenders, hers was overworked and underpaid.
MAN: I strongly advised Ms.
Folsom not to testify.
She'd already confessed to slicing the guy's neck.
Admitting it in open court would only make matters worse.
Uh, but we've identified that guy as Jeff Skadden, not the actual murder victim, Tim Manning.
Same town, same night, two different neck slashes? - No one bought her story.
- Is that why you didn't look for Skadden because you didn't believe her? I did look and I couldn't find him.
How hard did you look? I was balancing 73 cases that month.
That's why I'm not a public defender anymore.
The arrest report noted that there was DNA evidence collected from the scene.
Did you seek to ascertain the source of that DNA? Again, we didn't have the resources.
Did you do literally anything? - Objection.
- Your Honor, Mr.
Bryce's testimony is nothing more than an attempt to cover up an inadequate trial strategy that was manifestly unreasonable.
Petitioner requests the court order a new trial on the grounds that Ms.
Folsom's Sixth Amendment rights to a fair trial were grotesquely violated.
I'll take it under advisement, but I'm more interested in hearing from this Jeff Skadden.
Uh, Your Honor, we're tracking him down as we speak.
While court considers our motion, petitioner requests we be allowed to test the potentially exculpatory DNA evidence from the scene.
It's time someone from her defense finally looks at it.
I think it's a terrific idea.
Okay.
We're adjourned.
TAMARA: Do I get a new case? - It's very positive.
- [WHISPERING.]
: That's so good.
- Yeah, we're in good shape.
- Yeah, buys us a few days - for Bodie to find Skadden.
- Yeah, it's great.
Uh, I have to go to La Grange for Levi's trial, so I'll meet you back at the office.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
HEATHER: Levi Scott never should have been released from prison in the first place.
He murdered my best friend.
And I swore at her funeral I'd never forget.
Now he attacks my husband for no reason whatsoever.
[SCOFFS.]
Once a killer, always a killer.
- You can quote me on that.
- Thank you.
- That was awesome, babe.
- Can you take this? - Right, I'll see you soon.
- That's interesting.
How someone who's dead and can't speak up for herself - is suddenly your best friend.
- We were friends.
Oh, yeah, like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
You know, I bet that going after my brother again is the biggest thrill you've had since the first trial.
And it'll be an even greater thrill watching that loser get locked up again.
You're such a bitch.
Takes one to know one.
Nice shoes, by the way.
Did you get them at a garage sale? Yeah, well, your shoes look cheap, too.
Like you would know.
Yeah, I can agree to that.
Where is Levi? We've agreed to anger management classes and community service, but he still needs to be here.
JUDGE: Ms.
Scott, are we ready to proceed? Your Honor, may I approach? Apologies, Your Honor.
My client still isn't here.
I think maybe that I wasn't clear - that his presence was required.
- You weren't clear? How about this for clarity? This court hereby issues a bench warrant for the arrest of Levi Scott.
[GAVEL SLAMS.]
[SCOFFS.]
I have to get back to work.
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
This is Assistant State's Attorney Tracy Green receiving biological evidence.
Case number 03-94-385.
State of Illinois v.
Tamara Folsom.
I'm now transferring custody of evidence to petitioner counsel.
Let the record reflect that I did not touch this box.
The tape seal on the evidence container has clearly been broken.
A.
S.
A.
Green confirms the broken seal.
I am opening the box now.
The evidence is missing.
- Without explanation.
- The evidence has been taken and, in all probability, destroyed to keep an innocent woman in prison.
You have no evidence of that.
We have no evidence at all.
Sophie's dad is picking you up after ballet tomorrow.
But his car smells funny.
Why can't you pick us up? Because we carpool, and that's the deal.
Plus, I have to work.
What do you mean funny, Audra? Like strange funny? And who's Sophie's dad? Sophie and Audra are best friends, and they go to ballet together.
Chuck is her dad.
- Chuck Reynolds.
- Why don't I know Chuck Reynolds? - And why does his car smell funny? - Well, he's a mechanic, so it probably just smells greasy.
Can I be excused? IRENE: Listen, no video games until after your homework is finished tonight.
You know, it's like he's not even here.
Oh! Like father, like son.
Hey.
I'm here.
Hmm.
Not like you used to be.
Let's meet the Reynolds family.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, it's just Chuck and Sophie, uh His wife passed away a few years ago.
Okay.
Dinner later this week? - [CHUCKLES.]
: Oh, God.
