Exhibit A

Summary

Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien: Episode "Exhibit A" - Detailed Summary

Introduction

In the episode "Exhibit A" of Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien, host Soledad O’Brien delves into one of America's most enigmatic unsolved mysteries: the 1964 murder of Mary Pinchot Meyer. Centered around the intersecting lives of two women from different racial and socio-economic backgrounds, the podcast explores the complex trial of Ray Crump, a Black man accused of Meyer's murder, and the groundbreaking defense mounted by civil rights lawyer Dovey Roundtree.

The Murder of Mary Pinchot Meyer

Mary Pinchot Meyer, a prominent painter and a close associate of President John F. Kennedy, was brutally murdered on a sunny day in 1964 while taking her daily walk along the Georgetown towpath. Her death sent shockwaves through the Georgetown community and the nation, raising numerous questions about motive and identity of the killer.

The Accusation against Ray Crump

Nine months after the murder, Ray Crump was put on trial as the primary suspect. As the only Black man accused in this high-profile case, Crump's trial became a focal point for discussions on race and justice in 1960s America.

The Trial Begins

The trial commenced with testimonies from key witnesses, including Henry Wiggins, a 24-year-old Black man and war veteran who claimed to have witnessed the murder. At [02:41], the narrator sets the scene:

"It had been nine months since Mary Meyer was shot in broad daylight on the Georgetown towpath. Her killer hadn't been brought to justice." ([02:41])

Key Testimonies and Evidence

Henry Wiggins' Testimony: At [06:25], a historian and legal expert highlights the significance of Wiggins' eyewitness account:

"According to author Ron Rosenbaum, it was good eyewitness testimony." ([06:30])

Wiggins described seeing a Black man standing over Meyer's body and later identifying Ray Crump as the perpetrator based on the resemblance of clothing.

Prosecutor's Strategy: Prosecutor Alfred Hantman leveraged Wiggins' testimony, presenting photographs and physical evidence to link Crump to the crime. At [06:49], the narrator explains:

"After hearing Henry's memory of the events, Hetman brought out several pieces of clothing... Wiggins testified they were the exact clothes he had seen on the man standing over Mary." ([06:49])

Dovey Roundtree's Defense Strategy

Dovey Roundtree, defying the odds in a racially charged courtroom, meticulously dismantled the prosecution's case. At [08:34], the historian notes:

"It was obviously a discrepancy between what people said about his height and weight and what in fact, it was." ([10:44])

Key moments in her defense included:

• Challenging Eyewitness Reliability: At [08:47], Dovey questioned Wiggins' ability to accurately identify Crump from 120 feet away behind a stone wall.

  "She held up the pants. Was he positive these were Ray's dark corduroy slacks? Yes, Henry answered he was positive." ([08:47])

• Highlighting Inconsistencies: She exposed contradictions in Wiggins' testimony regarding Crump's physical description, emphasizing the improbability of accurate identification from a distance.

• Personal Presence of the Defendant: Dovey made a strategic decision not to have Ray testify, which was pivotal in sowing reasonable doubt. At [20:03], the historian reflects:

  "And she takes a huge risk for her case, for Crump, for the future of black men who are going to be tried in this court, and decided to rest her case." ([20:03])

The Verdict

After 11 days of intense deliberations, the jury reached a unanimous verdict of not guilty for Ray Crump. At [25:20], the historian underscores the gravity of the outcome:

"And you can't place him on the scene. You can't convict him." ([25:25])

The courtroom erupted as Judge Corcoran announced:

"Members of the jury, we have your verdict, which states that you find the defendant, Ray Crump Jr. Not guilty..." ([25:25])

Crump's acquittal was hailed as a historic victory for Dovey Roundtree, especially given the racial tensions of the era.

Aftermath and Ray Crump's Life

Despite his acquittal, Ray Crump's life took a downward spiral:

• Personal Turmoil: Shortly after his release, his marriage dissolved, and his subsequent life was marred by multiple arrests and violent behaviors, including arson and threats against family members.

• Psychological Impact: Psychiatrist Terry Coopers discusses the detrimental effects of Solitary Confinement on individuals like Crump, suggesting that the trauma may have contributed to his later actions.

  "Solitary confinement damages human beings... Some individuals can't control their anger when they get out." ([32:15])

• Public Perception: While some viewed Crump as a fall guy who was wrongfully accused, others believed his post-acquittal criminal activities were indicative of his guilt in Meyer's murder.

At [34:38], Ron Rosenbaum provides insight:

"Because a jury has reasonable doubt does not mean that the person accused is innocent. Just means guilt was not proven." ([34:38])

Conclusion

Murder on the Towpath paints a poignant picture of justice, race, and personal downfall intertwined in Mary Pinchot Meyer's unsolved murder. Dovey Roundtree's legal acumen not only secured Crump's acquittal but also highlighted systemic biases within the judicial system. However, the case remains shrouded in mystery, with lingering questions about the true identity of Meyer's killer and the long-term repercussions for all parties involved.

The episode concludes by hinting at unresolved aspects of the case, including Mary's enigmatic diary and her connections to powerful individuals, setting the stage for future explorations in subsequent episodes.

---

This summary captures the essence of the "Exhibit A" episode, focusing solely on the narrative content and key discussions, while omitting advertisements and non-relevant segments.

Transcript

[Soledad O'Brien]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[T-Mobile Representative]

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[Narrator]

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[Soledad O'Brien]

We Latinos love to talk, but one thing we don't talk enough about colon cancer. Hi, it's Chikis and for me nothing is off limits, especially when colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in our community. But here's the good news. When caught early, it's more treatable in 90% of cases. So let's talk about it and do something about it. Ask your doctor if cologuard is right for you. You can learn [e-mail] proba or 1-844-870-8870. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk of colorectal cancer. Do not use a cologuard test if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. The cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur. Prescription only.

[Narrator]

It had been nine months since Mary Meyer was shot in broad daylight on the Georgetown towpath. Her killer hadn't been brought to justice. For Mary's family and friends, Ray's trial was their chance for some closure. Mary was a painter, a pacifist, a vital part of a Georgetown community of artists. In many ways, her life was just beginning. Her friend Cicely Angleton was back in the courtroom. Ray's mother, Martha, was sitting in the back of the courtroom with her church friends. When we last left the trial, Dovey had just won a big victory. She'd shown that Hantman's theory was bunk. He tried to say Ray had to be Mary's killer because there were only so many official exits off of the towpath. But Dovey had dismantled that argument. There were countless ways a phantom killer could have escaped the area. U.S. attorney Alfred Hantman called up Henry Wiggins. Wiggins to the bench. Henry Wiggins was a working man, a war veteran, an upstanding citizen. He had a lot of things going for him as a witness. After all, he was the one who'd heard the murder go down. Sure, he was a black man and it was the 1960s, but it was his word against another black man, and, well, the scales were tipping in his direction. Now that Ray looked like he was a liar. The kind of man who skipped work. The kind of man whose friend would testify against him. Henry was the prosecution's backbone, Dovey thought. The car mechanic looked younger in person than his photograph in the paper. And he was young, only 24 years old. He had been in the military police corps in Korea. When he took the stand, you could tell he was a soldier. He was confident and calm. He knew how to follow orders. Henry told the prosecutor what happened. He and his colleague were affixing a stalled AMC Rambler near the Esso station on Canal Road. No one knew whose Rambler it actually was or how it was even left there in the first place. It was around 12:25 when they heard a scream. A scream that went on for 20 seconds. Then a gunshot. After less than a fraction of a second, Henry said he crossed the road toward the stone wall. Then he heard the second gunshot. He looked over the wall around 120ft or so away and got a glance of a Black man standing over a woman's body. After he saw the killer, he ducked behind the barrier. Then he peeked back over to get a second look. That's when he saw the man put a dark object into his jacket pocket and saunter off into the woods. Henry called the police. When they arrived, he described the man he saw. He was of medium build, around 5 foot 8 in height, weighing about 185 pounds. Around that time, Officer Warner, one of the detectives on the scene, was walking below with a man. They were heading toward the murder scene. Henry saw them from above on Canal Road. It was the same man he saw standing over the victim's body. That's when Henry pointed to the man and said, that's him. The prosecution was playing their hand.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Well, it wasn't merely eyewitness testimony.

[Narrator]

According to author Ron Rosenbaum, it was good eyewitness testimony.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

I mean, there's a spectrum of eyewitness testimony. And he did identify him shortly after Crump was arrested. So I think those were the strongest elements in the case.

[Narrator]

After hearing Henry's memory of the events, Hetman brought out several pieces of clothing. Shoes, a white jacket, dark corduroy pants, and a cap Ray wore that day. The district jail confiscated Ray's pants and shoes after his arrest. Wiggins testified they were the exact clothes he had seen on the man standing over Mary. Meyer. Hantman had all the pieces in place. Now he was putting it together for the jury. He pointed to Ray and asked Henry if that was the man he saw standing over Mary's crumpled body. Yes, sir, henry said. This is Murder on the Towpath, A story of two incredible women who never met, but whose lives became forever intertwined by tragedy. I'm your host, Soledad o' Brien. This episode, we take you back into the courtroom where we finally hear the verdict of Ray Crump's trial. Dovey approached the wooden bench. It was her turn to cross examine the star witness. She seized on a phrase. Henry just said to the courtroom that he only got a glimpse of the killer. She asked him if he remembered saying that. Yes, he did. Dovey spotted a weakness in Henry's testimony because earlier that day, Henry told Hantman he was sure the clothes the officer brought out in front of the courtroom were raised. Here's Bob Bennett again. You'll recall he was the clerk to.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

The judge, and he had the fellow identify Crump's shoes. And that seemed a little unbelievable because it was, you know, a long distance away.

[Narrator]

And Henry had just said he only got a glance of the killer. She Brought on the questions. If Henry was looking at the murder scene 120ft away behind a stone wall, could he really know he was looking at the exact same clothes? She went one by one with each article of clothes. Clothing. She held up the pants. Was he positive these were Ray's dark corduroy slacks? Yes, Henry answered he was positive. What about the cap? Was this the cap Ray wore? Yes. How about these black shoes? Yep, that's correct. Dovey zeroed in on the shoes because lots of men wear black shoes. It's pretty hard to tell the difference unless you look closely at the details. Henry admitted he couldn't tell what kind of design the black shoe had from where he was standing. Dovey emphasized this to the jury. You can't tell the design, she said. No, he knew the shoe was black, but he couldn't tell the style. Henry was contradicting himself. He had just said he was positive that the killer wore the same black shoes Ray wore when arrested. But now he was saying it's too hard to decipher shoe details. From a distance, his fragile argument was resembling Ray's dark, frayed, corduroy pants. Dovey merely tugged one of its loose threads and Henry's testimony slowly unraveled. Before the courtroom, she went in for the kill. Dovey asked Henry if he remembered testifying earlier that Ray was 5 foot 8 and weighed 185 pounds. Sure, of course he did. The whole courtroom had just heard him testify that to Hantman, it was really a bit of a trap.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

He was described as this really large man who, you know, weighed nearly 200 pounds.

[Narrator]

That's historian Alexis Coe.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Crump was small. He was, you know, about five. Five. I think he was about roundtree size, maybe 130 pounds.

[Narrator]

Dovey pressed on. She asked Henry to look at Ray. Now, Ray was the thin, small man sitting at the defense table. Henry admitted it. He wouldn't describe Ray as he had described the killer. Here's Bob Bennett.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

It was obviously a discrepancy between what people said about his height and weight and what in fact, it was. So Dovey made a big deal about that.

[Narrator]

If it wasn't an accurate statement, Did Henry lie in the court of law? He said he tried as best he could to remember. Dovey thought he had a clear view of the killing. She asked Henry what Ray was wearing that day. He responded, I didn't look at him that hard. The courtroom went still. She held the room. And then she asked Henry one final question. She asked him if he had ever looked at the murderer hard. Just like that, the star witness flopped his certainty.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

It all sort of fell apart.

[Narrator]

On the stand, Hantman's last hope was to dispute Ray's height. He said there was a reason that Ray appeared taller that day. His shoes had an unusually tall heel that gave him a good 2 inches more to his 5 foot 5. In court, Hantman brought out these quote, built up shoes. They're a vanity thing some short men use to bolster their height. He waved them in front of the jury, pointing to the heels. There are 2 inches of heel on these shoes, he declared. If Ray was 5 foot 5 and he had some help from these shoes that would get him to 5 foot 7. This is what gave Wiggins the idea he saw a man 5ft 8 inches tall. This was his last chance. Hantman was exasperated. He asked the jury if this would really come down to a back and forth over a half inch or so. It was a good question. Only time would tell whether Dovey had sown enough doubt into his star witness's testimony. Foreign.

[T-Mobile Representative]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them we can be connected here and there.

[Narrator]

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[T-Mobile Representative]

And enjoy the gift of staying connected. Switch and start saving today. Get four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones with Galaxy AI on us and four lines for just 25 bucks per line plus nonstop contacts and data between us and Mexico. Visit a store t mobile.com or call 1-800-T-Mobile 1-800-T-Mobile. See details@t mobile.com if you own a.

[Rocket Mortgage Representative]

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[Tucson Tourism Representative]

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[Narrator]

Had her ways of decompressing after a stressful day in court. Each evening she ventured outside to her back porch. She sipped on some lemonade in the hot, muggy DC Air, and she took notes on the day's proceedings in her legal pad. Dovey still had to present her own evidence and witnesses to the court. That particular evening, she was wondering if she should put Rey on the bench. If she put him on the stand, it would become clear that he wasn't calculating enough to pull off a murder in broad daylight.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

The winning card here was that she was going to put Crump on the stand. And while she was nervous about the cross examination, she was sure that he would appear to everyone else, to the jury, to the witnesses present that day, to reporters. The way that he had appeared to her, to put it in the most basic terms simple that he lacked the resources, the motivation and sort of the wherewithal to murder this. This random woman.

[Narrator]

Her colleagues disagreed. They thought the prosecution would decimate him. Debbie believed Ray had intellectual disabilities. She worried he couldn't go toe to toe with someone like Hantman. It was during these nights, sometime after midnight, that Dovey's phone would ring. When she answered it, she could hear someone on the other end, but they were silent. She just heard breathing.

[Tucson Tourism Representative]

You see how she was threatened?

[Soledad O'Brien]

A little bit. It was dangerous.

[Narrator]

That's Patricia Bradford, a congregant from Dovey's church. These lingering calls happened multiple times throughout Ray's trial. Dovey had the sinking suspicion some people didn't want her to win this case. The next day, Dovey took the elevator up to the fourth floor of the courthouse. A black woman was operating the elevator. As the floors ticked up, she told Dovey something that would alter her entire defense strategy.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

The prosecution is delighted at the chance to cross examine him.

[Narrator]

The black elevator attendant overheard Hantman and his colleague talking about wanting the opportunity to question Ray. The attendant told Dovey, people say things in front of certain people, black people, that they wouldn't say in front of others. Call it arrogance or just a big mistake. But Hantman had clearly underestimated this elevator attendant. It was the kind of break Dovey needed. She entered the courtroom and started her defense as she would with any other case evidence. Her exhibit A was Ray Crump himself. She told the jury this was not the man Hantman's witnesses described. Just look at him. Here he was all but 5 foot 5, a small, slender man sitting before them. Then she brought on three character witnesses for Ray. A member of Ray's family, a member of his church and a neighbor. They all said that Ray was known as a peaceful man in his community. Hantman Cross examined each character witness. He tried to show the jury that they barely knew Ray, that they couldn't attest to his character. But the witnesses stood firm that they did know Ray and had grown up with him. Even according to them, he was no killer.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

And she has to make a game time decision.

[Narrator]

After hearing what went on inside the elevator, Dovey had to decide was she going to have Ray testify?

[Historian or Legal Expert]

And instead she gets up and she tells the judge, I rest my case.

[Narrator]

Ray didn't testify and she just leaves it at that.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

So that the prosecution, who had planned on cross examining Crump, is left totally scrambling. They have no idea what to do in that moment.

[Narrator]

Hantman even admitted. So he approached the bench and said he was caught flat footed. He never anticipated in his wildest dreams that Dubby would rest her case. He was sure that Ray would be called to testify. But this, this was the worst case scenario for the prosecutors.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

They had this privilege, they sort of thought they had it in the bag. And she never felt that comfortable. There was no hubris here. She came prepared for sort of every situation. The fact that they didn't was, I think, a big surprise to her.

[Narrator]

The courtroom was stunned, too. The decision to not put Ray on the stand sped things up dramatically.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

I don't think she knew how powerful it was to make that decision that day at that exact moment. And so she took a huge risk for her case, for Crump, for the future of black men who are going to be tried in this court, and decided to rest her case.

[Narrator]

In his closing statements, Hantman made one final plea to the jury. He told them, mary was shot to death by Ray after a struggle in which she, quote, tried to preserve her very existence. This was a crime of, quote, malicious mischief. He closed by asking the jury to find Ray guilty of first degree murder. He sat back down. The court went into recess. Ray Crump's future was now in the hands of the jury. The 12 jurors deliberated through the evening for more than seven hours. Did Ray Crump kill Mary Pinchot Meyer, a fervent pacifist, a painter coming into her own? Someone had to be held responsible for her nonsensical death. But would that person be Rey? There was a strong debate in the room. With so much of the public's eye on this case, I can't even imagine the pressure the jurors faced. After more than seven hours, the foreman told judge Corcoran they were at a standstill.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

They originally sent a note to the judge saying they were deadlocked at 8 to 4, but they didn't say 8 to 4 which way? And the judge told them, go back and get this done. And they came back and said, we're still deadlocked. And then the judge really gave them a lecture and said, you give me a verdict.

[Narrator]

It was already 10:30 at night. He told the jury to go home. They'd continue their deliberations in the morning. The next day, the jury resumed. In a way, they also retraced Mary's steps, though they couldn't go to the towpath. They used photographs and maps to pore over the evidence, trying to put the pieces together on how Mary was killed and who might have done it. After 11 hours of back and forth over two days, they reached a decision. Everyone returned to the courtroom. The trial had lasted 11 days, and now there was a conclusion. Ray's mother, Martha, had been at the trial every day, but she couldn't be there for the Actual announcement. It was too much for her. So she waited in the courthouse corridor. Ray sat motionless throughout the trial. But now standing, waiting for his verdict, he was swaying. Judge Corcoran commended the prosecution and defense for presenting both sides of the case. Then the foreman offered the written verdict to the judge. Corcoran told the jury to rise. He said, members of the jury, we have your verdict, which states that you find the defendant, Ray Crump Jr. Not guilty, and this is your verdict, so say you. Each and all the jurors nodded. Corcoran told crump, you are a free man. Ray's eyes were closed. It almost looked like he was fainting. Then he and Dovey hugged. Here was a man who'd been in jail for nearly a year. He was in solitary confinement. He could have faced the death penalty if found guilty. And now he could finally go home. In the corridor, Ray's mother, Martha, held back tears. She and her friends praised the Lord, singing hallelujah through the courtroom. She thanked the Lord for returning her son back to her jury said they couldn't place him on the scene that day.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

And you can't place him on the scene. You can't convict him. You got to be there.

[Narrator]

The jury didn't believe Ray was Mary's killer, and Dovey helped everyone see it and managed to present her entire defense in 20 minutes, no less. That's right. Her entire defense was that quick because of her strategic decision not to put Ray on the stand. On July 31, 1965, the New York Times reported the verdict. The headline read, washington Negro freed in murder. If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is. That in itself proves how historic this win was. Here was a black woman who could barely walk around Georgetown without people raising their eyebrows because of her race. And yet she had just won a case against a powerful white prosecutor who had the state and all of its resources behind him. Here's Bob Bennett again.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

And in this particular case, the defendant was acquitted, largely because of effective lawyering on the part of Dovey Roundtree. That was a big win for her, and it sort of solidified her already good reputation.

[Narrator]

Soon, judges began appointing her murder murder cases left and right.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

I had more criminal cases, murder cases than I could ever, ever, ever deal with. And in fact, I reached a point I wouldn't take anymore.

[Narrator]

At last, the legal community gave her respect. Letters came in from all over the country congratulating Dovey on her big courtroom success. A friend from St. Louis wrote her a note shortly after the verdict.

[Ray Crump]

He said, you are a great lawyer and I'm very proud of you because you won a very difficult case and saved the life of an innocent man. Ms. Pinchot was a woman of the highest rank. Besides, she was white and a distinguished artist. And Crump, the alleged slayer, was a Negro. The judge was white, yet you won. Congratulations. Oh, wonderful girl.

[Narrator]

But not everyone was happy with the verdict. People like Bob Bennett and I remember.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Feeling that, you know, a guilty man got off of a brutal murder and I was very upset about it. And other people, I'm sure, felt the same way.

[Narrator]

Other people did feel that way, like Mary's family and friends. Cicely Angleton sat in the back of the courtroom when she heard the news. She was stoic. And several days after the trial, Ben Bradley called Hantman, asking him what went wrong. Why did Ray get off? We couldn't find any records of Mary's ex husband, Cord, or their sons being at the trial. A few sources told us Mary's family thought the prosecution was going after the right man all along. Maybe when the judge granted raise freedom, they felt like they were watching the murderer slip through their hands. It had to be devastating. We reached out to the Meyer family. A producer of ours spoke with one of Mary's sons on the phone. But he and the family declined to speak for this podcast. What if, in their eyes, the man who killed their beloved Mary went unpunished and now he was going home?

[T-Mobile Representative]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them, we can be connected here and there.

[Narrator]

Dad, the cousins of Mexico. I have a surprise for you.

[T-Mobile Representative]

And enjoy the gift of staying connected. Switch and start saving today. Get four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones with Galaxy AI on us and four lines for just 25 bucks per line. Plus non stop talk, text and data between us and Mexico. Visit a store t mobile.com or call 1-800-t-mobile 1-800-t-MOBILE. See details@t mobile.com if you own a.

[Rocket Mortgage Representative]

Home, here's an interesting fact for you.

[Narrator]

Today.

[Rocket Mortgage Representative]

American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright, the value you can tap to fund other life goals.

In fact, the average Rocket Mortgage homeowner has about 170,000 in untapped equity available now. Rocket Mortgage can help you understand what home equity is and how to use it wisely for what matters to you.

They've made it easier than ever to turn your home equity into cash with Rocket Mortgage. So now the home you worked so hard for can work hard for you in plenty of different ways.

Home equity can help you fund home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition or pay off and consolidate high interest debt from credit cards.

To learn more just call 804Rocket or visit Rocket.com today.

Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states nmlsconsumeraccess.org Number 3030 178,000 Average equity is based on internal Rocket mortgage servicing date Hola Todos tienen.

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[Tucson Tourism Representative]

A city that stays with you. And it's not just the majestic saguaros and breathtaking mountain views. Let's start with the food. Tucson is home to great Mexican food. It's a UNESCO's City of Gastronomy. With 4000 years of gastronomic traditions, the Old Pueblo's culinary roots run deep. History is everywhere here. Stroll through Barrio Viejo's colorful adobe homes, visit the iconic Mission San Javier, or explore downtown, where every street has a piece of the past waiting to be discovered. Tucson is a blend of indigenous Mexican, Spanish and American influences, creating this vibrant community full of art and music and celebration. From lively festivals to local galleries and performances, there's always something to experience. Tucson isn't just a destination. It's an opportunity to connect with the land, with the past, and with the people who make it so special. Start planning your adventure [e-mail] Viva.

[Narrator]

Even if Mary's family thought it was unfair, Ray was now a free man. He had still been punished. He was locked up for nearly a year, and we know that at least some of it was in solitary confinement. His life would never be the same. He was irrevocably changed by being locked away.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Solitary confinement damages human beings.

[Narrator]

That's Terry Coopers. He studies prison conditions, including solitary confinement. He's a psychiatrist at the Wright Institute.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Some of them have trouble with their anger and they get into explosive and they can be assaultive states of mind and get into trouble later. So it's not the case that everybody who's been in solitary is violent. I want to make that very clear. However, there are some individuals who can't control their anger when they get out. And I do hear stories about people who were never violent before they were in solitary but had a problem with violence after.

[Narrator]

This could be what happened to Ray. The trauma of jail time pardoned him. After the trial, he was a free man, but no longer the man he had been. Shortly after returning home, Ray and his wife Helena split up for good. She hadn't visited him in jail at first. Rey returned to his routine. He went back to his construction jobs. He worked to lay the foundations for D.C. buildings that lawyers and journalists work in to this day. But four years after his acquittal, his life would never be the same. Ray was never a criminal before being locked up, but after, something changed. After he was acquitted for Mary Meyer's death, He was arrested 22 times. Some were petty crimes, but others were very serious. In 1971, he remarried. He and his new wife moved in together with her four children in Maryland. We don't know much about their family life, but things got bad enough that at one point, Ray turned on his wife.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Once he set fire to an apartment where she was with the children that they had had in common.

[Narrator]

He was arrested again. He pled guilty to malicious burning and went to jail for two months, followed by rehab for alcohol. He threatened other women in his life and was arrested multiple times for vandalism and arson, setting fire to homes and cars. For many people, these crimes were a sign that Ray had killed Mary but just gotten away with it. Here's Ron Rosenbaum.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Because a jury has reasonable doubt does not mean that the person accused is innocent. Just means guilt was not proven. I think that's the case. You know, I'm open to the idea it's possible that some phantom killer slipped in and murdered her. Some guy wearing the same kind of clothes as Ray Crump, et cetera, et cetera. You know, I believe in the jury.

[Narrator]

System, Ray pled guilty to a bunch of crimes. It was serious. But it's hard not to think about Ray's mental state after the spectacle of Mary's trial. Here's Terry Coopers.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Again, if you're intellectually incapacitated, the effects of solitary are going to be even worse.

[Narrator]

Some would say Ray made the perfect fall guy, but it cost him dearly.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

And so when you look at someone like Ray Crump who finds himself in the middle of a case which clearly the authorities to be want someone to pay and they. They want to close it really quickly. