Former MLB pitcher on trial for murder. New evidence in Karen Read. Plus, testifying anonymously.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – May 22, 2025

Hosted by Andrea Canning from NBC News, this episode of "Dateline: True Crime Weekly" delves into gripping criminal cases and provides insightful analysis from true crime experts. In this episode, Andrea covers the high-profile trial of a former Major League Baseball pitcher accused of murder, updates on the Karen Reed retrial, and explores the complexities of anonymous testimony in court. Below is a detailed summary of the episode’s key discussions and insights.

---

1. Former MLB Pitcher Dan Serafini on Trial for Murder

[03:07 – 10:13]

Andrea Canning introduces the case of Dan Serafini, a former Major League Baseball pitcher now standing trial for the murder of his parents-in-law, Gary and Wendy Wood. The tragic incident occurred on June 5, 2021, on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, California, where Serafini is accused of entering the Woods' home, hiding in a closet, and ultimately shooting Gary dead while Wendy survived with severe injuries.

Key Points:

• Victims’ Background: Gary and Wendy Wood were a successful couple involved in real estate, with an estate valued at over $10 million. They had two daughters, Erin and Adrian, and their son-in-law, Dan Serafini, faced financial struggles, reportedly depleting his MLB earnings to sustain his bar business in Sparks, Nevada.

• Evidence and Arrest: Initial evidence included CCTV footage showing a masked intruder entering and exiting the Woods' home, with gunshots heard minutes after. Two years after the incident, Dan Serafini was arrested based on financial motives and testimonies suggesting he harbored resentment towards his in-laws.

• Defense vs. Prosecution: Serafini maintains his innocence, arguing that the surveillance footage does not match his physical appearance. Conversely, prosecutors rely heavily on testimonies from key witnesses like Samantha Scott, who alleged an affair with Serafini and is pivotal to the prosecution's case.

Notable Quotes:

• Sue Simpson, Dateline Producer: “Serafini is a former major league baseball pitcher and was also featured in 2015 on an episode of the TV show Bar Rescue.” [03:07]
• Defense Attorney Robert Alessi: “Why kill the golden goose? Aaron's parents were giving them all the money they wanted to, so why put an end to that?” [09:47]

---

2. Retrial of Karen Reed in the Death of John O’Keefe

[10:13 – 19:10]

The retrial of Karen Reed continues in Dedham, Massachusetts, where she stands accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, by backing her SUV into him and leaving him to die in January 2022. This section covers the latest developments, including new forensic evidence and expert testimonies that aim to solidify the prosecution’s case.

Key Points:

• Case Background: Karen Reed has consistently pleaded not guilty, claiming that law enforcement orchestrated the charges against her following an altercation at an after-party where O’Keefe was allegedly beaten.

• New Forensic Evidence: The prosecution introduced DNA evidence and digital data from Reed’s SUV. DNA found on the vehicle's taillight matched O’Keefe and two unidentified individuals, raising questions about potential other parties involved.

• Expert Testimony: Nicholas Bradford, a DNA expert, and Shannon Burgess, a digital forensics expert, provided crucial insights. Burgess revealed previously overlooked data from the SUV's infotainment system, establishing a clearer timeline that aligns with the prosecution's narrative.

• Defense Strategy: The defense aggressively challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s forensic experts, particularly targeting Burgess’s educational qualifications to undermine his testimony.

Notable Quotes:

• Prosecutor: “The car was turned on at 12:12:36 am and turned off about 30 minutes later.” [15:11]
• Defense Attorney Robert Alessi: “Why kill the golden goose? Aaron's parents were giving them all the money they wanted to, so why put an end to that?” [09:47]
• Judge’s Statement: “Only this sentence could, quote, protect others from Linda and deter others from committing similar conduct.” [22:44]

---

3. Dateline Roundup: Key Updates

[19:10 – 26:35]

Andrea Canning and producer Rachel White provide brief updates on other significant cases:

a. Linda Stermer Retrial in the Murder of Todd Stermer

[21:21 – 23:02] Linda Stermer faces sentencing for the 2000 murder of her husband, Todd Stermer, whom she allegedly set on fire and ran over with a van. The family delivered heartfelt victim impact statements, emphasizing the brutal nature of Todd’s death. The court sentenced Stermer to life without parole, with the judge highlighting the heinousness of her actions.

