The Menendez brothers' chance at freedom. Questions for top investigator at Karen Read retrial. Plus, what's RICO?

Summary

Dateline NBC Podcast Summary
Episode Title: The Menendez Brothers' Chance at Freedom. Questions for Top Investigator at Karen Reed Retrial. Plus, What's RICO?
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Host: NBC News
Description: Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries, and in-depth investigations.

---

1. Introduction to Dateline's Current Docket

At the outset of the episode (00:57), host Andrea Canning outlines the main topics for the day:

• Menendez Brothers' Resentencing: The iconic true-crime case of Lyle and Eric Menendez receiving a new sentencing opportunity.
• Karen Reed Retrial: Updates on the trial of Karen Reed, including testimony from top investigator Yuri Buchanak.
• RICO Explained: An in-depth look at the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and its application in high-profile cases like that of Sean "Diddy" Combs.

---

2. The Menendez Brothers' Resentencing

Background of the Case:
Lyle and Eric Menendez, convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, faced life sentences without parole. After their initial trial ended with a hung jury, their second trial resulted in convictions based on claims of premeditation and financial motives by prosecutors, contrasted by the brothers' assertions of self-defense against alleged sexual abuse by their father.

Recent Developments:
In a landmark decision on Tuesday afternoon (02:10), Judge Michael Jessick re-sentenced the brothers to 50 years to life, opening the door for parole and potential freedom. This decision acknowledges the brothers' personal growth and rehabilitation over the past three decades.

Discussion with Laura Jarrett (03:16): Laura Jarrett, NBC News senior legal correspondent, delves into the resurgence of interest in the Menendez case, spurred by various documentaries across platforms like Netflix, Peacock, and Max. She highlights the shift in societal attitudes towards sexual abuse and the legal landscape in California that now allows for resentencing of inmates exhibiting rehabilitative progress.

Notable Quotes:

• Laura Jarrett (05:07): "Their habeas petition is not about denying the crime but seeking less culpability due to the severe abuse they endured."
• Laura Jarrett (08:51): "This will go to the parole board, which has up to six months to evaluate the evidence before Governor Newsom makes the final decision."

Reactions and Future Prospects:
The courtroom atmosphere was highly emotional, with family members expressing deep sorrow and the brothers issuing heartfelt apologies (08:06). The next steps involve a parole board review, potentially leading to their release if approved.

---

3. Karen Reed Retrial and Investigator Testimony

Case Overview:
Karen Reed faces retrial charges for allegedly causing the death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, by hitting him with her SUV during a snowstorm in January 2022. Reed maintains her innocence, claiming she was a victim of a law enforcement cover-up.

Key Testimony from Yuri Buchanak (11:51):
Yuri Buchanak, a sergeant with the Massachusetts State Police, played a pivotal role in the investigation. His testimony focuses on the collaboration with the now-dismissed investigator Michael Proctor, whose misconduct previously tainted the case's integrity. Prosecutors aim to position Buchanak as the primary investigator while downplaying Proctor's involvement due to his inappropriate behavior and derogatory communications (12:50).

Defense Strategy:
Prosecutor Hank Brannon referred to Proctor as the "case officer" instead of acknowledging him as the lead investigator, attempting to mitigate his negative impact on the case. Conversely, defense attorney Alan Jackson vehemently challenges this portrayal, emphasizing Proctor's critical role and questioning the investigation's procedural integrity (14:01).

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Jackson (14:01): "Do you believe that Michael Proctor's involvement tainted the investigation?"
• Laura Jarrett (14:49): "The investigation was conducted with honor and integrity."

Courtroom Dynamics:
The jury remains highly attentive, with mixed reactions to prosecution's courtroom theatrics. Buchanak's evasiveness under cross-examination raises questions about the investigation's transparency and thoroughness (15:55).

Upcoming Proceedings:
The defense is deliberating whether to call Michael Proctor as a witness, weighing the potential benefits of humanizing Proctor against the risk of further complicating the prosecution's narrative (16:15). Additionally, the possibility of Karen Reed testifying remains uncertain, adding another layer of anticipation to the trial's progression.

---

4. Additional Cases Covered in the Roundup

Donna Adelson's Retrial:
Donna Adelson, accused of orchestrating the murder of her ex-son-in-law, Dan Markell, faces a delayed trial due to her defense attorney's withdrawal and a new investigation into her husband's phone records. The new trial is rescheduled for August, with further delays possible (20:41).

