S1: Ep 7 - Are You Kidding Me?

Summary

Burden of Guilt: Episode 7 - "Are You Kidding Me?" Summary

Release Date: November 29, 2023

Introduction

"Burden of Guilt," a compelling docuseries streaming exclusively on Paramount+, delves deep into the tragic and perplexing case of Tracyraquel Berns and the untimely death of her baby brother, Matthew Golder. This summary focuses on Episode 7, titled "Are You Kidding Me?", which intricately explores the culmination of decades-long legal battles, emerging new evidence, and the persistent quest for truth and justice by Tracyraquel.

The Trial of Jan Barry Sandlin

The episode centers around the high-stakes trial of Jan Barry Sandlin, accused of the murder of Matthew Golder. After a protracted legal struggle spanning over four decades, Sandlin's case finally reaches the jury.

• Prosecutor's Perspective: Leanne Mangone, the lead Assistant District Attorney, emphasizes the jurors' responsibility to assess whether the evidence proves Sandlin's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. At [00:32], Mangone states, “Every juror in every criminal trial has the responsibility to evaluate the evidence to make sure that the state has proved the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

• Jury Verdict: On [03:02], Judge Fuller announces the verdict. The jury finds Sandlin not guilty of Count One (malice murder), which required proving intent to kill. However, the jury convicts him of Counts Two and Three (felony murder), leading to a life imprisonment sentence.

  • Notable Quote: At [03:34], Nancy Glass explains, “Malice murder, meaning that there was an intent to kill.”

• Prosecutor's Reaction: Mangone reflects on the verdict on [05:05], stating, “It's hard because it's not a celebratory feeling when a jury reaches a guilty verdict. I remember being glad for Tracy and glad for Kathy and glad that the person who was, in my mind, unquestionably responsible for Matthew's death had been found guilty.”

Sentencing and Immediate Aftermath

Judge Fuller, adhering to mandatory state sentencing guidelines, sentences Sandlin to life imprisonment on [04:48]. The courtroom's atmosphere is solemn, with minimal reactions from those present as detailed by Mangone at [05:05].

• Family Reactions: Kathy Allman, a close relative, shares her emotional relief on [05:32]: “There was a huge sense of relief and validation.”

• Prosecutor’s Acknowledgment: At [06:14], Mangone shares a heartfelt message from Tracy Raquel, expressing gratitude for her relentless pursuit of justice: “Dear Leann, it has been more than a year since I received that first phone call from you telling me you would be handling this case. It was, after all, worth it. Good luck with your very bright future.”

Defense’s Challenge and New Trial

Despite Sandlin's conviction, the defense team, led by Corrine Mull, paradoxically claims ineffective assistance of counsel, requesting a new trial.

• Defense Argument: At [06:58], Mull asserts she was incompetent, primarily due to not calling Dr. Robert Stivers, the medical examiner who initially deemed Matthew’s death accidental.

• Controversial Testimony: Dr. Stivers, whose credibility was challenged due to past personal issues, presents a defense that Matthew's injuries were accidental. His testimony is crucial but contentious, as highlighted by Judge Fuller’s remarks on [16:05]: “The medical examiner's testimony was simply devastating, and we could not overcome it.”

• Re-verdict: Judge Fuller sentences Sandlin again on [16:15], leading to a second guilty verdict, reaffirming life imprisonment. Mangone comments on Sandlin’s unyielding demeanor: “The jury looked at the evidence. The evidence is what convicted Jan Barry Sandlin.”

Expanding the Case: Additional Victims

Tracey Raquel’s pursuit of truth extends beyond Sandlin’s case, uncovering connections to other unresolved deaths linked to Jan Sandlin.

• Jan’s First Wife – Nancy Tigetor: Nancy’s suspected suicide, which many believe was orchestrated by Sandlin, is revisited. Kathy Allman details Nancy’s abusive relationship with Sandlin and the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death, including a poorly matched suicide note and incongruent shooting patterns discussed by forensic investigator Jim Mabe ([21:46]).

• Officer William David Korn: Another victim connected to Sandlin is Officer Korn, whose unsolved murder remains shrouded in mystery. Investigator Jim Mabe reveals attempts to interrogate Sandlin about Korn’s death were thwarted by jurisdictional barriers and Sandlin's existing incarceration ([27:19]).

