Podcast Summary:
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode: After Spending 3 Decades on Death Row, A Louisiana Man Has Been Set Free
Date: November 28, 2025
Episode Overview
In this gripping episode, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes discuss the recent release of Jimmy Duncan, a Louisiana man who spent 27 years on death row for the rape and murder of his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter—a conviction now vacated amid powerful evidence of wrongful conviction and forensic misconduct. The hosts use Duncan’s case as a lens to debate the fallibility of the death penalty, the dangers of junk forensic science, and the deep impacts on both the falsely accused and the families of victims.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Jimmy Duncan’s Release and the Death Penalty (03:14–04:54)
- Duncan spent 27 years on death row in Louisiana for the murder of 23-month-old Haley Olivo.
- The judge has vacated his conviction and allowed Duncan to go home pending further review—a rare move, signaling a lack of compelling evidence.
- The episode frames Duncan's story as a "case for an argument for why maybe...the death penalty should go away" (TJ Holmes, 03:32).
2. Faulty Forensics and a Flawed Conviction (06:04–07:33)
- Duncan was convicted largely due to bite mark evidence presented by two forensic experts later tied to at least 10 wrongful convictions.
- Autopsy video shows a forensic dentist forcibly pressing a mold of Duncan’s teeth into the child’s skin to fabricate bite marks—evidence later used at trial.
- “One of the two scientists forcibly pushing a mold of Duncan's teeth into this little girl's body, creating the bite marks that they then later used to convict him.” (Amy Robach, 07:01)
3. Patterns of Wrongful Conviction in Louisiana (04:46–04:54, 19:56–21:22)
- Louisiana has one of the highest wrongful conviction rates in the U.S., with 12 exonerations from death row.
- Nationwide, over 200 people on death row have been exonerated since 1973.
- "This isn’t something we can reverse. This isn’t something we can say, sorry, we were wrong. When you’re on death row, there’s no taking it back if you have an execution date." (Amy Robach, 20:20)
4. Prosecutorial Resistance and Systemic Barriers (09:44–10:51)
- Local prosecutors are still trying to pursue Duncan, reflecting a reluctance to admit error and financial motives (fear of lawsuits and multi-million dollar settlements for wrongful imprisonment).
- Elected officials often refuse to acknowledge mistakes, even when overwhelming evidence surfaces.
- "We’ve seen people go to the grave swearing that, nope, that person is guilty, and that person ends up being exonerated. ...We, the people...decided this man should die." (TJ Holmes, 11:08)
5. Victims’ Families and the Human Toll (05:08–05:35, 11:37–12:59)
- The mother of the victim, originally convinced by prosecution that Duncan was guilty, now believes her daughter died due to health complications—seizure-induced drowning.
- She publicly condemned the prosecution for “desecrat[ing] my baby’s memory” (Amy Robach, quoting mother, 05:23).
- The emotional devastation is compounded for families who carry grief based on false official narratives.
6. Junk Science in the Courtroom (13:21–14:23)
- The Innocence Project and AP investigation have labeled bite mark evidence “junk science,” linking it to at least two dozen wrongful convictions.
- "The Innocence Project said bite mark evidence is junk science... there’s no more prejudicial type of junk science that exists than bite mark evidence." (Amy Robach, 13:54)
- There’s a push to eliminate such evidence from legal proceedings due to its unreliability.
7. Legal Aftermath and Life Post-Release (22:14–23:59)
- Duncan is free, living with relatives, but still awaits Louisiana Supreme Court’s final decision.
- The hosts discuss the mental toll of waiting, possibility of a lawsuit, and broader implications for the justice system.
- "If I could tell him anything, man, stay in the moment today you got, today you're not behind bars. And that's all. And that's really all you can do." (TJ Holmes, 23:34)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“We nearly killed this man. And when you start to read how he got convicted, it will make your blood boil.”
— Amy Robach, 03:48 -
“The horror story that they put out and desecrated my baby’s memory makes me infuriated.”
— (Mother of the victim, via Amy Robach, 05:23) -
“The judge said you can go home while we figure the rest of this out... The presumption is not great, that he is guilty. That is a powerful, powerful statement.”
— Amy Robach, 09:44/09:51 -
“We were just about to get this one wrong, man.”
— TJ Holmes, 04:56 -
"You're talking about millions and millions and millions of dollars in lawsuits and judgments against you.”
— Amy Robach, 10:35 -
“This isn't something we can reverse... When you're on death row, there's no taking it back if you have an execution date.”
— Amy Robach, 20:20
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment Topic | Host(s) | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|------------------|----------------| | Episode introduction, context | Both | 03:14 | | The conviction and release of Jimmy Duncan | Amy & TJ | 03:44–04:54 | | Prosecutorial resistance | Both | 09:44–10:51 | | Fabricated bite mark evidence | Amy | 06:04–07:33 | | Human cost and mother’s statement | Amy | 05:08–05:35 | | Problems with bite mark forensics | Both | 13:21–14:23 | | Nationwide and Louisiana exoneration stats | Amy | 19:56–21:22 | | Emotional impact and legal limbo | TJ & Amy | 22:14–23:59 |
Conclusion & Tone
Amy Robach and TJ Holmes maintain a deeply empathetic, candid, and at times outraged tone—questioning not only the reliability of forensic methods but also the very morality of the death penalty in an imperfect, error-prone system. They emphasize the irreversible damage done to both falsely accused individuals and grieving families, urging reform and a reevaluation of policies that enable such miscarriages of justice.