Lori Valo Debel's Upcoming Trial:
Convicted for the murder of her fourth husband, Lori Valo Debel is preparing for an attempted murder trial involving her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreau. Despite her self-representation and motion to dismiss based on a speedy trial violation, the court has denied her request, and proceedings will continue (22:22).

Harvey Weinstein's Retrial:
In Manhattan, Harvey Weinstein faces charges of third-degree rape and criminal sexual acts, including testimony from new accuser Kaya Sokola. Weinstein's defense focuses on discrediting Sokola's credibility, questioning her ongoing relationship with him (23:27).

---

5. Understanding RICO: Sean "Diddy" Combs' Case

RICO Explained:
Legal analyst Danny Savalos provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), highlighting its application beyond traditional organized crime to modern high-profile cases (25:56).

Application to Sean Combs:
Sean Combs, known as Diddy, faces RICO charges alleging that he used his enterprise, Bad Boy Entertainment, to orchestrate criminal activities. This approach allows prosecutors to frame Combs as directing an organization involved in racketeering, similar to past cases like R. Kelly's sexual exploitation charges (26:38).

Notable Quotes:

• Danny Savalos (26:04): "RICO criminalizes corrupting an organization, whether it's a company or any enterprise, requiring proof of direction and a pattern of racketeering activity."
• Al Roker (28:25): "Instead of just charging with a federal-based sex crime, the key to the RICO allegations is that there's an organization involved."

Defense Perspective:
Combs' legal team labels the RICO charges as prosecutorial overreach, arguing a lack of concrete evidence linking him directly to the alleged patterns of criminal activity. They maintain that consensual activities, regardless of personal judgment, should not constitute federal crimes under RICO (29:11).

Future Implications:
The case against Combs is expected to involve testimonies from former employees and affiliates, aiming to establish the breadth and control of the alleged criminal enterprise. The prosecution's strategy mirrors previous high-profile uses of RICO to dismantle influential figures' organizations.

---

6. Upcoming Episodes and Conclusion

The episode concludes with previews of upcoming content, including a special series on Sean Combs' trial and a teaser for the next Dateline episode focusing on the murder of North Dakota student Mindy Morgenstern (30:08). Hosts encourage listeners to subscribe to DATELINE Premium for ad-free access and additional content.

---

Key Takeaways:

• Menendez Brothers: A significant legal shift allows for potential parole after decades of imprisonment, reflecting changing societal and legal perspectives on abuse and rehabilitation.
• Karen Reed Retrial: Ongoing complexities in the investigation highlight the challenges of ensuring judicial integrity amidst internal misconduct.
• RICO's Modern Use: The application of RICO in high-profile cases like Sean Combs demonstrates the evolving nature of legal strategies in tackling organized and systemic criminal behavior.

---

For those interested in deep-diving into these cases and understanding the intricate details of criminal investigations and legal proceedings, Dateline NBC continues to provide comprehensive coverage and expert insights.

Transcript

[Al Roker]

Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With Thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download today.

[Andrea Canning]

Hey everyone, it's Jenna Bush Hager from TODAY with Jenna and friends, reminding you.

[Laura Jarrett]

To check out my podcast Open Book.

[Andrea Canning]

With Jenna and this week's episode I sit down with Read with Jenna author Jessica Sofra to discuss her novel this is a Love how the City of New York Shaped Her Life and what's.

[Sue Simpson]

Next for her as a writer. You can listen to the full conversation.

[Andrea Canning]

Now by searching Open Book with Jenna wherever you get your podcasts. Alrighty, I think we can get started. It's time for dateline's morning meeting.

[Sue Simpson]

So it's Tony.

[Andrea Canning]

He works at the waterfront. Our team is swapping tips about the latest crime news.

[Veronica Mazeka]

The case ends up going cold for about two decades.

[Andrea Canning]

They're tired after three weeks and they don't want to come back here on Monday to deliberate. Isn't Yuri one of the guys Proctor was texting with? Welcome to DATELINE True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's May 15th and here's what's on our docket. In Dedham, Massachusetts, the state police sergeant who oversaw the investigation into the Karen Reed case faces tough questions at her retrial.

[Al Roker]

So, Sergeant Buchanak, you don't want to.

