In The Dark podcast leads to a conviction being overturned by the US Supreme Court
This article is at least a year old
St Paul MN, USA—On March 20, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Curtis Flowers v. State of Mississippi. In looking at the controversial Mississippi death penalty case, the justices examined if District Attorney Doug Evans used racial discrimination in the jury selection for Flowers’ most recent trial. The court announced on June 21st that it has ruled in favor of Flowers and has reversed his conviction.
The case presented to the court included reporting from APM Reports, which uncovered a pattern of racist jury selection by Evans. APM Reports brought the case to national attention with the second season of the award-winning podcast In the Dark.
Flowers has been tried six times for the same crime, and this is the fourth time his conviction has been reversed. Now, he faces the possibility of Evans trying him for a seventh time, offering a plea deal or dismissing the charges all together. Flowers, who has been incarcerated in Parchman Prison for over 22 years, will remain in prison until Evans makes a decision on his next steps in the case.
If Evans pursues a seventh trial against Flowers, Flowers’ legal team will have a chance to use new evidence found by APM Reports in the second season of In the Dark.
In the Dark will continue to cover the developments of this case with two upcoming episodes.
Listeners can stay up-to-date on breaking news in the Flowers case and when new In the Dark episodes publish by subscribing to the In the Dark email newsletter.
About APM Reports
APM Reports, formed in November 2015, is a collection of investigative journalists and documentary producers, editors, data reporters, researchers and digital producers dedicated to producing high-quality reporting on issues that are often hidden from public view. At the heart of every APM Reports investigation lies a critical question — about powerful institutions and people, injustice and accountability – that deserves an unflinching commitment to finding answers in the public’s best interest. Visit apmreports.org for more.
About American Public Media
American Public Media® is the national programming division of Minnesota Public Radio® and reaches more than 19 million listeners via 1,000 radio stations nationwide each week. APM is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio that includes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical music programs in the nation. APM offers a diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, business and investigative journalism. For more information on APM, visit americanpublicmedia.org.
This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand. We may make small edits for editorial reasons.