Notable Quote:

• Vince Sterla: “I have zero forgiveness in my heart for Linda, and I hope when death comes for her, I hope it is as painful and as agonizing as the one you put Todd through.” [22:15]

b. Lori Valo Deba Back in Court

[23:02 – 26:04] Lori Valo Deba returned to court in Arizona for charges of conspiring to murder her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreau. Deba, who is representing herself, confronted the judge, accusing him of personal bias. The trial is set to begin on June 2 and is expected to last until June 13.

Notable Quote:

• Lori Valo Deba: “I have nothing to do with this.” [09:57]

c. Menendez Brothers’ Parole Hearing Delayed

[25:16 – 26:32] The Menendez brothers, serving life sentences for killing their parents, saw their parole hearing postponed from June 13 to August 21 and 22. The delay allows for more preparation time, amidst ongoing clemency efforts.

---

4. The Complexities of Testifying Anonymously

[26:35 – 31:09]

The episode features an insightful interview with Attorney Lindsey Goldbrum, a partner at Goddard Law, who specializes in representing clients who testify anonymously in high-profile cases. The discussion highlights the balance courts must maintain between protecting witness identities and ensuring defendants receive a fair trial.

Key Points:

• Anonymity in High-Profile Cases: Cases involving celebrities or sensitive allegations, such as those against Sean "Diddy" Combs, often involve witnesses who testify anonymously to protect their privacy and safety.

• Legal Considerations: Judges assess requests for anonymity on a case-by-case basis, considering factors like potential safety risks and the public’s right to know. The process involves a delicate balance between safeguarding witnesses and ensuring justice is served.

• Case Example: Lindsey discusses Kaya Sokola, who testified against Harvey Weinstein under anonymity but later revealed her identity to reduce public and media pressure.

Notable Quotes:

• Attorney Lindsey Goldbrum: “The most important factor that a judge weighs is safety concerns.” [29:55]
• Andrea Canning: “It's about trying to strike the right balance between all the parties involved.” [30:35]

---

Conclusion and Upcoming Stories

Andrea Canning wraps up the episode by teasing upcoming stories, including a classic Dennis Murphy case about the disappearance of 12-year-old Janelle Matthews from Greeley, Colorado in 1984, which was recently reopened after new evidence surfaced.

Notable Mention:

• Andrea Canning: “Coming up this Friday on Dateline, we've got a classic Dennis Murphy story... Janelle Matthews who went missing from Greeley, Colorado in 1984.” [31:09]

---

Stay Tuned: For fans eager to stay informed on these riveting cases and more, "Dateline: True Crime Weekly" promises continued in-depth coverage and exclusive insights every Thursday. Follow the podcast on your preferred platform and engage with the team through social media or voicemail to share your thoughts and suggest cases for future episodes.

End of Summary

Transcript

[Andrea Canning]

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[Andrea Canning]

Hey, good morning.

[Vince Sterla]

Good morning, everyone. You're listening in to Dateline's morning meeting here at 30 Rockefeller Center.

[Andrea Canning]

Eight years later, there's been an arrest.

[Vince Sterla]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news around the country.

[Sue Simpson]

She apparently wore a wig and a mask. There's CCTV footage of her entering this house.

[Vince Sterla]

So they had all this evidence, they.

[Andrea Canning]

Just didn't act on it until recently. Dana Chandler has violated the no contact order with her daughter and she keeps calling her about.

[Vince Sterla]

What did you say on Dateline. Welcome to Dateline, True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's May 22, and here's what's on our docket. In Dedham, Massachusetts, the prosecution is winding down at the retrial of Karen Reed, but the courtroom drama isn't.

[Rachel White]

The defense was on the attack from.

[Vince Sterla]

The jump in DATELINE roundup. We've got the latest on some stories we've been watching. The Michigan mom convicted of killing her husband by setting him on fire and running him over with a van while learns her fate. And Lori Valo Debel has a bold request for her trial. Judge, I have to ask that you would recuse yourself from the obvious personal bias that you have against me. Plus, in the next week or so, a Jane Doe will testify against Sean Combs at his federal trial. We've asked an attorney to give us the lowdown on witnesses who are anonymous in the courtroom.

[Andrea Canning]

Probably one of the most important factors that a judge weighs is safety concerns.

[Vince Sterla]

But before all that, we're heading to Northern California, where a former Major League baseball pitcher is on trial for murder on June 5, 2021, on the west shore of Lake Tahoe in California, someone entered the home of Robert Gary Spore and his wife, Wendy Wood. This intruder hid in a closet and waited. When the couple returned after an afternoon at the lake, the intruder shot them. Gary was killed, but Wendy survived with severe injuries. Then two years later, in the fall of 20, investigators made an arrest. It was none other than Gary and Wendy's son in law, Dan Serafini.

[Andrea Canning]

Serafini is a former major league baseball pitcher and was also featured in 2015 on an episode of the TV show Bar Rescue.

[Vince Sterla]

Sarafeni pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and attempted murder. And this week his trial began in the Placer County Superior Court in Auburn, California. Here to tell us more about the case is DATELINE producer Vince Sterla. Vince, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Sue Simpson]

Yeah, happy to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Vince Sterla]

Tell us a little bit about the victims, Wendy and Gary.

[Sue Simpson]

They seem like a really lovely couple. I mean, I know we say that a lot, but in their case, it's certainly true. They met in college, they met 50 years ago. They started dabbling in real estate, Just kept making good investments over and over and over again. Apparently their estate overall is worth maybe 10 million, 10 plus.

[Vince Sterla]

They also have two daughters, Erin and Adrian. Tell us about the kids and this connection to Serafini.

[Sue Simpson]

Yeah, three years apart. The oldest one, Aaron, married Danny Serafini, who was an interesting character, left handed, a reliever, journeyman, pitched at a variety of baseball teams in the major leagues. And then he eventually, you know, retired. He kind of aged out. They settled in area called Sparks, which is adjacent to Reno, and he bought a bar there, called it the Bullpen since he was a bullpen pitcher.

[Vince Sterla]

Yeah.

[Sue Simpson]

And you know, I don't know how successful the bar was.

[Vince Sterla]

What was the first sign that something had happened to Wendy and Gary?

[Sue Simpson]

So there was a 911 call. Someone was on the line, but sort of moaning, breathing, and they could hear a television in the background. And that's it. EMTs went out there and it took them a while to find the house just because it was a cell call. And they went up into the family room, the TV's on, and they found Gary slumped to the side, dead. He'd been shot in the head. Then they saw there was a blood trail and they followed the blood trail into a bathroom and they found Wendy. There was an EMT checked on Wendy, thought she was dead. And then she moaned and said, oh my gosh, she's alive.

[Vince Sterla]

That's awesome.

[Sue Simpson]

And she Was then she was medevaced to a trauma center in Reno. Police investigators do not believe she's going to make it. And weeks go by, and then she comes out of a coma, really, and she's questioned. She has no memory of what happened, though.

[Vince Sterla]

Police, we know, they canvass, they talk to neighbors, they look for surveillance video, which everyone has now on their, you know, doorbells and, you know, everywhere else. So this is the first big clue for them. Right. Some footage that they found. The police.

[Sue Simpson]

Yes. They looked at the family security system, and what had happened that day is that Gary and Wendy had Aaron and the grandchildren over to go boating. Then there's footage of that. Then while they're away, a person comes walking up their road and then into their driveway. And this person's wearing a hoodie, wearing a surgical mask, and presumably goes inside the house through the garage door. And then.

[Vince Sterla]

Scary.

[Sue Simpson]

Yes. Erin leaves with the kids. And after she leaves, there's a recording of five gunshots. And then a couple of minutes later, you see this person with the hoodie on the mask leave the same way they came in.

[Vince Sterla]

Did the police have any idea who this masked person was?

[Sue Simpson]

No, not at all. Not at that point.

[Vince Sterla]

The case goes cold about a couple of years go by. Wendy is actually doing much better at this point.

[Sue Simpson]

She's doing very well. She's gone through rehab. She's learned how to ride a bike again.

[Vince Sterla]

But tragedy strikes again.

[Sue Simpson]

Yes. Apparently, Wendy was found dead. I think it was 23 months or so after the shooting. The death is ruled to be a suicide.

[Vince Sterla]

Wow, that's so sad.

[Sue Simpson]

Yeah, yeah, very much so.

[Vince Sterla]

What happens to the case?

[Sue Simpson]

There was no public disclosures as far as in terms of how the investigation was progressing. It got handed down from like one prosecutor to the next. And the latest prosecutor really chewed away at it, as did the lead detective.

[Vince Sterla]

To the best of your knowledge. Then why did they start to zero in on Danny Serafini?

[Sue Simpson]

I believe they were on. They were looking at him hard early on, at least. Judging from the preliminary hearing, Danny Serafini was having financial problems. Investigators said that he burned through all of his money that he got from major league baseball years earlier. And so he. It seems like he always had to go hat in hand to his to ask for money to help keep the bar going, to help keep his kids in school, to help pay his mortgage, and finally got tired of it and wanted his inheritance earlier than was due. There was a detective that testified, two, possibly three people said that Danny would get so angry talking about his in laws he would say that I would like to kill them or find someone to kill them.

[Vince Sterla]

Police end up arresting Danny Serafini.

[Sue Simpson]

Yes. And this woman named Samantha Scott.

[Vince Sterla]

Oh.

[Sue Simpson]

And we're wondering, well, who's Samantha Scott? And it turns out it was kind of a friend of Aaron and Danny Serafini.

[Vince Sterla]

And in their opening statements earlier this week, prosecutors said Danny and Samantha Scott were more than friends. They alleged they were having an affair, which is something Samantha had denied up until now. So do we know what led up to her arrest?

[Sue Simpson]

The reason why she was arrested, as it turns out, is that as police were going through and pulling all the surveillance camera from basically residences all around that on the West Shore, they kept seeing a particular car that would pop up. A brown Subaru with a dent on the back left fender. And that's exactly the kind of car that Samantha Scott had. And so they went to her and looked at her and found out her cell phone was pinging in that area. This is around hours of the murder.

[Vince Sterla]

And then just a few months ago, Samantha took a plea deal for accessory to murder. Prosecutors are saying she drove Serafini from Nevada, where he was working, to the Tahoe area to commit the crime. It seems like she's going to be extremely important in this trial. Right.

[Sue Simpson]

Samantha Scott definitely is gonna be the most important witness in this case because there's no evidence of Danny being there that day other than Samantha Scott's testimony, if that's what she does testify to.

[Vince Sterla]

Danny Serafini has denied any involvement in this crime. What is his defense that you know so far?

[Sue Simpson]

Yeah, no, it's interesting. At the preliminary hearing, so they showed the video of this person walking into the house and out. And the defense was saying that video proves it's not Serafini because the person looks smaller and lighter. You know, Danny's a pretty buff guy, big shoulders. They claim that that video proves it's not him, it's not Danny. And their contention is, why kill the golden goose? Aaron's parents were giving them all the money they wanted to, so why put an end to that?

[Vince Sterla]

So Erin has not been charged or been named a suspect. She's saying that her husband had nothing to do with this and that she has nothing to do with this.

[Sue Simpson]

Absolutely.

[Vince Sterla]

Aaron is expected to testify for the defense.

[Sue Simpson]

That's what we understand, that Erin will testify on the behalf of her husband.

[Vince Sterla]

All right, Vince, again, Danny Serafini has pled not guilty. And we look forward to getting updates from you.

[Sue Simpson]

Oh, yeah, there will be a lot of updates. It's gonna go on for a while.

[Vince Sterla]

Okay. Thank you so much. Up next, the prosecution has been presenting its case against Karen Reed for a second time. Earlier this week, prosecutors called a brand new witness armed with a brand new timeline about what happened the night John o' Keefe was killed.

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[Rachel White]

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[Sue Simpson]

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[Vince Sterla]

Now.

[Sue Simpson]

Terms apply.