- What? It doesn't hurt to have a friend who's a mechanic, baby, right? [LAUGHS.]
Save the charm for court, E.
- [DOOR BELLS JINGLE.]
- [HAWAIIAN MUSIC PLAYING.]
Aloha.
- Yeah.
- How may I help you? Got a voice mail from WRCW.
Said I won a free trip to Hawaii.
You lucky son of a gun if WRCW called you, that means that you're one of our lucky Aloha Adventure winners.
What's your name? Jeff Skadden.
Two Ds.
Double Ds.
More of a C-cup man myself.
[LAUGHS.]
Here you go.
Sure, we've been trying to track you down.
Well, congratulations! You've been served.
See you in court.
- Ain't gonna happen.
- Hold on.
Jeff.
I could care less what you do, but if you fail to appear, they're just gonna issue a warrant and you'll be running from bounty hunters for the next decade.
And once they find out that you're an attempted rapist well, let's just say they won't be serving you a delicious mai tai.
My advice? You just want to get this over with.
[HAWAIIAN MUSIC CONTINUES.]
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE.]
[SIGHS.]
What ever happened to being polite? Northwestern.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm so proud of you.
I've gotten a number of offers from the private sector, but I just feel like this is where I belong.
If there's a place here for me.
Of course there is.
But are you sure you want criminal law? It just It takes a toll.
It does? You make it all seem so effortless.
Just the violence in most of these cases, the pain of the victims, it can wear on you.
And when I'm not trying to put criminals away, I'm being publically attacked for being corrupt, a liar, ineffective, when all I really want to do is just bring justice to victims.
Every time Susan Alders attacks you on TV, my blood boils.
You're my hero.
You really are.
You have no idea how much that means, coming from you.
It is an honor to welcome you to the state's attorney's office.
And if you have some interest in politics, well, you could always moonlight on my campaign.
Really? [CHUCKLES.]
I would love that.
How is it all going? Great.
I don't know.
It's politics.
[CHUCKLES.]
Welcome to the team.
Thank you.
Oh.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, gosh.
Can't wait.
[CHUCKLES.]
BELLOWS: I'm very excited about this.
I'm so, so impressed with what you've done.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
I left the bar to go out back, then she attacks me with a knife, just like that.
Sliced my neck.
You're a liar! There will be no outbursts in my courtroom.
- Counselor? - We're fine, Your Honor.
Wasn't Tamara defending herself - from your advances? - JEFF: Hey, hey, let me talk - to you for a minute.
- TAMARA: Don't touch me.
[TAMARA SCREAMS.]
No.
She was crazy.
- No! [SCREAMS.]
- [GRUNTS.]
He's crazy.
Your Honor, he's a rapist, - and you got to believe me! - That's enough, or I'll end this hearing right now.
Your Honor, please forgive my client.
But her anger is understandable, as Jeff Skadden has just confirmed everything that she's been saying for years.
Tamara Folsom slashed him and not Tim Manning on the night of his murder.
She's not a killer.
- She's a victim.
- Ms.
Scott, I agree that you have produced one of Ms.
Folsom's victims, but that does not mean that she is not also guilty of ending Tim Manning's life.
This testimony demonstrates a pattern of violent aggression towards men.
Prior to that night, she'd never been arrested or demonstrated violent tendencies.
Then, in one night, she commits multiple acts of violence, miles apart, within moments of each other? It's possible.
Why do you refuse to see the truth when it is so clearly in front of you? Truth is subjective, Ms.
Scott.
I need proof.
- Motion denied.
- [GAVEL BANGS.]
God, that's it? It's over? Far from it.
We are not giving up, Tamara.
Pretty terrible ruling, if you ask me.
Really terrible.
And it means we only have one option left.
BOTH: Find the real killer.
[MAN COUGHING, DOG BARKING.]
[MAN 2 SHOUTING IN DISTANCE.]
[BOTTLE CLINKS.]
[MAN 3 MURMURING.]
Hey, sis.
There's a warrant out for you.
I screwed up.
You remember our promise? No matter how bad it gets, no matter how much you want it, you reach out, we talk.
How was I supposed to talk to you about Rosemary? I lied to you for so long.
Why? Why'd you lie to me? How long were you together? A few months.
We didn't tell anybody because we knew that it was wrong.
[SIGHS.]
So that night at the campsite when Rosemary hooked up with Tobey Kissell [INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
Okay.
Yeah, I was upset.
But I didn't - I didn't kill Rosemary.
- That was the prosecution's entire case, Levi.
And now I'm finding out - it was actually true.
- Maddie, look at me.
I would never kill her.
I loved her.
You think that I killed Rosemary? I don't know what to think anymore.
I'll take care of the bench warrant.
Okay? Just be at court next week.
[SIGHS.]
Don't screw this up.
This is serious now.
I promise.
We'll get you cleaned up, okay? MAYFELD: We've conducted flash polls every week since you announced your candidacy, - and we're trending.
- Downwards.
Yes, but biggest drop came after Madeline Scott attacked you on television.
- So we're tied together.
- Exactly.
- She attacks, you fall.
- We need to attack her back.
- Let's go negative.
- She's not even my opponent.
- Well, she's going negative on you.
- The last thing I want for my campaign is for it to become about Madeline Scott.
I don't think you have a choice.
That's one of the most famous cases in the country, Mr.
Bellows.
She's right.
Madeline Scott drives your numbers.
It's an issue.
So we'll double down on crime, making the context her case.
Can you all excuse us for a moment? What the hell is Isabel doing here? I like having her around.
Well, I don't, and you know that.
So you want me to fire her? That'd be great for my numbers.
Then hide her in a closet.
Right, honey, I'll just hide her in a closet.
You need to grow a pair.
Madeline Scott threatens your campaign.
We need to go negative.
It'll backfire.
Too many people see her as a victim.
Then find a way to do it without leaving your fingerprints.
["I'M STILL THE SAME PERSON" BY SISTER CRAYON PLAYING.]
I thought the gods were buildings Like small cities Her hair was never mine [ECHOING LAUGHTER.]
She showed me the circle Just the line curved She showed me what death was like What are you doing, Maddie? This isn't gonna help anything.
You see what this is doing to Levi.
He can't take it again.
None of us can.
Don't you know how hard your trial was on us? On you? I am the one who lost my best friend and ten years of my life for something I didn't do.
But look what you have done since you have gotten out.
You've turned your nightmare into a path forward.
Your brother hasn't been so lucky.
Mom, the prosecution's entire case was based on the theory that Levi and Rosemary had a secret relationship, so - Maddie, stop it.
- He lied for years, and I need to find out what really happened, so I am not just gonna shut this out anymore.
It's over.
Why can't you just move on like the rest of us? [SOBBING.]
: But she was my best friend.
I have to go to the funeral.
I'm sorry, sweetie, but no one wants you there.
[SOBS SOFTLY.]
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I didn't get to say goodbye.
I know, I know.
Oh.
[MADELINE SNIFFLES.]
VIOLET: Fighting for the wrongfully accused means dealing with the same police officers who investigated the crime in the first place.
Sometimes we need to find their mistakes in order - to uncover the truth.
- Yeah, he was basically decapitated.
MADELINE: Any other suspects that you considered? Anyone in particular stand out? Yeah, there was this one.
A thing that stood out about her was she confessed.
Name is Tamara Folsom.
We'll run down a list of his last known associates.
- Might take - Hold on.
The original investigation had three detectives on it.
So what happened to the other guy? Those jagoffs didn't even tell me you were coming in.
So you thought Tamara was innocent? No, but I wasn't sure.
After Tim Manning was killed, I did some digging.
Found something interesting: had a girlfriend.
Uh, Celeste Adams, I think.
Yeah.
She was 18 at the time.
Seems Tim would periodically beat her up.
- Did anyone track her down? - No.
They were so focused on Tamara, once they got a confession, those lazy slobs just wanted to move on.
EASY: All right.
You know where - we can find Celeste? - No idea.
It's 16 years ago.
There's an old photo in the file.
I don't know.
Good luck.
MADELINE: Illinois employment records say - Celeste works here now.
- She's a used car salesman? - Definitely our killer.
- [LAUGHS.]
Uh Oh, I actually think that's her.
Celeste Adams? Do I know you? We need to talk about Tim Manning.
- I don't know who that is.
- We think you do.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
- Who are you? What do you want? - We're attorneys.
We represent Tamara Folsom, the woman stuck in prison for murdering Tim.
I don't know anything about that.
She's spent 16 years locked up for something she didn't do.
EASY: Police records say you were Tim's girlfriend, and you left Illinois immediately after he was killed.
I went to Florida 'cause my mom got sick.
I didn't even know Tim was dead until a couple months later.
He was a bad guy.
He used to beat me.
Well, did you call the police? I tried.
No one listened to me.
You're Madeline Scott, right? Yeah, and no one listened to me, either.
