A Fait Accompli | EP 2 | Season 2

Summary

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Burden of Guilt | Season 2, Episode 2: A Fait Accompli

Original Air Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Nancy Glass

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Episode Overview

In "A Fait Accompli," host Nancy Glass dives into the story of Jermaine Hudson, sentenced at 21 to 99 years for armed robbery based solely on the testimony of Bobby Gumpright — a testimony later revealed to be fabricated. This episode intricately reconstructs Jermaine's upbringing, the investigation and trial, and the devastating impact of a desperate lie. Listeners learn how systemic injustice, ineffective defense, and personal histories combined to destroy a young father’s life — and how the truth ultimately came to light.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jermaine’s Early Life and Circumstances

[08:12 – 14:56]

• Jermaine was born into chaos: his mother was addicted to drugs, his father murdered when Jermaine was a baby.
• Raised initially by his uncle Thomas and wife Sunshine, who adopted him. Sunshine’s sudden death at age six left Jermaine moving between relatives.
• Grew up in Fisher Housing Projects: "I'm stepping over bodies, witnessing bodies coming on from elementary school." (Jermaine Hudson, [10:26])
• Early run-ins with the law began at 14 after unknowingly riding in a stolen car. Later, swept up in another crime as a bystander in a carjacking.

The Impact of a System that Judges the Past

[07:33 – 09:09]; [16:28 – 17:07]

• Jermaine’s juvenile offenses colored every official perception:
  "They used my juvenile conviction to say that I was in need of incarceration, that I was a menace to society and that I didn't deserve to be among civilized people." (Jermaine Hudson, [07:33])
• Even as his behavior changed and he tried to build a family, his record followed him.

Building a Family and a New Path

[17:13 – 19:23]

• Formed a deep connection with Kristen Motley, with whom he had a daughter. Kristen recalls:
  "We were trying to figure out how we can get our own apartment." (Kristen Motley, [19:11])
• Parenthood made Jermaine determined to leave street life behind:
  "After my daughter was born, they changed me because I'm like, I have something to live for." (Jermaine Hudson, [19:23])

The Arrest & Devastating Turn

[19:53 – 20:12]; [23:30 – 25:19]

• Police, following Gumpright’s identification, arrest Jermaine after a routine traffic stop. Kristen tried to post bail, only to discover he wasn’t coming home.
  • "I literally dropped the phone and was like, wow, for real? ... I knew it was mistaken identity." (Jermaine Hudson, [24:49])

The Flawed Trial and Defense

[26:31 – 27:49]; [30:08 – 33:38]; [36:56 – 37:06]

• Jermaine’s assigned public defender failed to call alibi witnesses, most critically Kristen’s sister, Dwan, who saw Jermaine home with the flu the night of the crime:
  • "He didn't do nothing. He didn't fight for Jermaine at all. And I told him that. He didn't put up no fight." (Dwan Motley, [36:56])
• Dwan’s attempts to testify were stonewalled by the defense, despite her firsthand knowledge.
• The jury convicted Jermaine in less than 40 minutes (10-2, non-unanimous), after a trial that lasted only hours.

The Habitual Offender Law: 99 Years for a Petty Crime

[07:08 – 09:09]; [37:22 – 38:59]

• Criminal justice stacked against him: sentenced under Louisiana’s habitual offender ("three strikes") statute.
  • "Mr. Hudson, you've been found guilty... It is the sentence of this court that you serve 99 years in the Department of Corrections at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence." (Judge, [38:28])
• Context: the alleged armed robbery netted $75-$100; the victim unharmed; Jermaine’s only prior convictions were as a teenager.

The Human Cost to Family

[39:10 – 40:16]

• Kristen described the sentencing as the worst moment of her life:
  • "Only thing I really heard was 99 years. I don't think I heard nothing else that they said in that courtroom. ... They just ripped my heart out. They just took Jermaine away from me just like that." (Kristen Motley, [39:10])
• Dwan confronted the “victim” outside the court, who admitted:
  • "He said he had to put somebody away. He told me this out his own mouth." (Dwan Motley, [40:37])

The Lie at the Center: Bobby Gumpright’s Confession

[41:30 – 42:59]

• Shock revelation: Bobby Gumpright later admits the robbery never happened.
  • "The best lie is partial truth. Right? ... The truth was it was my job to remember faces as a bartender, so I was good at it. The lie was that I didn't remember his face because it never happened." (Bobby Gumpright, [41:30])
• Motive: covering up his own cocaine addiction, fearing family disgrace.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I was like, lord, this can't be real. I got to be dreaming or something. This can't be real.”
  — Jermaine Hudson on being sentenced, [05:53]