[Vince Sterla]

Cancel anytime through Apple under profile settings. Karen Reid's retrial has now entered its fifth week and the prosecution is winding down its case. Reed is accused of backing her SUV into her Boston police officer boyfriend John o' Keefe and leaving him to die in the cold back in January 2022. She has pleaded not guilty with her defense arguing that law enforcement set her up to take the fall for okeefes death after he was beaten up at a house party. This week, the prosecution's focus turned toward two kinds of forensic evidence. DNA found on the taillight of Karen's SUV and digital data from the car itself. And they called a brand new witness to the stand, an expert who says newly recovered data proves the commonwealth's case. Here to bring us the latest is Dateline producer Sue Simpson. Sue, hello again.

[Rachel White]

Hello, Andrea.

[Vince Sterla]

Yes, My first question. You know what it is?

[Rachel White]

Let's not jinx it. You did win.

[Vince Sterla]

You won. Okay. Amazing. All right, so let's jump right into the testimony. First up, we had some expert testimony on DNA.

[Rachel White]

That's right, Andrea. The first witness, Nicholas Bradford, was a DNA expert who testified during the first trial, and he looked at the DNA on that taillight, and he found that there was very strong support, his words, that the DNA matched John o' Keefe and two other unknown unrelated individuals.

[Vince Sterla]

So this is unknown DNA. Sue, doesn't this open the door to the defense theory, then, that there might be other people involved in o' Keefe's death?

[Rachel White]

Exactly. Remember, the defense alleges that John o' Keefe was beaten up at this after party and dragged outside and left for dead in the snow. And on cross examination, Alan Jackson pointed out several members of law enforcement were present at the after party the night John o' Keefe died, and their DNA was not compared to the DNA on that broken taillight. And in this clip, the defense is basically naming two of the people they claim beat up John o' Keefe, ATF agent Brian Higgins and former Boston police officer Brian Albert.

[Sue Simpson]

Were you asked to compare a known sample from a person by the name of Brian Higgins?

[Andrea Canning]

No.

[Vince Sterla]

Were you asked to compare a known.

[Sue Simpson]

Sample from a person by the name of Brian Albert?

[Rachel White]

No.

[Vince Sterla]

Sue, over the past few weeks, we've been hearing from a lot of people who also testified in the first trial, and we've mostly been looking at the same evidence as last time. But on Monday afternoon, there was a new witness who had new evidence. Tell us about him.

[Rachel White]

Yes, this was a man named Shannon Burgess. He's an expert in digital forensics in vehicles and cell phones at a company called Aperture. And he was on the stand for the better part of two days. His testimony was so technical, Andrea. At times, it was just laced with strings of numbers. But basically, he took a look at the data found in what's called the infotainment module from Karen Reed's suv. And that data includes things like when the car turned on and turned off and when and how the car moved and what time those movements happened.

[Vince Sterla]

So he said that he believes there was data from the car that was missed when the data was originally downloaded.

[Rachel White]

Burgess said when the data was initially downloaded, an SD card was missed. He got his hands on it, and he testified that he was able to get information from it that gave him a clear idea about the timeline of what actually happened that night. So Burgess testified that the car was turned on at 12:12:36am and turned off about 30 minutes later. So that would cover the time that Karen and John left the bar, drove to the after party, and then when Karen returned to John's house alone. Burgess also testified about a backup maneuver.

[Vince Sterla]

Does this change anything with the timeline, sue, or add any insight, or was it more just informative for the jury?

[Rachel White]

No, it changes things. I mean, it allows them to make the case. John o' Keefe was using an app on his iPhone that night. You know, ways which gives you directions to places. Burgess testified that Karen put her car into reverse between. Now, here come the numbers. 12 hours, 32 minutes and 4 seconds. And 12 hours, 32 minutes and 12 seconds. Burgess said that John O' Keefe last used his iPhone at 123209 while Karen was still backing up. And then O' Keefe never used his phone again. So the prosecution is using Burgess testimony to establish a timeline to say that Karen Reed did hit John o' Keefe.

[Vince Sterla]

Some very technical testimony, Sue. The defense spent a lot of time questioning this witness about his credentials.

[Rachel White]

That's right. The defense was on the attack from the jump. Attorney Robert Alessi, he's a new member of Karen Reed's team, hammered Burgess credibility, accusing him of misrepresentation for saying that he had a Bachelor's of Science degree when he doesn't.

[Sue Simpson]

If I did the math correctly, sir.

[Vince Sterla]

You'Ve been pursuing a bachelor of science.

[Sue Simpson]

Degree for 17 years, correct?

[Andrea Canning]

That is correct.

[Vince Sterla]

And you have not obtained it as you sit here today? That is correct. And yet there are the various documents that we've seen that state that you have obtained a Bachelor of Science.

[Rachel White]

This is a strategy, Andrea, that we've seen the defense use before. In the first trial, they went after the credentials of another accident reconstructionist who did not have a bachelor's degree either, and they took him apart. You know, he's clearly hoping that the jury will believe that neither the witness nor his work can be trusted because of this.

[Vince Sterla]

How did this witness respond to this? You know, by having his credentials attacked.

[Rachel White]

You know what amazed me about that? Honestly, Andrea, if it was me, I would have crumpled. But he really stayed calm.

[Vince Sterla]

How did the prosecution handle the misrepresentation claim on redirect?

[Rachel White]

Well, after Alessi finished his cross examination, the prosecutor did push back on the idea that Burgess needed a degree to be an expert in the field.

[Andrea Canning]

Is a bachelor's degree a prerequisite of success in a particular field?

[Vince Sterla]

No, it is not.

[Andrea Canning]

You ever hear of Bill Gates?

[Rachel White]

Yes.

[Andrea Canning]

Stephen Jobs? Yes.

[Sue Simpson]

Oprah Winfrey.

[Vince Sterla]

Sustained. So you were in the courtroom for most of the first trial and now the second trial, the prosecution's case is almost over. Any big differences that stand out to you at this point?

[Rachel White]

Well, Andrea, the prosecution case is so streamlined this time around, the second trial, there are many fewer witnesses. What we have seen is a very strong emphasis on technical, on science, on data, on things like the dwindling battery power in John o' Keefe's cell phone the night he died, showing what the prosecution says that, you know, he lay out on the lawn, he was slowly dying of his injuries and hypothermia. And of course, we have another accident reconstructionist to come in the prosecution's case and he's expected to lay out exactly how prosecutors believe John o' Keefe was killed. And prosecutors hope that he'll wrap up the case for them.

[Vince Sterla]

It's all so fascinating. Thank you so much for bringing us this latest chapter in the Karen Reid retrial.

[Rachel White]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Vince Sterla]

Coming up, it's DATELINE roundup. We've got updates on the Menendez brothers fight for freedom and Lori Valo Debel is back in court. Plus, everything you didn't know about testifying in court anonymously.

[Rachel White]

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[Vince Sterla]

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[Andrea Canning]

Hi, Andrea.

[Vince Sterla]

Let's get right to it. First up, an update out of Pawpaw, Michigan in the Linda Stermer retrial. Rachel, quickly remind us about that case.

[Andrea Canning]

Sure. So Linda was accused of killing her husband, Todd Stermer by setting him on fire and then running him over with a van back in 2000. And as you mentioned, this was her second trial and now her second conviction.

[Vince Sterla]

Yeah. So she, she was convicted of his murder, as we reported on the podcast last month, and now we're back in court for sentencing.

[Andrea Canning]

That's right. And Todd's family was there. His mother, sister and brother all gave victim impact statements.

[Vince Sterla]

Todd's death was nearly 20 years ago. You could still sense how much his death has affected the family.

[Andrea Canning]

Definitely. Todd's sister told the court that one of the biggest heartbreaks in all of this for her is that there's no question that he suffered an excruciating and painful death. So she didn't mince words when she addressed Linda in court.

[Vince Sterla]

I have zero forgiveness in my heart for Linda, and I hope when death.

[Andrea Canning]

Comes for her, I hope it is as painful and as agonizing as the.

[Vince Sterla]

One you put Todd through. You deserve it. When it was Linda's turn to give a statement, what did she say?

[Andrea Canning]

She didn't apologize and gave no words of comfort for the family. She maintained that she's innocent and, you know, said that she was prepared for the battle ahead to clear her name. Okay.

[Vince Sterla]

And when handing down her sentence, the judge had some really strong words for Linda Stermer, murder is by its nature a monstrous deed, but the one you've.

[Andrea Canning]

Committed is even more gruesome than most. Yeah. And. And ultimately, the judge sentenced Sturmer to life without the possibility of parole, adding that only this sentence could, quote, protect others from Linda and deter others from committing similar conduct.

[Vince Sterla]

So up next, we are in Phoenix, where Lori Valo Deba was back in court ahead of her second criminal trial in Arizona. Rachel, as we know, Lori is facing charges of conspiring to murder her niece's ex husband, Brandon Boudreau. We talked about this last week, but quickly remind us again, what exactly happened to Brandon?

[Andrea Canning]

So according to investigators out of Gilbert, Arizona, someone parked a Jeep Wrangler outside of Brandon's home and fired A shot at him back in October 2019. Brandon wasn't hurt, but the bullet shattered the driver's side window of his car. Investigators believe that Lori's brother, Alex Cox, was the shooter, but he was never charged because he died before charges were even filed. Investigators did, however, charge Lori, who has pleaded not guilty.

[Vince Sterla]

As we mentioned last week, she's representing herself for the second time now. And at her most recent pre trial hearing, things got quite heated when Lori confronted the judge. Let's take a listen. I have to ask that you would recuse yourself from the obvious personal bias that you have against me. And what personal bias is that? A lot. Obviously, the personal bias that you're showing right now. Okay, well, I don't have any personal bias. All right, so you denied every single one of my motions since. For a year and a half that I've been here, every single one of my motions has been denied. And have any of those motions not have merit? I think I was here this morning.

[Sue Simpson]

About 15 minutes ago when I granted.

[Vince Sterla]

Your motion to meet with your attorneys.

[Sue Simpson]

Over the lunch hour.

[Andrea Canning]

And Andrea, this back and forth went on for a few more minutes. The judge said that he had ruled on Laurie's motions as required by law and refused to recuse himself.

[Vince Sterla]

When can we expect that trial to start, Rachel?

[Andrea Canning]

Opening statements are scheduled for June 2, and the trial is expected to last until June 13.

[Vince Sterla]

Okay, so for our final story, we are headed to Los Angeles for news in a case we've been talking about a lot recently. The Menendez brothers. They were convicted in 1996 for killing their parents. And they were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole until last week when a judge re sentenced them, making them eligible for parole. What is happening there now, Rachel?

[Andrea Canning]

The Menendez brothers were set to go before the parole board at a hearing on June 13th. That's the next big step in their quest for freedom. But this week, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said the brothers parole hearing has been delayed to Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.

[Vince Sterla]

Do we know why the delay?

[Andrea Canning]

The June 13 hearing wasn't initially supposed to be a parole hearing. It was a separate hearing for their efforts seeking clemency from California Governor Gavin Newsom. But when the brothers were resentenced last week, the parole board asked to convert that clemency hearing into a parole hearing. But when the parole board informed key parties involved in the case, including victims families, of the June date, some parties raised objections. So the parole hearing got moved to August.

[Vince Sterla]

Any idea what those objections were?

[Andrea Canning]

We don't know as of right now. But the brother's cousin, Anna Maria Baralt, who's been very vocal in supporting them, spoke out on TikTok and she said this actually isn't a bad thing.

[Vince Sterla]

This is actually a pretty good thing. Because as they have time to prepare, are the brothers still going to be in court June 13 for the clemency hearing then with all this happening, it's.

[Andrea Canning]

Unclear, but their clemency application is still active.

[Vince Sterla]

Okay, Rachel, thank you so much for these updates.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you for having me.

[Vince Sterla]

If you were paying attention to the opening statements at the federal trial of record executive Sean Diddy Combs, you'll have heard the prosecution talking about a witness known as Jane. We know she's a single mom. We know she is alleging that Combs abused her. What we don't know is her real name. She will be testifying as a Jane Doe. The defense attorneys for Sean Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, tried and failed to get the judge to force the woman to use her name. It made us think, when sharing deeply personal and sensitive information, how can witnesses be protected? And when does anonymity become something that's unfair for the defendant? Here to break it down for us is attorney Lindsey Goldbrum, a partner at Goddard Law who has represented several anonymous witnesses at high profile trials. Lindsey, thank you for joining us today.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Vince Sterla]

All right, so you are no stranger to representing clients who wish to remain anonymous in court proceedings, and there's a high profile case that you are involved with right now. Tell us a little bit about that case.

[Andrea Canning]

Yes. So my client, who is no longer anonymous, Kaya Sokola, testified against Harvey Weinstein in his current trial in Manhattan. Criminal. Leading up to the trial, after the indictment, she was known to the public only as Jane Doe. It wasn't until opening statements that her name was said in open court and people realized who she was.

[Vince Sterla]

Listeners may remember last week we talked about Kya's testimony at Weinstein's retrial on sex assault charges. He has pleaded not guilty and says Kaya's story is made up. So what changed, Lindsay? Why did Kaya decide to go public?

[Andrea Canning]

She always knew that she was going to allow that to happen. The problem is when you do reveal yourself to the public, you are going to be subject to a lot of noise, a lot of opinions. And so leading up to trial, it was important that she remain anonymous so that she could focus solely on her testimony and preparing for trial.

[Vince Sterla]

And so even Though the name might be Jane Doe. The defense team, of course, knows exactly who these people are.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah.

[Vince Sterla]

And it's important for the defense to prepare, you know, from their perspective. You know, obviously it helps them out a lot if they can figure out, like who these people are. Right. To prepare.

[Andrea Canning]

Absolutely.

[Vince Sterla]

Yeah. So Weinstein and Sean Combs, these high profile trials aren't the only ones where plaintiffs have sought anonymity. It happens quite a bit in these cases, right?

[Andrea Canning]

Absolutely. You see it in high profile cases more often. So you've seen it in various civil and criminal cases against not only Harvey Weinstein and Sean Combs, but also Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson.

[Vince Sterla]

What are the rules, legally speaking, when someone you know can and can't be anonymous? Is it kind of case by case basis with the judge?

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. So it's a case by case basis and it varies by jurisdiction. And so each jurisdiction has adopted some sort of balancing test that balances the right of the defendant, the privacy rights of the survivor, and then the right of the public to know.

[Vince Sterla]

Does this weigh into the judge's decision if revealing the person's identity could put them in danger?

[Andrea Canning]

That's probably one of the most important factors that a judge weighs is safety concerns, because it is the responsibility of the plaintiff or the Jane Doe to show that they have specialized circumstances that entitle them to remain anonymous. And so safety concerns, privacy concerns. I think you find that it's a bit easier when there are certain special issues, such as there's a minor involved, and so that's more likely to allow them to remain anonymous. But you also worry about emotional well being and professional consequences and family protection.

[Vince Sterla]

From everything you've told me, it's about trying to just strike the right balance between all the parties involved and whether it's the prosecution, the defense, the public, public, the judge, which does make it.

[Andrea Canning]

Difficult to advise clients because you can't guarantee that they're going to be able to remain anonymous because it's impossible to tell with any form of certainty which way a judge is going to rule.

[Vince Sterla]

Lindsey, thank you. It's so informative for you to break it down for us. We very much appreciate your time.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you having me on the show.

[Vince Sterla]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. Don't forget to check out our coverage of the Sean Combs trailer trial. Every day after court. I'm checking in with NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss about what she's seen, the witnesses, the evidence, and what it all means. And we're dropping those conversations in our podcast feed dedicated to all things Dateline True Crime Weekly. So search for Dateline True Crime Weekly wherever you get your podcasts and follow us to listen to that. If you 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 222-413-5252. Coming up this Friday on Dateline, we've got a classic Dennis Murphy story. The case of 12 year old Janelle Matthews who went missing from Greeley, Colorado in 1984. Her case went cold until 2019 when a construction crew at an oil pipeline found something. This is where this poor kid was for decades.

[Sue Simpson]

35 years. And think of the world that's changed while she was here. Summers. And here she is. Yes, getting rid of a body out here is extremely easy.

[Vince Sterla]

Would the culprit be brought to justice? Watch Dennis's episode Footprints in the Snow this Friday on NBC at 98 Central. Thanks for listening. To get ad free listening for all of our podcasts, subscribe to Dateline Premium. 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. Curlock 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 Kohl is senior executive producer of Dateline. All right, thanks everybody.

[Andrea Canning]

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[Vince Sterla]

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