Or Tamara Folsom, who has spent 16 years in prison for a murder she didn't commit.
Sorry, I can't help you.
So, what do you think she our killer? I don't know.
She's hiding something.
- Amen.
- But she recognized me.
[CHUCKLES.]
We'd all like to return to a time when our streets were safe, when hardened criminals weren't released because of technicalities or or flawed jurisprudence.
I'm sure you all remember the case of Dimitri Wright.
Anyone remember that case? I was a young, inexperienced prosecutor trying Dimitri Wright for armed robbery.
His high-paid attorney ran circles around me, used every trick in the book, and he was acquitted.
One month later Dmitri Wright killed a single mother in a liquor store holdup.
The poor young woman was holding her one-year-old daughter when she was shot in the head.
Her grandmother raised the little girl, and I have stayed in touch, because I felt responsible.
I'm pleased to tell you that that little girl just graduated from Northwestern University Law school and is our newest hire here at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
She serves as a reminder of why we have laws, why we seek justice, and why I hope to become the next Illinois attorney general.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.]
Please meet our newest assistant state's attorney, Isabel Sanchez.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.]
Home run.
[ECHOING LAUGHTER AND INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Okay.
Celeste Adams is clean.
No previous arrest record and no accusations of violence.
Everything all right? If Levi and I were retried for Rosemary's murder, could we be tried separately? Probably.
Why? [SIGHS.]
He lied.
To me, to the jury, to everyone.
He just told me he was in a relationship with Rosemary.
He's been lying for years.
So? So? That doesn't faze you? I always suspected he was lying.
And that doesn't bother you? I represented you, Madeline.
Levi had another lawyer.
If he committed perjury not my problem.
Do you think Levi killed Rosemary? Just because he lied doesn't make him a killer.
Um, Madeline, it's 8:00.
- [SIGHS.]
: So? - So - you have a date right now.
- Mm [LAUGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
Aw, damn it.
I'm supposed to be home.
Bye.
- What are you doing? - Uh, I'm canceling.
Give it to me.
You are going on this date, and you are gonna give me all of the details.
Violet, I do not have time to I know you're nervous because you didn't get to make a fool of yourself in your 20s like the rest of us, but you need to do it in your 30s.
Why? So that you can be normal in your 40s.
Have fun.
And smile! He's very cute.
I don't know anybody in their 40s who's normal.
Have fun.
Call me.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
I live my life on the wrong side I'm so sorry.
I'm so late.
- I'm I'm-I'm late.
- Oh, no.
Will you stop? Come on.
- I'm-I'm sorry.
- Listen, I was four months late for dinner once because I was held hostage by a small Ugandan army.
How did that apology go over? Uh, oddly, not well.
- [LAUGHS.]
- WAITER: The gentleman ordered a Brachetto.
Oh, uh, just a seltzer for me, please.
Are you sure, madam? It's an excellent choice.
Uh, the last time I got drunk, I was convicted of murder and spent ten years in a state prison, so I'm just a party seltzer girl now.
Yeah, make it two seltzers, please.
Thanks.
So sorry.
I completely forgot.
[SIGHS.]
Yeah, it's a bummer, right? The first hookup without alcohol is always so tricky.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Yeah, yeah.
Uh, so so, how are the cases coming? - Good, good.
Yeah.
- Yeah? Bad, because all my clients are in prison for crimes they didn't commit and trying not to lose their minds, which causes all of us to try to not lose our minds.
Well, maybe you should start drinking.
Clever.
[CHUCKLES.]
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, I got something funny for you.
[LAUGHS.]
[LAUGHS.]
: I didn't even say what was funny yet.
- Right.
Right.
- Right.
You know what? I'm just I'll be right back.
I'm gonna run to the restroom, but I'm gonna be so quick.
It's just number one.
Okay.
IRENE: You asked me to make dinner arrangements.
- You did.
Not me.
- I know, and I'm sorry.
We invited him over so that you could know who was driving your daughter to ballet.
So that you could have an inkling of what was going on in her life.
I mean, it's bad enough that you forget about us, but now you've let the whole world know that we are still an afterthought to the redheaded princess.
Come on.
This has nothing to do with Madeline.
At dinner, Chuck asked me why your first wrongful conviction was for a white girl.
Ten years later, people are still asking me the same thing.
Our prisons are filled with our brothers and sisters, and you have given up your career for Madeline Scott.
Because hers was the highest profile case that made the most sense.