• "I'm like, Lord, I didn't do this. And you know I didn't do this. What can I possibly have done to deserve this?"
  — Jermaine Hudson, [06:58]

• "How you know that from independent investigation? Will you never talk to my witness?"
  — Jermaine Hudson questioning his defense, [31:42]

• "He said he had to put somebody away. He told me this out his own mouth."
  — Dwan Motley confronting Gumpright, [40:37]

• "The best lie is partial truth. ... The lie was that I didn't remember his face because it never happened."
  — Bobby Gumpright, [41:30]

• "He picked Jermaine Hudson out of that photo lineup at random. And Jermaine Hudson was sentenced to life in prison for a crime that never happened at all."
  — Nancy Glass, summarizing the tragedy, [42:59]

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Episode Timeline & Timestamps

• [02:23] Jermaine’s memory of arriving at Angola prison
• [04:32] Recap of conviction, disproportionate verdict for a minor crime
• [07:33] Louisiana’s focus on criminal history, not evidence
• [10:26] The violence of Jermaine’s childhood
• [13:12 – 14:56] Early run-ins with the law
• [17:13 – 19:23] Relationship with Kristen and resolve to change
• [20:12] Bobby Gumpright chooses Jermaine in the photo lineup
• [23:30] Jermaine’s arrest and family’s disbelief
• [28:23] Dwan Motley’s alibi for Jermaine (not used in trial)
• [33:38] Jermaine discouraged from testifying in his own defense
• [36:56] Dwan’s assessment of the public defender
• [38:28] Sentencing to 99 years — "I was so angry because I was like, how?"
• [39:10] Kristen’s heartbreak as Jermaine is taken away
• [40:37] Dwan confronts Bobby Gumpright
• [41:30] The truth revealed: Bobby’s confession

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Conclusion

This episode presents a stark portrait of how a single lie, amplified by addiction and systemic failures, can destroy multiple lives. The revelations about Bobby Gumpright’s fabricated testimony — and Jermaine’s stolen decades — highlight powerful themes: the dangers of unchecked prosecution, habitual offender laws, unreliable identification, and the tragedy of ignored alibis. "A Fait Accompli" asks, in heartbreaking detail, what justice truly is when the truth is left unheard, and redemption comes too late.

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Further Listening

Stay tuned for future episodes, which will further explore the making of Bobby Gumpright's lie, the unraveling of the case, and Jermaine’s long road to freedom.

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For questions or to contact the team: [e-mail]
Instagram: @glasspodcasts

Transcript

[Dwan Motley]

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[Nancy Glass]

Hi listeners, I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt Season 2 podcast and I'm excited to share this riveting story with you. I'm also excited to tell you that you can now get access to all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 1 100% ad free and access all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 2 one week early through the I Heart True Crime plus subscription available exclusively on Apple Podcasts Plus. You'll get access to other chart topping true crime shows you love like Betrayal, American Homicide, Creating a the Story of bitcon, Paper Ghosts, Piketon Massacre, the Girlfriends and more. So don't wait. Head to Apple podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime plus and subscribe today.

[Andrea Gunning]

Hi listeners, I'm Andrea Gunning, Host of Betrayal Season 5 follows one woman as she uncovers her husband's secret life, the one he led when the lights went out. I'm excited to share the Betrayal Season 5 story with you and want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of Season 1, Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4 of Betrayal and every single episode of Betrayal Season 5 100% ad free with an I Heart True Crime plus subscription available exclusively on Apple Podcasts Plus. You'll get access to all episodes of Betrayal Season 5 one week ahead of everyone else, available only to I Heart True Crime plus subscribers.

[Nancy Glass]

So don't wait.

[Andrea Gunning]

Head to Apple Podcasts, search for iheartrucrime plus and subscribe today.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I won't ever forget riding on that bus coming down this road. It was like, wow. This is the road that lets you know you are going into a prison. Angola at that.

[Nancy Glass]

The drive to the Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola is long and sobering. You pass through the small town of St. Francisville before the road narrows and begins to twist through backwoods. There's nothing to look at, nothing to distract you, just a blur of trees and the steady rise of that knot in your stomach knowing the road ends at a prison with a brutal history.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Like everybody on the bus was quiet Everybody was just looking out the window what my life is about to be like. Going to this place. I had so many thoughts running through my mind, so many thoughts. But the ultimate thought was, am I ever gonna leave this place? Am I ever gonna get a chance to travel back down this road, going home to my family? And it becomes a reality. Once that bus stop. And they transferring you off the bus, how you walking into the prison shackled up, feet shackled, hand shackled. And they took me out and told me, okay, you're ready, you're ready. And they put me in population. And life just started from there.

[Nancy Glass]

This is season two of Burden of Guilt, episode two of Fait Accompli. So here's where we left you. In the last episode, 21 year old Jermaine Hudson was tried and convicted for the armed robbery of Bobby Gumpright. And in this episode, what you're going to hear is not what you would expect. But first I want to tell you more about the verdict. The trial lasted just a few hours and after 37 minutes of deliberation, Jermaine's fate was decided. He was found guilty by a jury who voted to convict 10 to 2. Now that's called a non unanimous jury. They were legal and with a non unanimous jury, only 10 people had to agree to convict or acquit a charged person. A few weeks later, on April 12, 2000, Jermaine was sentenced to 99 years in the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola. The crime was stealing between 75 and $100. No shots were fired. The victim, Bobby Gumpright, wasn't physically harmed.

[Jermaine Hudson]

99 years in the Department of correction without parole, probation or suspension of sentence. When I tell you my heart dropped. I was like, no, this can't be real. I'm like, lord, this can't be real. I got to be dreaming or something. This can't be real.

[Nancy Glass]

When his sentence was read, Jermaine reflexively looked to the courtroom window, to the world he would never be a part of again. And out the window he saw something he considered a sign.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Only thing I can remember was two doves sitting on that window. Two white doves. After I got found guilty, and then when I looked up at them two doves, I could just see them. When they knew they got my attention, they just flew away.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine kept replaying the events in his mind. What had happened? What had he done to be sentenced to life in prison? How did he end up here?

[Jermaine Hudson]

I'm like, Lord, I didn't do this. And you know I didn't do this. What can I possibly have done to deserve this?

[Nancy Glass]

And here's the thing. Jermaine had an alibi for March 1, 1999, the night of the crime. It was an alibi never heard in court. We'll tell you about that later in the episode. But even without an alibi, how in the world could a judge possibly sentence him to 99 years? The punishment was very disproportionate to the crime.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Well, in the state of Louisiana they got this thing called judging you off of your past. They used my juvenile conviction to say that I was in need of incarceration, that I was a menace to society and that I didn't deserve to be among civilized people.

[Nancy Glass]

The court did rely on Jermaine's past criminal record and he had a rough start in life. His childhood was chaotic and most days were simply about survival.

[Jermaine Hudson]

As a baby, my mom was on drugs.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine Hudson grew up in the west bank of New Orleans in the Fisher Housing Projects. The Fisher, as it was known, was a low income housing project adjacent to the great Mississippi River.

[Jermaine Hudson]

My mom couldn't raise me. She wasn't in a mother frame of mind.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine was a toddler when she disappeared from his life, he wouldn't see her again until he was a middle aged man.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I was also dealing with a situation from my biological father because he was murdered when I was a baby. You know, I never got a chance to see him, never got a chance to see his face, never got a chance to even meet nobody on his side of the family. Right now I couldn't even tell you if I had siblings on his side of the family. I still don't know nobody on his side of the family.

[Nancy Glass]

Fortunately, another relative stepped in to help Jermaine. His uncle Thomas Robinson and his wife Sunshine took him into their home. But eventually Thomas and Sunshine separated and.

[Jermaine Hudson]

She ended up adopting me. And I've been in that family ever since.

[Nancy Glass]

Sunshine provided him with a real family. Two brothers and six sisters who adored the shy young boy. For a while, Jermaine felt safe. His adoptive family soon faced their own tragedy. Sunshine, the matriarch and soul of the Robinson family, died suddenly from a heart attack in 1985. Jermaine was just six years old.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Even though she adopted me, she loved me like she gave birth to me. But after she passed away, I was bounced around from family to family.

[Nancy Glass]

When you're in the second grade, you're six years old. Most kids lives are about their friends, sports, cartoons. But for Jermaine living in the Fisher Projects.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I'm stepping over bodies, witnessing bodies coming on from elementary school. You got police, amlams, fire engines, you know? Cause somebody was murdered and you were witnessing that as a child and it traumatized you.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine tried to circumvent the violence and embrace sports. But trouble seemed to find him. His first encounter with police was in middle school. A few older boys in his neighborhood saw him walking home from basketball practice after dusk, and they offered him a ride.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I was like, no. But they was like, man, come on, man, it's dark out here. Let us drop you off. As soon as I get in that car, the police end up pulling us over. I don't know this car's stolen.

[Nancy Glass]

The other boys jumped out and took off, but Jermaine, he froze me and.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Two more guys end up getting arrested for joyriding in a stolen vehicle.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine was 14 years old and looking at the inside of a jail cell.

[Jermaine Hudson]

When you a kid like that and you're entering a prison, something you never seen in your life before, it was like being in that cell and you're in there by yourself as a kid and you're caged in, it does something to you. It does something to your brain cells.

[Nancy Glass]

He stayed in that jail cell over the weekend.

[Jermaine Hudson]

We was arrested that Friday. So I came home that Monday on probation, went back to school, still was playing ball, but something inside of me wasn't right. It did something to me and my life just changed quickly.

[Nancy Glass]

Even though Jermaine was only 14, the charge followed him. He recalls being sentenced to three years probation for riding in a stolen car. We tried to confirm the exact charge, but we've been unable to secure the records. Possibly because Jermaine was a minor. Jermaine figured his record would ruin any shot at an athletic scholarship to college. He suddenly felt like he had no future, no path to follow. And there wasn't a parent pointing him in the right direction.

[Jermaine Hudson]

My behavior changed, started hanging out a lot, started hanging with the wrong crowd, started smoking weed, started using drugs, started selling drugs. As a child, I'm already living in the projects. I'm around these same kids every day. I'm growing up with these kids.

[Nancy Glass]

Then there was the lure of fast money, quick cash. Selling drugs on the corner was better than earning minimum wage somewhere. So Jermaine became a low level high school drug dealer on the streets, running around with friends who were like him. Two years after the arrest for riding in a stolen car, Jermaine found himself in trouble with the law again. But this time, the consequences were far worse. Here's what happened. Tremaine was walking down the block when he came upon a crime in progress.

[Jermaine Hudson]

A friend of the family. He was getting carjacked. He was getting robbed and carjacked by a few guys that I grew up with. I just so happened to come through the alleyway. I just really walked into it.

[Nancy Glass]

Normally, Jermaine would have minded his own business and not gotten involved.

[Jermaine Hudson]

And when I seen who he was, I instantly changed that situation.

[Nancy Glass]

It turns out Jermaine knew the driver of the car that was getting carjacked, Tyrone Hills. And Jermaine knew the guys who were in the middle of stealing it.

[Jermaine Hudson]

And when I seen who it was, I'm like, no, y' all don't do that. He's in front of the family.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine tried to step in, but when police arrived on the scene, Jermaine was arrested. But he maintains he wasn't involved in that crime. I want to stop here for just a moment. This is the second time Jermaine ends up in trouble, but says he wasn't involved in the crime. I wouldn't blame anyone for wondering about Jermaine's story. He says he didn't know the car he rode in was stolen when he was 14. And then he says he literally walked into a carjacking in progress two years later. The truth about what happened in these two incidents matters because they were both essential in determining Jermaine's 99 year prison sentence. His in the armed robbery of Bobby Gumpright. So our team went to work trying to verify Jermaine's story. Was he actually just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Twice. We decided to do some digging and as I mentioned, we couldn't access the records from the joyriding incident a few years earlier. But we were able to get in touch with the victim of the carjacking. The victim, Mr. Hills, confirmed two things for us. He was a family friend. And the second detail he confirmed is that he never saw Jermaine do anything other than walk onto the scene while the carjacking was happening. Nevertheless, Jermaine was charged as one of.

[Jermaine Hudson]

The carjackers when that took place. I wasn't no angel. I. I'm the type of man that can understand when you playing in those streets, there is no rules to the game.

[Nancy Glass]

Even though he says he wasn't involved. On the advice of his attorney, Jermaine took a plea deal for the carjacking charges because risking a trial could have been catastrophic.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I ended up pleading guilty to a four year prison sentence. I did two years on those four years.

[Nancy Glass]

Prison changed him, but Jermaine was determined to make it a change for the better.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Them two years passed so fast. It was really a growth for me because I took the time out to say, this is what you can't do no more, and this is what you need to do moving forward.

[Nancy Glass]

While he was incarcerated, he was introduced to Kristen Motley, a girl who would become an important part of his life.

[Kristen Motley]

I was actually friends with his niece. And one day we were sitting down for lunch, we just were talking, and she said, I have somebody for you. And I was like, cool.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine was only 17 when he was sentenced for carjacking, and Kristin was still in high school.

[Kristen Motley]

I think we were just so mature for our age. And the conversation, it just. It felt natural, it felt real. He came home in 98. The first thing he came to see me from that day forward, we were inseparable.

[Nancy Glass]

Kristin and Jermaine truly connected. The relationship became intimate, and she became pregnant with a baby girl. When she told Jermaine, it was that.

[Kristen Motley]

Like, oh, my God. He was there literally in like, five minutes, y'. All, I'm serious. He was so excited.

[Nancy Glass]

He stayed by her side and was there when the baby was born. Kristin's mother was there, too. She remembers how Jermaine fell in love with his baby girl.

[Kristen Motley]

From the time she came in the world, that was his baby. Even if we would see Jermaine walking with the baby, I said, give me my baby. Say, that's my baby.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine understood the responsibility of being a parent. Kristen wouldn't tolerate him being around drugs or running around with the wrong guys, and he took that seriously.

[Kristen Motley]

You ain't gotten two jobs. Like we were on the right path. I started working. You know, we were trying to figure out how we can get our own apartment.

[Jermaine Hudson]

After my daughter was born, they changed me because I'm like, I have something to live for. I have responsibilities on my hand now. So the best thing for me to do is go find me a job, save my money, have confidence and faith in what I'm doing, and raise this little girl like she's supposed to be raised. I could not go a day without being with her.

[Nancy Glass]

But a few months after his daughter was born, Tremaine was picked up by police during a traffic stop. It turns out the cops had been looking for him since Bobby Gumprite identified him in a photo lineup of possible suspects.

[Bobby Gumpright]

And they said, do you recognize any of these men as the one who robbed you. I pointed at one and I said, that's him. That looks like him.

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[Andrea Gunning]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Nancy Glass]

I said, I need you to tell me exactly what you're doing. And immediately the mask came off. You're supposed to be safe. That's your home. That's your husband.

[Andrea Gunning]

To keep this secret for so many years. He's like a seasoned pro. This is a story about the end of a marriage, but it's also the story of one woman who was done living in the dark.

[Nancy Glass]

You're a dangerous person who on vulnerable and trusting people. Your creditor, Michael Levengood.

[Andrea Gunning]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nancy Glass]

Hi listeners, I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt Season 2 podcast and I'm excited to share this riveting story with you. I'm also excited to tell you that you can now get access to all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 11 100% ad free and access all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 2 one week early through the I Heart True Crime plus subscription available exclusively on Apple Podcasts Plus. You'll get access to other chart topping true crime shows you love like Betrayal, American Homicide, Creating a the Story of bitcon, Paper Ghosts, Piketon Massacre, the Girlfriends and more. So don't wait. Head to Apple podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime plus and subscribe today. Jermaine Hudson didn't have an easy start in life. He grew up moving between family members. As a teenager he he got into trouble and served time in prison for carjacking. But his fortune and direction were changing. He was in love with Kristen Motley and a new father to their baby girl. And just when things were going well.

[Jermaine Hudson]

On April 15, 1999, I was arrested for a traffic violation. It was speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and and no driver license.

[Nancy Glass]

According to Jermaine, as one officer was Riding a ticket. Another officer arrived and decided to arrest him. Once in custody, police recognized him. This was the same man Bobby Gumpright, identified in the photo lineup as the man who robbed him at gunpoint while he was heading home from work. The traffic violation suddenly became a minor issue. He was wanted for a far more serious crime. Neither Jermaine nor Kristen knew he had been tied to the robbery of Bobby Gumprite. Kristen still believed she'd get him home that same day. So she drove down to the police station where Jermaine was being held. She waited there to post his bail until finally prison officials told her that.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Whoever is waiting on Jermaine Hudson, you, y' all can go home.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine couldn't understand why Kristin hadn't bailed him out. So he called her from jail. And that's when he learned for the very first time why the police were holding him.

[Jermaine Hudson]

She's crying and she, like we did come. The people told us we can leave because you got a robber charge pending on you and a computer. I dropped the phone. I literally dropped the phone and was like, wow, for real? She said, yeah, that's not who I am. I don't do those things. I knew it was a mistaken identity.

[Nancy Glass]

And while Kristen could have posted bail for a traffic violation, an armed robbery was a totally different story. Bail for Jermaine was set at $100,000 and nobody he knew could post that bail.

[Kristen Motley]

There was nothing we could do.

[Jermaine Hudson]

My life took a total change during those events to go from a traffic violation, about to be released on that traffic violation, to telling you and telling your family that you will not be released because you had armed robbery. Charles Pendant.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine and Kristen had begun building a life together. They had a six month old daughter. Kristen could never have imagined.

[Kristen Motley]

We wouldn't see him for 22 years. After that.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine couldn't afford a lawyer, so he was assigned a public defender named Don Donnelly. And you heard some of the trial in the last episode. It was a trial Donnelly never wanted to have. He told Jermaine he should take a plea in exchange for a guaranteed five year sentence.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I refused because I didn't do it. I didn't do it and I didn't want that on my record.

[Nancy Glass]

But Tremaine's public defender wasn't listening. He was adamant that he should take the plea deal.

[Jermaine Hudson]

He tried his best to convince me to take those five years. He even sent a young lady that was a, a court reporter clerk back there where I was dressing, waiting to go to trial. He sent her back there to talk to me. She told me. She said, jermaine, these people is not playing. I don't want to see you get your life thrown away, man. Take them five years. I said, are you going to help me do five years? She couldn't answer that question. I said, man, get out of here. Don't let them people come back. I'm not going to change my mind for nothing. And I didn't.

[Nancy Glass]

It isn't uncommon for a public defender to urge a client to take a plea deal. Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the country, and that's why Don Donnelly was recommending the plea. If Jermaine went to trial and lost, he would face far more than five years. But Jermaine held firm. He knew this was a case of mistaken identity, and he could prove it. He had an alibi for the night Bobby Gumprite was robbed.

[Dwan Motley]

When we found out, he went to jail and they state the charges and what happened, I was like, that's impossible, because he was at the house sick with the flu.

[Nancy Glass]

That's Kristen's younger sister, dwan. She was 14 at the time. She lived in the Motley family home with Kristen, Jermaine and the couple's new baby. She and Jermaine were both certain they were together at home on the night of March 1, 1999. They knew it because Jermaine had come down with the flu. His girlfriend Kristin was at work that night. So with Jermaine sick, someone needed to stay back and take care of their baby. So Dewan decided to stay home, and she stepped up to help care for the baby and look after Jermaine. And to this day, she remembers how sick Jermaine was that night. It was the kind of sick where you don't have the energy to lift your head off the pillow.

[Dwan Motley]

He just was in the bed. He was sick, just feeling bad, you know, with the cold flu, just like, down, laying down, drinking orange juice. And I told that to the detectives who came to the house. For some reason, he was adamant about Jermaine doing it. And I was like, that's not true. How could he be at two places at one time? If you sick with the flu inside like you're about to die, how you supposedly be at a bus stop robbing somebody out of a chain.

[Nancy Glass]

Her testimony would be critical to proving Jermaine's innocence. She was with him all night.

[Dwan Motley]

He was inside, sick with the flu. I am a witness to this. I would testify to this.

[Nancy Glass]

When the trial began, DeJuan waited to be called as a witness.

[Dwan Motley]

Me and my sister and my niece, we was going to court for Jermaine. And I kept on telling his attorney, I need to testify, but he said I couldn't testify. And I kept asking him why, and he couldn't give me a valid reason why.

[Nancy Glass]

We reached out to Public Defender Don Donnelly. His wife picked up the phone and said he declined to participate, but we wanted to talk to him because there are some glaring inconsistencies between what we've heard in our reporting and what the jury was allowed to hear in Jermaine's trial. The biggest one is the fact that Dewan's alibi was never mentioned in court. When it was almost time for the defense to rest, Public Defender Donnelly acknowledged there was a witness that Jermaine wanted to call. But instead of calling the witness, he asked for a sidebar with the judge. There's a transcript of that sidebar. A voice actor reenacts that moment.

[Jermaine Hudson]

The defendant wants me to call a witness who I don't feel comfortable calling for the simple reason I know the witness not to be telling the truth. I know this from an independent investigation.

[Nancy Glass]

Donnelly never referenced Kristen's sister, Duan. The defense rested without calling her to the stand. It made me wonder about the independent investigation public Defender Donnelly conducted. Jermaine sat at the defense table wondering the exact same thing.

[Jermaine Hudson]

How you know that from independent investigation? Will you never talk to my witness? Now day I went to trial, now time I was facing those charges, you never talked to my witnesses.

[Nancy Glass]

The judge took Donnelly at his word when he said he'd found Jermaine's alibi witness not credible. He didn't ask Jermaine's lawyer a single question about this independent investigation. The prosecutor seemed delighted.

[Bobby Gumpright]

Thank you, Mr. Donnelly, for being so truthful and honest.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine's alibi witness, Tawan, said she talked to a police detective. If that happened, it should be in the police file. So we reached out to the New Orleans Police Department to get a copy of that file. We wanted to see who they talked to and read notes from the investigation. But the police department informed us that the case file is no longer available. It had been lost in a Cyber hack in 2019. So, back to the trial. In the end, no witnesses testified for Jermaine, not even himself. His attorney had advised him against it.

[Jermaine Hudson]

He said, look, do not testify. I advise you not to take the stand on your own behalf because they're going to bring up your criminal history and they're going to make you look bad enough. So me sitting there and not, I mean, not really not putting up a fight for my life because of what my attorney influenced me not to do, it made me look even better. And now that I really look back on it, I'm like, my criminal history ain't got nothing to do with what I'm going on trial for today. They have nothing to do with that.

[Nancy Glass]

Jermaine was 21 at the time. Time he knew what it meant to be a black man in a Louisiana courtroom. His attorney was white. So was the judge, the prosecutor, the victim, and most of the jury. Jermaine took his attorney's advice and stayed quiet. The whole trial was over in the course of an afternoon. Guilty by a vote of 10 to 2.

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[Andrea Gunning]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Nancy Glass]

I said, I need you to tell me exactly what you're doing. And immediately the mask came off. You're supposed to be safe. That's your home. That's your husband.

[Andrea Gunning]

To keep this secret for so many years, he's like a seasoned pro. This is a story about the end of a marriage. But it's also the story of one. One woman who was done living in the dark.

[Nancy Glass]

You're a dangerous person who preys on vulnerable and trusting people. You're a predator. Michael Levengood.

[Andrea Gunning]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nancy Glass]

Hi listeners, I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt Season 2 podcast and I'm excited to share this riveting story with you. I'm also excited to tell you that you can now get access to all episodes of burden of guilt season one 100% AD free and access all episodes of Burden of Guilt season two one week early through the I Heart True Crime plus subscription available exclusively on Apple Podcasts plus. You'll get access to other chart topping true crime shows you love, like Betrayal, American Homicide, Creating a the Story of Bitcon, Paper Ghosts, Piketon Massacre, the girlfriends, and more. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for Iheart True Crime plus and subscribe today. Jermaine's case was tried and prosecuted within a day. When the verdict came down guilty, his family was stunned. Dawan Motley didn't think much of the public defender's performance.

[Dwan Motley]

He didn't do nothing. He didn't fight for Jermaine at all. He didn't. He didn't fight for Jermaine at all. And I told him that he didn't put up no fight.

[Nancy Glass]

The guilty verdict was almost a fait accompli, but the sentence, that was a different story entirely. On April 12, 2000, Jermaine and his attorney Donnelly appeared for sentencing.

[Jermaine Hudson]

What is Mr. Hudson's criminal history?

[Nancy Glass]

Here's Sydney woods, who represented the state. Your honor, Mr. Hudson has two counts of prior armed robberies.

[Jermaine Hudson]

You're alleging multiple bill?

[Nancy Glass]

Yes, we are, you, Honor. Multiple bill refers to the habitual offender statute. If you've ever heard of the three strikes law, it's the same theory. Increased sentencing to keep repeat offenders out of society by imposing increasingly severe penalties for each felony conviction. In Jermaine's case, the armed robbery of Bobby Gumpright was treated as his first final strike. Don Donnelly objected to the habitual offender classification to no avail. No further questions, your Honor. Minutes later, the judge delivered his sentence.

[Jermaine Hudson]

Mr. Hudson, you've been found guilty by a jury of the offense of armed robbery.

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And considering Mr. Hudson's prior criminal history.

[Jermaine Hudson]

It is the sentence of this court that you serve 99 years in the Department of Corrections at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. I was so angry because I was like, how? How can my life end like this?

[Nancy Glass]

Kristin Motley, the woman Jermaine had found love with, started a family with, was sitting in the courtroom in a state of shock.

[Kristen Motley]

Only thing I really heard was 99 years. I don't think I heard nothing else that they said in that courtroom. I looked at my sister, you know, know, and we just was crying. She was screaming.

[Nancy Glass]

Kristin says this was the worst moment of her life. She looked over at the attorneys, and then she realized for them, it was just another Wednesday.

[Kristen Motley]

They were actually standing there cracking jokes, talking about golfing, and they just ripped my heart out. They just took Jermaine away from me just like that. And I can remember him looking out that window. He didn't have any expression on his face, any, like, any expression. I think we just all was numb.

[Nancy Glass]

For Christian's little sister, Dwan. The case was personal. She knew Jermaine Maine hadn't done it.

[Dwan Motley]

They sentenced him to 99 years. And I was like, this is some bullshit.