  • Korn's Murder Details: Mabe explains at [27:43], “Officer Korn was shot multiple times with his own handgun,” casting further doubt on the official narrative and suggesting possible connections to organized crime.

• Organized Crime Connections: The Dixie Mafia's involvement is hinted, indicating Sandlin’s deep entanglement with organized crime activities, which could be the underlying motive behind the multiple murders ([28:35]).

Continuous Pursuit and Threats

Tracey Raquel's relentless quest brings her face-to-face with continued threats, highlighting the dangers inherent in seeking justice against powerful adversaries.

• Personal Threats: At [30:56], Kathy Allman shares, “The threat that I received was basically, if anything happens to Jan, we're going to set you on fire and watch you burn,” underscoring the peril Tracey faces.

Conclusion and Future Directions

Despite Sandlin’s conviction, Tracyraquel’s journey for justice is far from over. The unresolved cases of Nancy Tigetor and Officer Korn represent ongoing pursuits for truth and accountability. The episode concludes with a hint at further revelations and deeper investigations into these additional murders, promising more gripping content in future episodes.

• Upcoming Focus: Nancy Glass teases, “On the next Burden of Guilt, I sit down with Traci Raquel and we share some stories that are jaw-dropping, some things that we haven't talked about before,” indicating the series will delve into these unresolved cases.

Notable Quotes with Speaker Attribution and Timestamps

• Leanne Mangone [00:32]: “Every juror in every criminal trial has the responsibility to evaluate the evidence to make sure that the state has proved the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

• Judge Fuller [03:02]: “This is a three count indictment... We the jury find the defendant, Jan Barry Sandlin not guilty of count one.”

• Kathy Allman [05:32]: “There was a huge sense of relief and validation.”

• Tracey Raquel [04:16]: “You might as well get the misery out of the way.”

• Jim Mabe [21:46]: “When someone wants to commit suicide, they want no pain involved. To shoot yourself in the abdomen, you might not die. You might just sit there and suffer.”

• Kathy Allman [30:20]: “Jim Mabe was very certain that Jan was a suspect.”

Final Thoughts

Episode 7 of "Burden of Guilt" masterfully intertwines courtroom drama with personal narratives, presenting a multifaceted view of a family's struggle against systemic obstacles and lingering injustices. Through meticulous storytelling and emotional depth, the episode not only recounts a significant legal milestone but also sets the stage for uncovering deeper, more intricate layers of unresolved crimes, keeping listeners engaged and eager for what's to come.

Stay Tuned

For those who haven't listened yet, "Are You Kidding Me?" offers an insightful look into the complexities of legal battles, the perseverance required to seek justice, and the enduring impact of unresolved tragedies. As Tracyraquel Berns continues her journey, viewers can expect further compelling revelations and heartfelt moments in upcoming episodes of "Burden of Guilt."

Transcript

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[Nancy Glass]

Hi all, we have some exciting news to share. Paramount plus has turned Burden of Guilt into a docuseries. You will get to meet the people involved, you'll hear from the people who have never spoken before, and you get to see where the story took place. We are so proud and excited to share it with you. You can stream it right now on Paramount Plus. After nine days in court, the State of Georgia v. Jan Barry Sandlin for the murder of Matthew Golder had gone to the jury.

[Leanne Mangone]

Every juror in every criminal trial has the responsibility to evaluate the evidence to make sure that the state has proved the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. So I suspect that they were singularly focused on Is there enough evidence to demonstrate that Jan Barry Sandlin committed this crime?

[Nancy Glass]

I'm Nancy Glass and this is Burden of guilt. Episode 7 Are you kidding me? After one day and one night, the jury returned. Prosecutor Leanne Mangone didn't have any idea which way the decision would go.

[Leanne Mangone]

There have been trials in the course of my life where I thought I certainly had provided enough evidence to demonstrate a defendant's guilt and it was a not guilty verdict. And then other Ones that felt like a much closer call that were a guilty verdict.

[Judge Fuller]

Have you completed the verdict?

[Nancy Glass]

Yes, sir.

