MK True Crime – Episode Summary

Episode: Diddy Release DELAYED, Cheerleader’s Death on Cruise, and Bizarre Antics of Missing 9-Year-Old's Mom
Date: November 14, 2025
Host: Mark Geragos (B), Matt Murphy (C), Phil Holloway (A)

Overview

In this episode, the MK True Crime panel tackles a high-profile mix of stories: the delayed release of Diddy (Sean Combs) from prison due to alleged infractions, the mysterious death of an 18-year-old cheerleader on a cruise ship, and the increasingly strange case involving the mother of a missing 9-year-old girl in California. The hosts also debate controversial legal issues, discuss the role of eyewitness testimony, and field listener questions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Diddy's Prison Infractions & Release Delay

• Start of Segment: [00:58]
• Diddy, former client of Mark, is delayed in release from Fort Dix due to two issues: alleged "drinking hooch from the toilet" (later refuted), and making forbidden three-way calls.
• Matt Murphy observes, "I just don't understand, Mark, why the guy can't stay out of trouble." [02:02]
• Phil notes that these infractions are common and relatively minor, but matter for parole eligibility: "If they kept people in jail an extra month every time that happened, nobody would ever get out of jail." [03:01]
• Discussion of how judges view such infractions and whether they jeopardize parole. Mark highlights Diddy's pending appeal on two main issues: sentencing based on acquitted conduct, and misapplication of the Mann Act—even though chances of success seem slim. [05:42]
• Discussion about the RDAP (Residential Drug Abuse Program) and how infractions can affect early release benefits.
• Humor throughout about prison-made wine ("pruno") and the absurdity of Diddy’s repeated rule-breaking.
  • “[Diddy] was prosecuted for three ways and then he's in prison…” [08:52]

2. Celeste Rivas Hernandez: Dismembered Body Case

• Start of Segment: [09:37]
• The LA case involves 13-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered corpse was found in a car, yet there’s only a charge of ‘concealment of a death.’
• Matt Murphy: “She didn’t dismember herself. …I want to believe that the LAPD behind the scenes is doing this right? But…this involves a lot more than just improper disposal of human remains…” [10:31]
• Mark and Matt compare differences in vertical prosecution approaches between LA and Orange Counties, with Orange favoring more DA involvement in investigations.
• Phil cites private investigator criticism that police haven’t even looked into the relationship between Celeste and adult singer “David.” [13:41]
• Mark points out practical constraints on prosecuting statutory rape cases and that resource allocation plays a role. [14:40]

3. Fraser Bohm Case: Malibu Crash and Implied Malice Murder

• Start of Segment: [15:36]
• Four Pepperdine students were killed in a high-speed crash; Bohm charged with implied malice murder (murder without explicit intent, but with reckless disregard for life).
• Matt explains the nuances: “If somebody has subjective knowledge that something's inherently dangerous...and do it anyway, you can be charged with a murder.” [16:21]
• Alan Jackson (defense attorney) appears in video: “Speed cannot be treated as malice. That is the rule in the state of California.” [18:44]
• Mark adds, “Prosecutors have pushed that, pushed the envelope, so that now…attending traffic school [can supply] the mens rea… to imply malice.” [20:10]
• Phil: “I like to describe malice as an ‘abandoned and malignant heart’…you gotta take speed along with all the other factors that may be present in the case.” [22:28]
• They analyze prosecutor and defense positions, discuss extreme possible sentencing ranges, and the complexities for juries in such emotionally fraught cases. [24:20–26:33]

4. Cheerleader’s Death on Carnival Cruise

• Start of Segment: [28:40]
• Anna Harper, 18, found dead on Carnival Horizon after the ship returns from Caribbean; unknown cause pending autopsy.
• Phil: “We have too many kids dying on cruise ships, it seems to me.” [29:15]
• Mark jokes, “Nothing ever good happens on a cruise ship…they’re kind of a teeming mass of hormones, testosterone and everything else. Bad decisions, unlimited booze…not a great combination.” [29:30]
• FBI visibly involved, but Matt urges caution: “It could be an OD, could be natural death. …It’s a collage… She looks like she went through some sort of emotional distress…maybe that played in or maybe it didn’t.” [30:55]
• Likening it to Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile,” he notes the investigation’s complexity given cruise ship environment, surveillance gaps, and high number of potential witnesses.

5. Missing 9-Year-Old Melody Buzzard: Custody, Mental Health, & Bizarre Antics

• Start of Segment: [32:45]
• Nine-year-old Melody Buzzard missing in the Santa Barbara area for several weeks; rumors her mother, showing erratic/maybe mentally ill behavior and poor “taste in wigs,” fled with her, possibly to Utah. [33:37]
• Phil: “He [alleged victim of false imprisonment] says the mother is extremely paranoid…she’s got mental problems…what is going on with this case?”
• Matt and Mark debate the “classic” elements of custody/family law disputes magnifying personal instability:
  • Mark: “When you hear that they’re wearing wigs, going to the border, coming back without [the child]…I’ve seen this 100 times. …Family law amplifies mental health issues.” [35:19]
• Phil’s darker theory: “A parent has somehow…delivered a child into the hands of someone…who might do that child harm.” [36:05]
• Matt: “You’d think at this point, with all the pressure, if there was an actual human out there taking care of this girl…there’d be enough heat…that they’d step forward.” [37:24]

6. Mailbag: GPS Ankle Monitors for At-Risk Runaways

• Start of Segment: [43:26]
• Listener from D.C. asks why California doesn’t use ankle monitors for chronic runaway juveniles.
• Matt: “She's a runaway, but she hasn’t…committed a crime. …It’s something our legislature should address. …Do I think California is going to…require that? I can't see that ever happening.” [43:31]
• Mark jokes: “Imagine if someone introduced legislation for an ankle monitor or implanting a chip into the child like they do on a lot of pets…” [44:49]
• Phil explains options for parents in Georgia and contrasts with more “independence” in California law. [45:33]

7. Rants: Eyewitness Testimony, Media Truth, & Evidence

• Start of Segment: [46:17]

Phil’s Rant on Eyewitness Testimony

• Eyewitness testimony is not as reliable as widely believed due to flaws in human memory and effects of stress, leading questions, and weapon focus.
• “The Innocence project says 69% of over 375 DNA exonerations are due to eyewitness errors. …Eyewitness testimony is not all bad…[but needs] corroboration. …It can be flawed.” [49:40]

Matt’s Rant on The Truth in Media & Justice

• Journalistic editing and selective disclosure can twist truth, citing recent media editing of Trump’s statements and, closer to home, DA’s office leaking text messages out of context for sensationalism.
• “It is a friggin lie. …The truth should matter…whether it’s the President…or my client… Injustice results from [misrepresentation]. The truth matters and people’s lives are at stake.” [50:25–52:39]

Mark’s Rant: Direct vs. Circumstantial Evidence

• Draws lesson from the two previous rants, warns against leaping to conclusions based on circumstantial evidence filtered by one’s political or team bias.
• “Try to stand back…look at what the words are, the context and who’s doing it. Because that’s what you have to do when you’re a juror—and that’s what you have to do if you’re going to be fair.” [55:13]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Diddy in Prison:
  • “He was prosecuted for three ways and then he's in prison?” – Mark [08:52]
  • “If they kept people in jail an extra month every time [three-way calling] happened, nobody would ever get out.” – Phil [03:01]
• On the Celeste Hernandez Case:
  • “She didn’t dismember herself. …this involves a lot more than just improper disposal of human remains…” – Matt [10:31]
• On Implied Malice Murder:
  • “Speed cannot be treated as malice. That is the rule in the state of California.” – Alan Jackson (defense attorney), via video [18:44]
• On Eyewitness Reliability:
  • “Eyewitness testimony is…far more unreliable than most people realize. Human memory is…susceptible to distortion at every stage.” – Phil [46:17–49:40]
  • “The Innocence Project says that 69% of over 375 DNA exonerations are due to eyewitness errors.” [49:40]
• On Truth in Media:
  • “Whether it’s Donald Trump or …my client, the truth should matter. …It’s so easy in the digital era…to blend things, to edit things creatively and to completely change the meaning.” – Matt [50:25–52:39]

Timestamps – Important Segments

• Diddy’s Prison Issues: [00:58]–[09:05]
• Celeste Hernandez Dismembered Body Case: [09:37]–[15:36]
• Fraser Bohm Malibu Crash (Malice Murder): [15:36]–[26:33]
• Cheerleader’s Death on Cruise Ship: [28:40]–[32:45]
• Missing 9-Year-Old Melody Buzzard: [32:45]–[39:00]
• Megyn Kelly Live Tour Mention: [40:29]–[43:26]
• Listener Mailbag (Ankle Monitors): [43:26]–[46:17]
• Rants (Eyewitness, Media, Evidence): [46:17]–[55:43]

Tone & Conclusion

The episode is a lively, sometimes irreverent, but always thoughtful legal roundtable tackling grave true crime, criminal justice controversies, and media ethics. The trio’s familiarity with both law and each other shines through, mixing technical explanations, personal war stories, professional skepticism, and empathy for victims and accused alike.

For those who haven’t listened: This episode offers sharp analysis, candid perspectives, and engaging banter on recent true crime cases at the intersection of law, media, and public fascination. The hosts’ deep expertise is balanced by real-world insight, humor, and a strong call for fairness—whether you’re on the bench, in the jury box, or just following along at home.