I mean, what, do you think, I'm in love with her or something? Oh, please, I stopped worrying about that skinny little bitch years ago.
What I care about is how you avoid your family.
How you won't even talk to me anymore, - not even about your cases.
- Because they're too painful, and I want to forget about 'em when I get home.
Okay.
So why are you even doing this? Because I'm not practicing boring reinsurance law anymore.
I have famous politicians and reporters wanting something from me, attacking me and trying to be my friend.
I am in the game now, baby.
Making a difference in the justice system.
How many black lawyers get that chance? Now, it's gonna take a sacrifice from all of us.
I want to be a part of your life again.
We all do.
I know you don't like to hear me say this, but I really think you need to see someone.
No.
Absolutely not.
Well, then, you better do something, 'cause this is not working.
What the ? What are you still doing here? I'm working on Tamara's case.
What are you doing here? You're supposed to be naked right now.
[GROANS.]
Worst date ever.
There's something wrong with me, Vi.
- So, no second date? - I don't know.
He just texted and asked to try again.
Oh.
So you have to go.
- Really? - Yes.
I'm on a dating app cleanse right now, and I'm living vicariously through you, and I need all the naughty details.
Oh, speaking of naughty, come here.
I just found something on Celeste Adams.
I did a reverse image search, and it looks like she has an alter ego.
Celeste is an escort.
Fitness techniques: straps and B&B, which is short for "bondage and bareback.
" Why do you know that? A girl has her secrets.
Do a search for Tim Manning and Sandy Ojai.
VIOLET: Oh, here we go.
Sandy Ojai was picked up in a prostitution sting 16 years ago, and she wouldn't testify against her pimp, Tim Manning, and all the charges were dropped.
[SIGHS.]
Well, that's why she had a clean record.
She was using a different name.
I think Tim Manning was murdered in some kind of prostitution turf war, and our Ms.
Ojai was right in the middle of it.
You may have just saved Tamara's Folsom's life.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Get started right now? [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
MAN: Girls, come on, let's get inside.
[SIREN CHIRPING.]
OFFICER [ON SPEAKER.]
: Keep moving.
MAN: Whoa.
- OFFICER: Now.
- [SIGHS.]
Can't a guy take a picture of hookers in peace anymore? [ENGINE STARTS.]
BODIE: They're using the used car dealership as a front - for a brothel.
- That's really a thing? - Asking for a friend.
- BODIE: It is.
Bars, car washes, junkyards any cash-heavy business is pretty common for money laundering.
In this case, they're also using it as base of operations for incoming calls.
We've got Chad, the salesman who works the front.
And then there's the owner of the car dealership, David Jackson.
He's not only her pimp, he's also her husband.
Marriage is a tricky business.
Yeah, they got married in Florida a few months after Tim's murder.
Short grieving period.
- Very short.
- So, David kills Tim, Celeste's former pimp, David marries her, and enslaves her in his prostitution ring? Your mind goes to dark places.
- And fast.
- So very fast.
In prison I knew hundreds of prostitutes and, sadly, this is a really common story.
They're brainwashed or enslaved by these guys, and it's almost impossible for them to get out of this life.
EASY: Yeah, I don't know.
Celeste doesn't seem like the type of woman who wants to get out or turn on her handlers.
Agreed.
Doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
So what's the approach? Oh, this is encouraging.
Hi, Celeste.
Or should I say Sandy Ojai? What are you doing here? I told you I don't know anything.
I want you to come with me to see Tamara Folsom.
Get out of my way or I'll beat the hell out of you.
If you mess with me, you're gonna find yourself face down, bleeding on the concrete.
Give me and Tamara a few minutes.
I swear I'll never bother you again.
[LOCK BUZZES, LATCH CLICKS.]
MADELINE: Celeste, this is Tamara.
I know this isn't easy for you.
We really appreciate you coming down here.
I didn't know.
I swear.
I thought they'd never arrested anyone for Tim's murder.
I'm so sorry.
It's not your fault if you didn't know.
I didn't.
I was just so relieved Tim was gone.
[SIGHS.]
What happened? How'd you end up with that guy? It's okay.
Really, it's just us.
I ran away from home when I was 16.
I met Tim, and he was nice and funny, and I was broke.
He put money down for a deposit on an apartment and He said that you had to pay him back.
Told me this is how it works in Chicago, and if I didn't bring home 300 bucks a night, I'd be on the streets.
You probably think I'm an idiot, but you don't know how it feels to be so trapped.
I know exactly how it feels.