[Judge Fuller]

Would you hand it to the deputy and let him pass it to me, please? This is a three count indictment. I'll read the verdict on each of the three counts. Count one is the malice murder count. The verdict of the jury. We the jury find the defendant, Jan Barry Sandlin not guilty of count one.

[Nancy Glass]

Lead Assistant District Attorney Jeff Brickman.

[Keith Urban]

When the verdict was read, Count one, malice murder, Jury found him not guilty.

[Nancy Glass]

Malice murder, meaning that there was an intent to kill.

[Keith Urban]

My stomach dropped. Leeann's dead. Everybody in our office, I can assure you, did. As a prosecutor, when count one is.

[Cindy Crawford]

Not guilty, bad thoughts start happening.

[Judge Fuller]

Count two is a felony murder. We the jury find the defendant guilty of count two. Count three is a felony murder. Count we the jury, find the defendant guilty of count three, guilty.

[Nancy Glass]

With mandatory state sentencing guidelines, Judge Fuller went directly to the next step.

[Judge Fuller]

Counsel, what are your thoughts on sentencing?

[Leanne Mangone]

The state is ready now if the court would like to proceed at this time.

[Nancy Glass]

Defense counsel Corrine Mull could not resist another ch to show her disdain.

[Tracey Raquel]

You might as well get the misery out of the way.

[Nancy Glass]

You might as well get the misery out of the way. If Corrine thought it was misery, Tracey Raquel thought it was justice that was finally delivered for the vicious murder of Matthew. It was the culmination of a decades long struggle with family secrets, a solitary search for answers and years of collecting evidence. And all this was due to the work of one brave girl who never forgot her baby brother.

[Judge Fuller]

Sandler, you've been found guilty of two counts of felony murder. On each of those two counts, sir, I sentence you to life imprisonment.

[Nancy Glass]

The courtroom was quiet. There were no eruptions. Leanne Mangon describes the moment.

[Leanne Mangone]

It's hard because it's not a celebratory feeling when a jury reaches a guilty verdict. I remember being glad for Tracy and glad for Kathy and glad that the person who was in my mind unquestionably responsible for Matthew's death had been found guilty.

[Nancy Glass]

Local and national media covered the verdict. Tracey Raquel wasn't interested in notoriety. She didn't talk that day. But Kathy spoke.

[Cindy Crawford]

Cathy Allman says the trial has been emotionally draining. But she finally feels relief after her ex husband's conviction.

[Nancy Glass]

Yes, the most definite right verdict. He was on drugs at the time. He beat me for nine and a half years. He's where he needs to be. Do you remember the moment you heard the judge say guilty?

[Kathy Allman]

There was a huge sense of relief and Validation.

[Nancy Glass]

Knowing Tracey Raquel as I do now, I wasn't surprised when Leanne reached into her case file and pulled out a card that she received after the trial. It's something she's kept all these years and was happy to read to us.

[Leanne Mangone]

Dear Leann, it has been more than a year since I received that first phone call from you telling me you would be handling this case. It was, after all, worth it. Good luck with your very bright future. I feel fortunate to have known you. You helped me to heal and to grow. Thank you. I will be telling my children about you. Best wishes, Tracey Rain.

[Nancy Glass]

Wouldn't it be nice if Jan Barry Sandlin was carted off to prison? And the story ended there. Well, shortly after Jan's conviction came the you've got to be kidding me moment.

[Kathy Allman]

After Jan's conviction, I got a phone call saying that he'd been granted a new trial.

[Keith Urban]

In the motion for new trial, the defense attorney, Corrine Mull, said that she was incompetent.

[Nancy Glass]

Listening to the trial, you could describe Corrine in many ways, but incompetent would not be one of them. Now she was saying she provided Jan Barry Sandlin with ineffective assistance of counsel. We told you that an autopsy had been performed at the funeral home two days after Matthew died. The autopsy was performed by Dr. Robert Stivers. After Sandlin was convicted, Dr. Stivers called public Defender Mul, wondering why he hadn't been contacted to testify during the trial. Even more puzzling, why his calls to her directly during the trial had been ignored. Stivers had taken photographs of Matthew with bruises and stress fractures that he said indicated the death was an accident. It was how he felt in 1971, and his feelings hadn't changed. Corinne Ma lobbied for a new trial, saying she had failed her client by not calling Dr. Stivers to testify. Her excuse was that a colleague told her that Dr. Stivers was ill. Maybe that was true, but Corrine Mull struck everyone as someone who would go to the ends of the earth for a client, so it didn't really make sense.

[Keith Urban]

I know Ms. Mull. She's a very good public defender. And for her to say she was ineffective in that second trial only because her client was found guilty of a crime that he committed.

[Nancy Glass]

Dr. Stivers had personal problems that derailed his career. Alcoholism lost him his medical license. Could that be the reason he wasn't previously called to testify? Did she view him as unreliable again, Judge Fuller granted it, and that meant a third trial. The prosecutor's office was flabbergasted. And as for Tracy Raquel, I just.

[Kathy Allman]

Thought, this is never going to end. Like we're just going to do this. I guess so. Okay. And he had a new lawyer, and this lawyer had taken the case because he wanted the publicity.

[Nancy Glass]

Steve Sedow was a young, successful criminal defense attorney. He took the case pro bono.

[Judge Fuller]

The reason I got involved in the case is because ego wise, I thought that I could try it better than anyone else could. And if he stood any chance to win, it would be with me.

[Nancy Glass]

Decades later, Steve Sedow is still a force in Georgia. Former President Donald Trump recently hired him to fight conspiracy charges associated with the 2020 election. This time, there was a new prosecution team. ADA Lawrence Delon opened with this. Matthew Stephen Golder laughed out loud for the first time for his mother on December 27, 1971. Little did she know it would be his last. Defense attorney Steve Seydow made his opening statement and immediately referenced all the doubt the jury would confront. No murder weapon, no witness, no DNA. The jury would hear from Dr. Robert Stivers, the medical examiner who had performed the autopsy on Matthew just two days after he died.

[Judge Fuller]

The state's case was clearly that Sandlin had done something. I believe there was equal evidence, based on his prior statement to police, that Tracy had, for whatever reason, accidentally or otherwise, pushed the baby out of the crib. That doesn't make Tracy homicidal. It just means the incident or event occurred.

[Nancy Glass]

Steve Sedow proved to be a thorough and well prepared attorney, but Kathy seemed to get under his skin.

[Judge Fuller]

Kathy was very emotional on the stand. I say this with all due respect, because I don't know her. She played her part well.

[Nancy Glass]

During the first two trials, Tracey Raquel had avoided any direct contact with Jan other than the threatening phone calls he made to her home. This time was different.

[Kathy Allman]

I was sitting on a bench outside the courtroom, and I just happened to be sitting on the side that's closest to where they bring the defendant out. And Audi came through this door to my right. And they walked up to the elevator and pushed the button and he was kind of snickering and, you know, happy as can be. He didn't know I was there. I just don't know what came over me. I stood up and I stood there, and as they stepped into the elevator, they turned around and I think all three of them had a moment of shock. He just looked like a deer in headlights, which is not something I ever saw. I just took two steps forward and just sort of stood there. I didn't say anything, but it was kind of this moment that, yeah, I'm okay. I'm not afraid of you anymore. I mean, you never make the nightmares go away, but that person, you can't hurt me. So I thought it was kind of a big moment for me.

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[Nancy Glass]

Inside the courtroom. Defense attorney Steve Sadow spent hours grilling Dr. Joe Burton. Still, no matter what the defense tried, he was steadfast. I've never been certain about 100% certain about a lot of things I do forensically, very few things as a matter of fact, but I'm as close to 100% certain as I could be that these fractures in this Child, as I see them, could not have occurred from falling out of a bed onto a carpeted floor. The star witness for the defense was Dr. Robert Stivers. His absence from the first and second trials was the reason for the third trial, and his appearance was not without controversy. It was noted that he wasn't licensed at the time of the trial. Nevertheless, he was accepted as an expert witness by the court, and in his opinion, Matthew's injuries had been the result of an accident. Tensions were running high in the courthouse. While on a break, Kathy let Dr. Stivers know what she thought of his testimony.