[Andrea Canning]

Answer my question, correct?

[Laura Jarrett]

I will answer your question.

[Andrea Canning]

Absolutely.

[Laura Jarrett]

The investigation was conducted with honor and integrity.

[Andrea Canning]

In DATELINE Roundup updates in the case of Donna Adelson, the Florida grandmother accused of masterminding a hit on her former son in law, blistering testimony in the Harvey Weinstein retrial and the latest motion filed by Lori Valo Debel ahead of her third trial.

[Veronica Mazeka]

She was just claiming that her constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated.

[Andrea Canning]

Plus, Racketeering 101. It's one of the counts Sean Combs is facing in federal court. But what does RICO actually mean? NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos will be here with an explainer.

[Al Roker]

Instead of just charging with a federal based sex crime, the key to the RICO allegations is that there's an organization involved.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, it was one of the biggest true crime stories of the past three decades. The murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez by their own sons. On Tuesday night, the brothers got a shot at redemption. Lyle and Eric Menendez are in their 50s now. They were just 18 and 21 years old when they gunned down their parents in their Beverly Hills home. Prosecutors at their trial said the killings were premeditated and motivated by financial gain. The brothers said that they had acted in self defense to put a stop to their father's sexual abuse. After their first trial ended with a hung jury, they were convicted in a second trial in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. And that's where they might have stayed. But on Tuesday afternoon in a Los Angeles courtroom, Judge Michael Jessick ruled the brothers were changed men and and resentenced them to 50 years to life, which meant a chance at parole and a chance at freedom. Here to tell us more about the brothers journey and what might happen next is NBC News senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett. Hey, Laura.

[Laura Jarrett]

Hi. Great to be back with you.

[Andrea Canning]

Great to have you. We've seen so much on TV lately with the Netflix documentary everyone was talking about. And Keith, of course, had his special for dateline. Lots of people very interested in the Menendez brothers again.

[Laura Jarrett]

They are. And I think part of what's so fascinating about this case is that it obviously gripped everyone in the early 90s because it was really the first time a trial that had been so sensationalized was televised. Right. And then it goes dormant for the better part of 30 years. And then there's sort of this resurgence because of a Netflix series, a Peacock documentary, a Max documentary, if I'm not mistaken, too. And so there's like this flurry of activity. And then the DA at the time decides, oh, I think I should support their resentencing. That was a huge moment. New DA comes to town, pulls that support, which was another big moment. And it's sort of all culminating now in this new path for freedom for them.

[Andrea Canning]

You know, it's been put out there right into the universe, all this new retelling of this story. But it's people's attitudes, Right. Toward some of the content that has changed since, you know, all those years ago.

[Laura Jarrett]

Yeah. Because their claim fundamentally was not that they didn't do it.

[Andrea Canning]

Right.

[Laura Jarrett]

Everyone sort of quickly figured out that they did it. And so they had to come clean about that. But that part of the explanation was that they endured, they say, years and years of violent, awful sexual abuse at the hands of Jose Menendez, their father. And they had a habeas petition, which, as you know, is trying to get a New trial based on the idea that they went through all of this abuse and so they should be less culpable, not that they didn't do it, but that they should be less culpable.

[Andrea Canning]

And I think as a society, people have come around more to, you know, understanding feelings people have, you know, being sexually assaulted, which is their claim and.

[Laura Jarrett]

The shame associated with it. And sort of the campaign of silence around childhood sexual abuse, I think for boys in particular, has changed. Changed dramatically over the past 35 years.

[Andrea Canning]

The other thing that has changed is attitudes towards crime and punishment. And in California, a new law means that inmates of a certain age, you know, if they have a good prison record, they. They can have their case looked at again.

[Laura Jarrett]

Yeah, that has. Has sort of provided this springboard for them to take advantage of the law. And the law was there to say, look, people are gonna commit crimes when they're young, and at a certain point, we may decide they're rehabilitated. And it doesn't mean they're gonna automatically gonna get out. There's go case by case analysis, and there's hundreds of these petitions that have come forward, and they're sort of just one of those cases that we happen to be focused on.

[Andrea Canning]

Laura, you mentioned there's a new DA in town in Los Angeles that really threw a wrench in the brother's plan. They had quite a fight on their hands to keep this going.

[Laura Jarrett]

DA Nathan Hockman came into office and then completely withdrew support from the resentencing effort. He thought they had not owned up to their lies. And his sort of party line on this has. We can't say for sure that their level of dangerousness is zero if they're not willing to fully come clean with all of the ways that they lied.

[Andrea Canning]

And this new DA actually went to court to block the resentencing from moving forward, but he lost. Judge Jessick granted the brothers a re sentencing hearing. And that's what happened on Tuesday. Several witnesses testified on behalf of the brothers. Laura, who showed up.

[Laura Jarrett]

It was mostly family members who have been almost universally supportive of the brothers. And remember, these are the cousins of the two people that were murdered. And those family members testified about what a toll this has taken on the family. But they also had people who, you know, had been in prison with them and to talk about the rehabilitation. Right. Their whole thing is that they've participated in various programs in prison and have been active members of trying to help other people. I did think it was interesting the prosecution didn't put on a single witness Basically was just making arguments that we've heard before about the lies and about the fact that they, they still, again, in the prosecution's view, had not fully owned up to everything.

[Andrea Canning]

So we also got to hear from the brothers themselves.

[Laura Jarrett]

If you listen to their allocution, which is when they sort of have a chance to make a little spiel, it's all about, I take full responsibility for my actions. I lied to police. I lied to my family. I'm so sorry. We own it. We own it.

[Andrea Canning]

Our NBC News producers were in the courtroom when the judge announced his decision. Tell me about the mood and the reactions in court.

[Laura Jarrett]

It was quite emotional again, because so many family members were there. They're sobbing listening to the judge announce that resentencing is the right decision here. Sobbing when Eric and Lyle are apologizing to them for the damage this has caused their family. I think emotions were really raw and in there because again, they've waited so long for this moment.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's take a listen to their press conference that they held outside. Afterwards, we're feeling grateful, grateful to Judge Jessic for restoring our faith in the justice system, for reading the law as it was written, for not being distracted by the circus that our family tends to bring to town. So we are. We're happy and elated. Laura, what happens next?

[Laura Jarrett]

Now, this will go to the parole board. They're supposed to get a hearing not more than six months from now. Then the parole board gets to take some time to evaluate the evidence. I think 120 days. And then even after that, Governor Newsom gets a say and Governor Newsom can decide to approve or reject what the parole board has done.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, Laura, thank you so much for your insight and for coming on Dateline True Crime Weekly anytime.

[Laura Jarrett]

I'll be back when we finally get a word from the parole board.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, three days of testimony from a sergeant in the Karen Reed case. The prosecution is trying to put him at the center of the investigation, but the defense keeps bringing up someone else. What if you could use your home equity to pay off your debt without monthly payments so you could focus on reaching your other financial goals? With a home equity investment from Hometap, you can get access to your home equity in cash, get closer to financial freedom and get more out of life. Learn more and see if you pre qualify for an [e-mail] Subject to eligibility, terms and conditions apply. Get access to your home equity in cash. Visit hometap.com to apply in minutes. That's hometap.com dateline true crime Weekly. Andrea Canning and the DATELINE team cover breaking crime news around the country. And now a special series with daily updates from the trial of Sean Combs. I'll be talking to NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss every day after court about what she's seeing inside the witnesses, the evidence, and what it all means. DATELINE True Crime Weekly Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

[Al Roker]

Hey, everybody, I'm Al Roker from the Today Show. Let's kickstart your wellness journey with the all new Start Today app. Everything you need for a healthier you all in one place, fitness challenges for all levels, meal plans that are easy and delicious and so much more. It's built to fit your lifestyle and our experts will guide you every step of the way. Come on, let's do this.

[Andrea Canning]

To subscribe, download, start today from the.

[Al Roker]

App Store on your Apple device now.

[Andrea Canning]

Terms apply. Cancel anytime through Apple under profile settings. After nearly four weeks of testimony in Karen Reid's retrial, prosecutors are still carefully laying out their case. They argue that after a night of heavy drinking in January 2022, Karen Reed hit John O' Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, with her SUV and left him to die during a snowstorm. Reid has pleaded not guilty and her defense says she is the victim of a cover up by law enforcement. So far we've heard from Okeeffes family and friends, first responders and law enforcement officers who investigated the case this week. All eyes were on one of those officers who spent three days on the stand. Good morning. Good morning, sir. Could you please introduce yourself to the jury? My name is Yuri Buchanak.

[Laura Jarrett]

I work for the Massachusetts State Police.

[Andrea Canning]

DATELINE producer Sue Simpson is here to bring us up to speed on this witness and what his testimony tells us about where the retrial may go next. Sue, thank you so much for joining us again.

[Sue Simpson]

Hi, Andrea. It's a pleasure.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. And my first question is always, did you win the lottery? Did you get a seat in the courtroom?

[Sue Simpson]

I am a winner.

[Andrea Canning]

Yay. Okay. All right.

[Sue Simpson]

So it is great to be there.

[Andrea Canning]

All right. So this is like, like firsthand then right up close. So, sue, these past few days, they've been intense. Tell us about this witness who has been on the stand for so long and how he fits into the case.

[Sue Simpson]

Yuri Buchanak is a sergeant with the Massachusetts State Police.

[Andrea Canning]

On the day or the morning of January 29, 2022, do you know who.

[Al Roker]

Was assigned to take calls for new cases?

[Laura Jarrett]

Yes.

[Andrea Canning]

Before 7am on the 29th, it was Michael Proctor that was assigned to be on call.

[Al Roker]

Was there a supervisor assigned that morning?

[Andrea Canning]

Yes, there was.

[Al Roker]

And who was that?

[Sue Simpson]

It was myself, Buchanan. Proctor worked together to develop the theory of how John o' Keefe was killed. Now, Michael Proctor was fired earlier this year due to misconduct in part because of demeaning and derogatory text messages he sent about Karen to his friends and even to his supervisors during the investigation. Buchanak was on one of those group text chains, and he even liked one of the messages.

[Andrea Canning]

And the prosecution had Buchanan read some of those messages he received from Michael Proctor.

[Sue Simpson]

The prosecution is trying to make Sergeant Buchanak the face of the investigation and minimize Proctor's role because of those demeaning text messages he sent. Andrea, you probably remember how damaging Proctor's testimony was in the first trial. So they're trying to avoid a repeat of that, and they're trying to avoid mentioning Michael Proctor's name as much as possible. Prosecutor Hank Brannon did things like refer to Proctor as the case officer instead of the lead investigator. And they also had Buchanak show physical evidence collected from the scene to the jury instead of getting Michael Proctor to do that.

[Andrea Canning]

So the defense clearly has a different perspective on the investigation. What did they have to say on cross examination?

[Sue Simpson]

So the defense, of course, had exactly the opposite strategy. Alan Jackson insisted that Proctor was really at the center of the investigation. Remember, Jackson called him a cancer, his opening argument. And just as he did when he cross examined Proctor during the last trial, Alan Jackson really hammered Buchanan about how the investigation was conducted. He asked him about procedural missteps, like witnesses being interviewed in groups and not being brought down to the station, for instance, to be recorded. And Buchanak was often evasive when Jackson pushed him and tried to pin him down about Proctor's role in the case.

[Al Roker]

Let me just ask you this. Do you believe that Michael Proctor, his.

[Andrea Canning]

Involvement in this case, tainted the investigation?

[Al Roker]

No, not at all.

[Laura Jarrett]

The investigation was done with honor, integrity, and all the evidence pointed in one.

[Andrea Canning]

Direction, one direction only.

[Al Roker]

You do know that he.

[Andrea Canning]

Touched or.

[Al Roker]

Had input in nearly every part of.

[Andrea Canning]

This case, obviously, as the case officer. Correct.

[Laura Jarrett]

He managed the case.

[Al Roker]

So he had some input or had some connection to nearly every part of the case, be it the physical evidence.

[Andrea Canning]

The search warrants, the interviews, things of that nature.

[Laura Jarrett]

He was one of the involved with collecting evidence, conducting interviews, and signing affidavits.

[Andrea Canning]

For the search warrants.

[Al Roker]

He didn't take a minor role in this case. He had a major role in this case. Would you at least agree with that.

[Andrea Canning]

He had a role that was more significant than others. With a team of the size that.

[Laura Jarrett]

We had working on this case, he did not have a major role.

[Andrea Canning]

Sue, as we mentioned, you've been in the courtroom. What has it been like in the room? And is the jury very attentive as this is happening? Can you see them kind of perking up?

[Sue Simpson]

Oh, they were very attentive. There's no question about that. And I have noticed one man on the jury where every time Alan Jackson gets up, you get the sense that this guy, if he could applaud, he would. Other jurors are more studious. They're taking notes. But this gentleman is clearly enjoying the spectacle, the theater that Alan Jackson brings.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. So you talked to Karen Reid after Buchanak's testimony finally wrapped up, and it appears at this point that the state will not be calling Michael Proctor. Did she offer any insight as to whether the defense would call him?

[Sue Simpson]

Well, yes. I mean, first of all, let me say that Karen Reed, the defendant, has become kind of the voice of the defense team because there is a gag order. Remember, Andrea, the lawyers were gagged even before the trial started, so we can't talk to them. So Karen will sometimes talk to the media after a day in court. And I asked her one on one, you know, what is going to happen with Michael Proctor? And she said, tbd. They're still deciding. And it's a really interesting debate, Andrea, about whether or not they're going to call him. The defense may be thinking that Alan Jackson's cross examination has left jurors with the impression that Proctor is the bad actor in the investigation. And the calculation the defense team has to make is this. If they put Michael Proctor on the stand, will they incentivize some way, humanize them, and is that a risk that they're willing to take? So they've got a big decision to make, and they have to make it relatively soon.

[Andrea Canning]

One last question, Sue. Aside from Michael Proctor, there is another witness people are eager to hear from, and that is Karen Reed herself. You know, whether her team will call her up there. You know, we're a few weeks into trial. Do you think that she will testify?

[Sue Simpson]

You know, Andrea, that, you know, that's the million dollar question, right? It's something she's asked about almost every day. And so far, all she said was, that's also to be determined.

[Andrea Canning]

I mean, this is hotly anticipated, you know, whether this will happen or not. And we know you'll be there. So, sue, thank you for this great update. On what is happening in the trial. We appreciate it.

[Sue Simpson]

Thank you, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, it's time for DATELINE roundup. We've got the latest on the retrial of movie producer Harvey Weinstein and both Donna Adelson, the Florida grandmother accused of conspiring to murder her ex son in law, and Lori Valo Debel. Get closer to trial. Plus, it's a crime you hear about a lot in gangster movies, racketeering. So why have prosecutors pinned the charge on Sean Diddy Combs? What if you could use your home equity to pay off your debt without monthly payments so you could focus on reaching your other financial goals? With a home equity investment from HomeTap, you can get access to your home equity in cash. Get closer to financial freedom and get more out of life. Learn more and see if you pre qualify for an [e-mail] Subject to eligibility, terms and conditions apply. Get access to your home equity in cash. Visit hometap.com to apply in minutes. That's hometap.com now they had the final answer. Or did they? Nothing has more suspense than a DATELINE mystery. No one wants to wait to find out what happens next. That's why everyone needs DATELINE Premium, where listening is always ad free. You get the whole story and nothing but the story. Or do you? Yes, actually you do. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Dateline premium.com hey, guys, Willie Geist here.

[Al Roker]

Reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast.

[Andrea Canning]

On this week's episode, I get together with Lisa Kudrow to talk about her Netflix series no Good Deed and to reflect on her time as one of six friends on one of the most popular and enduring shows in the history of television. You can get our conversation now for.

[Al Roker]

Free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining me for this week's roundup is DATELINE digital producer Veronica. Hey, Veronica.

[Veronica Mazeka]

Hi, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

For our first story, we wanted to talk about someone we haven't mentioned in a while, Donna Adelson, the Florida grandmother accused of orchestrating the 2014 murder for hire plot that killed her former son in law, law professor Dan Markell. She has pleaded not guilty to charges including first degree murder and solicitation. So, Veronica, Donna was supposed to go to trial last fall and now there are some updates about a new trial date since that one never happened.

[Veronica Mazeka]

Donna's defense attorney withdrew from the case literally on the eve of the trial last September, citing a conflict of interest. He represented Donna's son Charlie, who was convicted of Dan Markell's murder in 2023. It took a while for Donna to find new attorneys, but a trial date was eventually set for next month, only for Donna's defense to ask the judge for another delay, in part because they said the state had opened a new investigation into the case, which was taking up a lot of their time.

[Laura Jarrett]

Wow.

[Andrea Canning]

What did the judge say to that request?

[Veronica Mazeka]

The judge granted the defense's request to delay the trial, so it's now set for August, with jury selection starting on the 19th.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, we'll see if that one sticks. You mentioned a new investigation. What do we know about that?

[Veronica Mazeka]

We don't know too much. The defense did not give much away, but according to a petition they filed with an appellate court, we learned that investigators asked the judge in charge of Donna's case for a warrant to search the phone records of her husband Harvey and put a wiretap on his phone. Harvey has never been charged in connection with any crime.

[Andrea Canning]

Interesting, Veronica, because wiretaps have been a key part of this case so far, prosecutors played wiretaps of Donna's phone calls with her son Charlie at his trial. Okay, up next, across the country in Arizona, there was a familiar face in the news. Lori Valo Daybell. Also known by Dateline viewers as Mommy Doomsday. She was recently convicted in an Arizona court for her role in the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. Now she is preparing for yet another trial that starts at the end of this month. Veronica, what's this one all about?

[Veronica Mazeka]

So Lori Valo Debel is expected to stand trial in an attempted murder case involving her niece's ex husband. His name is Brandon Boudreau. And not long after divorcing Lori's niece, Boudreau was in his car when he says someone shot at him, him shattering his window. He says the shooter was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee with Texas plates. And investigators say the car was connected to Lori Valo Debel's brother, Alex Cox.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, and Veronica, to remind our listeners who Alex is, he is the person investigators say shot Lori's fourth husband, Charles Valo, to death.

[Veronica Mazeka]

That's right. And the shooting happened just a few months before. Boudreau says he was targeted. Alex actually died in 2019, so he's never faced any charges.

[Andrea Canning]

Lori has pleaded not guilty in this case. And there is an update. Lori, who's representing herself again, filed a motion arguing that this conspiracy to commit murder charge against her should be dismissed. So, Veronica, what is her argument really?

[Veronica Mazeka]

She was just claiming that her constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, we know Lori's been hitting the law books in prison. Did her argument work?

[Veronica Mazeka]

The judge actually denied the motion to dismiss the charges. So the trial will be moving forward.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And we'll, of course, be covering the trial. Finally, we have an update in the retrial of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who was currently standing trial in Manhattan on one count of third degree rape and two counts of a criminal sexual act. He has pleaded not guilty. Veronica, we talked about this case case a few weeks ago, and you told me that there was a big difference in the prosecution's case against Weinstein this time around. The prosecution has a new accuser.

[Veronica Mazeka]

Yes. Her name is Kaya Sokola, and she's a former model and aspiring actress. Now a mom and a psychologist who says she first met Weinstein when she was 16.

[Andrea Canning]

What has she told the jury so far about her experience with Weinstein?

[Veronica Mazeka]

So she testified that Weinstein assaulted her shortly after they met and again when she was. Her testimony has been extremely emotional. She said she wanted to come forward for the sake of her son.

[Andrea Canning]

Wow. Powerful. She's been under cross examination for days now. What kind of questions are Weinstein's attorneys asking?

[Veronica Mazeka]

They are really just going after her credibility. They have asked her why she stayed in touch with Weinstein for years after that first alleged assault, and she said she hoped he'd help her acting career.

[Andrea Canning]

Seems like a common theme we're hearing with his victims and alleged victims. Yeah. How much longer do we think is left in the trial?

[Veronica Mazeka]

A while.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, thank you so much for all these updates, Veronica.

[Veronica Mazeka]

Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

Testimony began this week in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Diddy Combs. As anyone who's been listening to our daily coverage of the trial will already know, he's facing five criminal charges. For our final story this week, we wanted to talk about one of them. Racketeering conspiracy, or what is also known as RICO conspiracy. It's a charge that is more often associated with mob bosses than record label executives like Combs. But this isn't the first time the state has used RICO in the prosecution of a high profile person. So we've invited our resident expert, NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos, to come on and break it down for us. Welcome back, Danny.

[Al Roker]

Thank you for having us.

[Andrea Canning]

Sure. So RICO refers to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act, but what does that mean?

[Al Roker]

RICO is a pretty complicated law, but the concept is simple enough. What it does essentially is that it criminalizes corrupting an organization. It can be a company but it doesn't have to be. It can be any enterprise, a loose association of people. You need to show that somebody directed the enterprise and then that they committed a pattern of racketeering activity. That's a fancy phrase, but all it really means is that you have to prove that they committed two or more crimes in furtherance of this enterprise.