We both do.
If I didn't make enough, he'd beat me.
I thought he was gonna kill me until I met David.
David promised he was never gonna let Tim hit me anymore.
So he and his buddy Chad took care of him.
Did they kill him? That's what you're saying? I'm real sorry for you, but David's friends with some bad people.
If I testify, they'll come after me.
I'm sorry, - I can't do this.
Guard! - Celeste.
This is your chance at a new start.
Tell the truth.
David and Chad will go away.
You can both finally be free.
[GROANS.]
TAMARA: That's exactly how I thought it would go.
I never met a ho that didn't look out for anyone but herself.
Truth.
But the good news is now we know exactly what happened.
So? So now we have a way in.
MAN: You're gonna love the silver.
I actually knew the original owner kept it in top-notch shape.
Right on.
That's-that's great.
So, you guys live together, or Nah.
Nah, we ain't a couple.
Oh.
Why you don't like interracial couples? Oh, I don't care.
I didn't mean to offend anybody.
Oh, no, I'm not offended.
Easy? Little bit, but I'll get over it.
Easy here is actually my pimp.
[LAUGHTER.]
Yeah, except it's not a joke.
I used to be with a guy named Tim Manning, but Easy killed him, then married me, and I've been working for him ever since.
We launder the money out of a bar.
- I-I thought it was a junkyard.
- Car wash? All right, you're gonna have to go now.
Too late for that, Chad.
Celeste already told the cops you killed Tim, and David is making a statement at this very moment saying it was you.
- No, he's not.
You're lying.
- I wish we were.
We want David because we know he really did it, but Celeste is his wife and she's invoking marital privilege.
She can't be coerced into testifying against him.
They both seem really comfortable pinning the whole thing on you.
It's not true.
Tim was a pig, but I didn't do anything to him.
That's not what David and Celeste said.
- They said you killed him.
- Two against one, Chad, and all the prosecutor will care about is someone going down for this.
I didn't have anything to do with it.
We know.
We know everything.
We know David did it because he wanted Celeste and then married her in Florida.
But what we don't have is someone willing to go on record against David.
Instead we have David and Celeste on the record against you.
I can't believe this is happening.
So unfair, but you just tell us what David did, we'll set the whole thing straight.
We want David, not you.
Okay.
Okay, yeah.
Everything you said was right.
David did it because Tim was beating up on Celeste and he wanted her to be his girl.
I didn't have anything to do with it.
I was just supposed to keep Tim from getting away.
David's the one that killed him.
[DOOR OPENS.]
You're under arrest.
Interracial his and her wires.
[CHAD SIGHS.]
I've been runnin' down these roads for nothing - [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
- All right.
- Let's go.
- Will the defendant please rise? Shinin' back at me Based on newly discovered evidence of her actual innocence, this court hereby vacates petitioner's conviction of murder.
If the state plans to retry Ms.
Folsom, - they have 20 days - GREEN: Your Honor, the state does not intend to re-prosecute Ms.
Folsom.
We no longer believe - she took any part in this killing.
- [MOUTHING.]
In that case, Ms.
Folsom, you are free to go.
- [CHEERING.]
- Good luck and Godspeed.
Thank you so much.
You'll see you ain't got nothing to prove Just know when times get tough And it's all too much We'll fight We'll fight for you [REPORTERS CLAMORING.]
I just want to say I got 16 years taken from me.
I got called murderer.
I got treated like I was trash, but somebody finally listened to what I had to say.
Somebody finally heard my truth.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Ms.
Folsom, one question, right here [CLAMORING.]
VIOLET: This week's episode is a tale of two women who never met, but both were trapped in prison.
One had her freedom taken away for no other reason than bad luck, and another was locked in a cycle of mental and physical abuse.
What they have in common is the same monsters imprisoned them both with their lies.
Hi.
VIOLET: There's a gender bias that we see over and over again in wrongful conviction.
Men are believed and women are ignored.
And it is the burden of hiding the truth that will tug on a person's soul or irrevocably alter another's life.
But until we can speak our truth and have another human being not just listen to us, but believe us we can never be truly free.
Just know when times get tough and it's all too much We'll fight, we'll fight for you For you And we'll fight We'll fight for you And we'll fight, gonna fight for you.
I'm sorry that I didn't come visit you sooner.
I told myself I wouldn't come until I found your killer.
But the truth is I stopped looking years ago.
I just couldn't think about it anymore.
But now it's all I think about.
And no matter who it is I swear to you I'll find them.