[Nancy Glass]

Dejuan was only 14. And maybe it was because of that, because she wasn't hardened to the world, that she decided to say something to Bobby Gumprite, the man who said Jermaine Hudson robbed him.

[Dwan Motley]

So when we was leaving, we interacted with Bobby because me and my sister and the baby was walking and he was walking too. And I say, hey, you. And I put my niece in his face and he went to shaking and all this, like he wanted to cry. And I said, why would you do that? You just took my niece Daddy away from her. He said he had to put somebody away. He told me this out his own mouth.

[Nancy Glass]

As far as the court and the jury were concerned, justice was served. They didn't know, they couldn't know that the star witness had developed a strategy to win the courtroom over.

[Bobby Gumpright]

The best lie is partial truth. Right? That's what I learned after lying for so long is always include a little bit of truth in your lie and it's more plausible. The truth was it was my job to remember faces as a bartender, so I was good at it. The lie was that I didn't remember his face because it never happened.

[Nancy Glass]

Just take a minute to let that sink in. The robbery at gunpoint. Bobby made the whole thing up. The crime itself never occurred. Well, you may be asking yourself the same thing. I asked myself. Why did he create such an elaborate lie, a lie that would put someone away for 99 years? Well, Bobby had a secret.

[Bobby Gumpright]

I met a guy who did and dealt cocaine and so tried it and immediately was an addict. I needed it like I wanted was.

[Nancy Glass]

His addiction that he needed to keep from the world, especially his father.

[Bobby Gumpright]

My family has a good reputation. They're good people. And so for me to be the drug addict of the family family, it was embarrassing. The lie was the only thing that was going to protect me from them finding out the truth, which was even scarier.

[Nancy Glass]

He picked Jermaine Hudson out of that photo lineup at random. And Jermaine Hudson was sentenced to life in prison for a crime that never happened at all. He would spend 22 years in Angola prison before. Before the truth finally came to light. Coming up on Burden of Guilt. How did Bobby conceive the story of a fake crime? And why did he do it?

[Bobby Gumpright]

I just rolled it through my mind and said, that sounds plausible. So now that the story's developed Now I have to go home and get into character and act scared.

[Nancy Glass]

And Jermaine loses hope.

[Jermaine Hudson]

I'm like, ah, what is going on? I'm like, lord, please send me a sign. This can't be the end of my life. This can't be my final destination.

[Nancy Glass]

Thank you for listening. If you're enjoying Burden of Subscribe rate and review the series with five stars. Yay. It helps other people find our show. You can reach out to the Burden of guilt [e-mail] that's burdenofgiltpodmail.com Burden of Guilt is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in part partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The series is executive produced and hosted by me, Nancy Glass. This episode was written and produced by Carrie Hartman, also produced by Ben Federman and Andrea Gunning. Our story editor is Monique Laborde. Our Associate producer is Jade Abdul Malik. Our production manager is Kristen Melchuri. Our iHeart team is Ali Perry and Jessica Krycheck. Thank you to our voice actors Brian Balthazar, Todd Ganz and Trey Morgan. Audio editing by Dean Welch, mixed and mastered by Anna Maclean. The Burden of Guilt theme is composed by Oliver Baines Music Library provided by mib Music and we want to give our special thanks to Jermaine Hudson and Bobby Gumprite. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app or Apple Podcasts.

[Grainger Advertiser]

If you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, you know having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering. With on time restocks. Your team will have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Nancy Glass]

Hi listeners, I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt Season 2 podcast and I'm excited to share this riveting story with you. I'm also excited to tell you that you can now get access to all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 1 100% ad free and access all episodes of Burden of Guilt Season 2 one week early through the I Heart True Crime plus subscription available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Plus you'll get access to other chart topping true crime shows you love like Betrayal, American Homicide, Creating a Con, the Story of bitcon, Paper Ghosts, Piketon Massacre, the Girlfriends, and more. So don't wait. Head to Apple podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime plus and subscribe today.

[Andrea Gunning]

Hi listeners, I'm Andrea Gunning, host of Betrayal Season five follows one woman as she uncovers her husband's secret life, the one he led when the lights went out. I'm excited to share the Betrayal Season 5 story with you and want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4 of Betrayal, and every single episode of Betrayal Season 5 100% ad free with an I Heart True Crime plus subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts Plus. You'll get access to all episodes of Betrayal Season 5 one week ahead of everyone else, available only to I Heart True Crime plus subscribers. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for I Heart True Crime plus and subscribe today.

[Kristen Motley]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Dwan Motley]

Guaranteed Human.