[Andrea Canning]

And Danny. So RICO has been used in the past to take down mob bosses?

[Al Roker]

It has. It was inspired by the problem of the Mafia. And anyone who watches mob movies knows that there's often some guy who's at the head of the organization who doesn't actually commit any of the crimes. But as long as as he is agreeing to be involved in the organization and has some awareness that these crimes are out there being committed, then he can be held responsible.

[Andrea Canning]

So this is how they are able to use this for Sean Combs. Saying that Sean Combs was having his people commit crimes.

[Al Roker]

Right, Exactly. The focus is on what's called the enterprise. And when you have a company like Bad Boy Entertainment, that makes it a little easier for prosecutors because you already have the established company. And now they have to show that Holmes directed it and that he used it for his unlawful memes.

[Andrea Canning]

We've started to see RICO in more of these high profile cases, R. Kelly being one of them. The RNB star.

[Al Roker]

You're absolutely right. R. Kelly charged with rico. And you wouldn't think of R. Kelly as a traditional Mafia boss at all. But that's what federal prosecutors are very good at, especially with rico. They don't necessarily limit the use of the statute to specific traditional organized crime. They will look for any organization that they believe has been corrupted and bring those charges. And it is actually similar to what's being alleged against Combs. They alleged in Kelly's case that he had this criminal enterprise. But instead of what you might see in the Mafia, which might be, I don't know, what you see in movies, they steal a bunch of trucks and sell a bunch of shoes. The allegations against R. Kelly were more like he was using his organization to achieve the sexual exploitation of women.

[Andrea Canning]

And it's similar to Combs in that prosecutors alleged that he was using bodyguards, runners, assistants, you know, all these people they say helped him control and abuse his victims.

[Al Roker]

Exactly right. And instead of just charging with a federal based sex crime, the key to the RICO allegations against both Kelly and Sean Combs is that there's an organization involved.

[Andrea Canning]

So we can expect to see some former employees of Combs taking the stand.

[Al Roker]

I would assume you can absolutely expect that the government has gone to some of his former employees and made it very clear that it's in their best interest to come in and testify against their employer or their former employer.

[Andrea Canning]

Combs's defense team, you know, is saying that this is prosecutorial overreach, that there is no proof of racketeering.

[Al Roker]

Yes. So there are really limited avenues for Combs in this case. It was no surprise in the opening statement that the defense gave that they took the approach of, you may think my client's a jerk, but even if he's a jerk, even if he's into some kind of sex that you think is deviant, as long as it's consensual, it is not, not a federal crime, what the prosecution calls a RICO enterprise for the purpose of sexual gratification. It's not that he's charged with very specific federal crimes. And these facts do not meet the government's proof.

[Andrea Canning]

All right. And we should say that Sean Combs has pleaded not guilty in this case and denies all the allegations against him. Danny, thank you so much for breaking this down for us. RICO can be very complicated. You definitely simplified it for us.

[Al Roker]

Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of DATELINE True Crime Weekly. To get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to DATELINE Premium. But remember, if you want to take a listen to our daily coverage of the Sean Combs trial, you can find it on our podcast channel, which is dedicated to all things DATELINE True Crime Weekly every day after court. That's where we'll be dropping my conversations with NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss about what she's seen, the witnesses, the evidence and what it all means. So search for DATELINE True Crime Weekly wherever you get your podcasts and follow us to keep listening. And if you've got any questions for the team or any cases you think we should cover, send us a message through social media or leave us a voicemail at 212-413-5252. Coming up this Friday on Dateline, the murder of a North Dakota student left a community searching for answers. Why would somebody want to hurt Mindy? Who would hurt the outgoing, caring, compassionate girl that everybody loved? The answer to that question was right in front of them. Watch Keith's episode who Killed Mindy Morgenstern? This Friday on NBC at 9, 8 Central. Thanks for listening. DATELINE True Crime Weekly is produced by Franny Kelly and Katie Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff. Production and fact checking help by Kim Flores. Gaynor. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer. And Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline. Thanks, everybody. Good to see you all. Friday night on Dateline. Hey, it's Mindy, and I'm not here right now. You could see her window and her curtains were blowing. Toni came out screaming. It's so imprinted on your minds. You know, we watch Dateline, but we.

[Laura Jarrett]

Never in a million years think that's going to be us.

[Andrea Canning]

Friday at 9, 8 Central, only on NBC.