[Kathy Allman]

He went downstairs, you know, to leave the building for lunch, and there were a few people in my family who, you know, sort of gave him their two cents on what he had said. And he came back to the courtroom after lunch and told the judge and had us all kicked out. So nobody was allowed in the courtroom.

[Nancy Glass]

Then Kathy admitted to the judge, she told Dr. Stivers, By God, you'll pay for what you've done. But now Tracy Raquel couldn't be in the courtroom. She actually didn't have to worry. Dr. Stivers was a witness, but not a star. It wasn't smooth testimony, and it certainly didn't rival the expert testimony of Dr. Burton.

[Judge Fuller]

The medical examiner's testimony was simply devastating, and we could not overcome it. We didn't have an expert to do so, couldn't find an expert to do so.

[Nancy Glass]

Jan Barry Sandlin received a new trial, but was left with the same outcome. Guilty. He was convicted a second time by a new jury.

[Judge Fuller]

We could not find someone who would come in and testify that the injuries were consistent with falling out of a crib. The problem is finding an expert who's willing to get on the witness stand and testify that under these horrible circumstances, this is a reasonable possibility, and then have to live with that as an expert.

[Nancy Glass]

From that point on, it also makes me wonder, why wouldn't anybody say that is it possible he couldn't have died from falling out of a crib? Is impossible.

[Judge Fuller]

Certainly the state's position and what the jury must have ultimately believed is that they proved beyond a reasonable doubt that it could not have happened the way Jan Sandlin had previously said it did.

[Nancy Glass]

District Attorney J. Tom Morgan.

[Keith Urban]

This case was not won or lost by the attorneys. Mr. Sedal is a great trial lawyer. The jury looked at the evidence. The evidence is what convicted Jan Barry Sandlin.

[Nancy Glass]

It was over. It was really over. In courtroom footage, you can see Tracey Raquel seated near Kathie for the verdict. After it was read. Her head disappeared into her lap. Kathy tried to comfort her and for a moment they shared an embrace. But then you see Tracey Raquel slide down the bench. It was like she suddenly remembered something. She couldn't trust. That hug. And the courtroom started to empty out. And in the footage you can also see that Jan Barry Sandlin had lost the swagger of the first two trials and looked small. He stopped trying to make eye contact with everyone and seemed intent on leaving as quickly as he could. This wasn't fun for him anymore. Tracey Raquel had achieved justice for Matthew a second time. But her work wasn't done. The feeling of relief was fleeting. There were two other people Tracey Raquel had been thinking about for years. They were close to her heart and although she had never met either of them, she felt intimately connected to both. Tracy Racquel believes they both could have been killed by her father. Neither one of them has received the attention that Matthew's case has. One was a police officer. I'll tell you about him in a bit. The other was Jan's first wife, 19 year old Nancy Tigetor. Like Kathy, she was a teenager who fell for Jan before she realized he was a violent man. Jan married Nancy, but was seeing Kathy on the side. Then Nancy supposedly committed suicide by shooting herself in the abdomen. She was pregnant with another man's baby at the time. We met her best friend from high school, Jackie Wilson. She had firsthand knowledge of their relationship.

[Tracey Raquel]

Jan was abusive to her when they were in the apartment, when it was just her and him. And I only know that because that's what she'd say. She said, no, I can't. Jan would beat the hell out of me. What way he'd hit her, I don't know. There was a couple of times she had bruises on her face.

[Nancy Glass]

According to Jackie, the night Nancy killed herself, she was meeting with Jan to try and work out their differences.

[Tracey Raquel]

Nancy just thought that because she'd had Jaybird, she was supposed to make it work.

[Nancy Glass]

Jay Bird was Jay Sandlin, Nancy and Jan's son.

[Tracey Raquel]

Jay Bird is what his mommy called him, but he's what I've called him since the day he was born.

[Nancy Glass]

Jackie Wilson was supposed to meet Nancy the morning after she died.

[Tracey Raquel]

I went over to pick her up to go and found out she wasn't here anymore.

[Nancy Glass]

Jackie was pretty straightforward about her feelings about Jan.

[Tracey Raquel]

The reality was I wasn't there. So all I could do was say I don't want him around. And I don't want him around Jay bird either. And Mr. And Ms. Tigger told me that they did not want Jay to dislike or hate his father.

[Nancy Glass]

In the conversation Tracey Raquel taped with Kathy, the topic of Jan's first wife, Nancy, had surfaced. You heard this in episode three. And the district attorney's office also became aware of the conversation when it happened.

[Cindy Crawford]

But you don't think he was responsible for killing her?

[Nancy Glass]

Yes, I do.

[Cindy Crawford]

Do you mean you actually think he pulled the trigger?

[Nancy Glass]

I don't know if he actually pulled the trigger or if he talked her into pulling the trigger, but I think.

[Kathy Allman]

Either way, he's responsible.

[Tracey Raquel]

Jan Sandlin, in my book, either killed her himself or caused it to happen, because to my knowledge, he was the last person that actually saw her.

[Nancy Glass]

Medical examiner, Dr. Joe Burton, was interested in investigating the case. There were some suspicious aspects to her suicide. A sheet was wrapped around her after she died. She had shot herself in the abdomen. Investigator Jim May found that very odd.

[Jim Mabe]

When someone wants to commit suicide, they want no pain involved. To shoot yourself in the abdomen, you might not die. You might just sit there and suffer. That bothered me. My experience as a forensic death investigator, of all the cases that I've worked, which is over 5,000 cases, I've never had a woman shoot herself in the abdomen, especially pregnant.

[Nancy Glass]

And the suicide note didn't ring true?

[Kathy Allman]

The suicide note was inconsistent. Lots of misspellings, according to her family, not consistent with who she was.

[Nancy Glass]

While Dr. Burton and DeKalb county were prepared to take another look at Nancy's death, they ran into a wall. Tracey Raquel explains.

[Kathy Allman]

Nancy Tegeder's family absolutely had an opportunity to reopen that case after Matthew's case. And her son, my half brother, he really wanted that, and the family absolutely did not want that. They didn't want to talk about it. And because he loved them and was so close to them, he just shut it down.

[Nancy Glass]

The thought of recreating the crime scene and possibly exhuming her body, it was just too much for her parents. People grieve in different ways. But Jan did not appear to mourn the loss of his first wife, Nancy.

[Kathy Allman]

He literally moved in with Kathy and Matthew and I right after that.

[Nancy Glass]

Jan and Nancy's son Jay respected his grandparents, wishes they were more like his parents. They had raised him. He loved them. Now that they have passed, he would be open to someone looking into his mother's death again. But the team that was willing to do that 25 years ago is long gone. But Tracy Raquel has not forgotten. Let me talk to you about William David Korn.

[Kathy Allman]

Okay?

[Nancy Glass]

William David Corn was a police officer who was shot to death. His case was never solved. You wrote on a fallen officer website, Officer William David Korn has been linked to my soul along with Matthew Golder and Nancy Tegeder for 42 years. I spent nearly 30, 30 years fighting for justice for all three. But I was only able to find it for Matthew. There's a connection between them all. I'm sorry for the pain and unanswered questions that Officer K's family still has. I was only 2 years old when Officer William David Korn was killed. I never knew him, but I've always loved him and always will. Signed Tracy Golder, someone who knows and you wrote that in 2013.

[Kathy Allman]

My life growing up as a child. Kathy, you know, there's very specific things that she has said and she's, that's her story like it's never changed. Kathy always said that Jan was responsible for Nancy's death because he came home to her that night. So I knew about Nancy Tegeder like very, very young. And then the other thing that Kathy would always say is, yeah, he also killed that police officer.

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[Nancy Glass]

You may remember I went to speak with Cathy Ammon to see what she had to say. I really can't get drawn into Tracy's fantasies anymore. She has been lying and torturing me for 30 years.

[Tracey Raquel]

I can't take it anymore.

[Nancy Glass]

What do you mean, Kathy? What is she lying about? Everything that police officer William David Korn was only 24 years old when he was shot through the heart while moonlighting at an apartment complex. He worked as a security guard. In the evening, the DeKalb police chief thought he had surprised some burglars in the clubhouse, but nothing was taken.

[Jim Mabe]

Officer Korn was shot multiple times with his own handgun.

[Nancy Glass]

Investigator Jim Mabe was also interested in the case.

[Jim Mabe]

Before I came to the medical examiner's office, I'd been assigned a cold case file where a police officer had been killed about the time that her baby brother had been killed. And one of the people that I came across who became a person of interest in that police officer death was Jan Sandlin.

[Nancy Glass]

Although he died from a shot to the heart, the killer shot him in the head after he was already dead. Nobody really knows what the connection was between Jan Barry Sandlin and William David Corn, but for Jim Mabe.

[Kathy Allman]

Jim Mabe was very certain that Jan was a suspect. In fact, he was assigned to that case.

[Jim Mabe]

Me and my partner, you know, we started looking into it.

[Kathy Allman]

Jim Mabe and I have talked about it over the years. He would warn me into the late 90s, into the early 2000s, that this was too dangerous of a subject to get into because it's suspected that it had to do with Dixie Mafia because Jan was part of that organization. I didn't even know who the Dixie Mafia was.

[Nancy Glass]

Tracey Raquel's first husband had a relative in law enforcement, and he gave her some information.

[Kathy Allman]

His uncle was FBI and had done some looking into Jan. He worked for the FBI for 30 years in organized crime, so he knew all about how they worked and functioned.

[Nancy Glass]

Tracy Raquel learned that the Dixie Mafia was an organized crime group engaged in a laundry list of crimes, including illegal gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution, robbery, murder, arson, extortion and fraud. Their preferred method of murder was shooting. And sometimes local police and politicians were mixed up in their ranks. Jim Mape was set on questioning Jan Barry Sandlin about Officer Corn's murder. Sandlin was already serving time in Florida for the armed robbery conviction.

[Jim Mabe]

We wanted to go to Florida and talk to him. We got it all together, came in the next morning, told the colonel on our way to Florida. He said, no, you're not. Huh? He says, no, you're not. Well, that didn't even make sense. We waited around, waited around. Captain never came and asked us why we were going to the first place. So you could take it from there.

[Nancy Glass]

Hundreds of police officers lined the streets for Officer Corn's funeral. Governor Jimmy Carter donated state money for a reward leading to information that would lead to the killer. Tracy Raquel grew up feeling there were two people in her household who knew what happened to Officer Corn. Kathy openly spoke of the incident.

[Kathy Allman]

She would say, he killed that police officer. And then we drove to Alabama and threw the gun in a lake.

[Nancy Glass]

Jan is still alive, still in prison, still aware. Since the podcast started, Traci Raquel has received a threat.

[Kathy Allman]

The threat that I received was basically, if anything happens to Jan, we're going to set you on fire and watch you burn.

[Nancy Glass]

What could Jan be worried about? Maybe knowing what Tracy Raquel did for Matthew has made him realize she never gives up and he may be held to account again. On the next Burden of Guilt, I sit down with Traci Raquel and we share some stories that are jaw dropping, some things that we haven't talked about before.

[Kathy Allman]

I remember Leanne and Jeff calling me and saying, you're not going to believe this. They got married.

[Judge Fuller]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you.

[Nancy Glass]

Mr. And Mrs. Jan Sadlen. That's next time on Burden of Guilt. Stay tuned for Burden of Guilt, the documentary coming in 2024 and airing on only on Paramount. Plus. If you would like to reach out to the Burden of Guilt team, email [e-mail] that's burdenofguiltpodmail.com if you or someone you know is worried about maltreatment or suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, call the Child Help National Child Abuse Hotline. You can call or text 1-800-4-4, A CHILD. That's 1-800-422-4453. One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts and don't forget to rate and review Burden of Guilt. Five star reviews go a long way. A big thank you for listening and also be sure to check us out and follow us on Instagram lasspodcasts. Burden of Guilt is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is hosted and executive produced by me, Nancy Glass, written and produced by Carrie Hartman and Andrea Gunning, also produced by Ben Federman, Lauren Murphy and Associate Producer Kristin Melchiori. Our I Heart team is Ally Perry and Jessica Krynczyk. Special thanks to Tracy, Raquel Burns and her husband Bart. Voice acting in this episode was performed by Trey Morgan. Audio editing and mixing by Matt D'Alvecchio. Burden of Guilt's Theme composed by Oliver Baines Music Library provided by MyMusic and for more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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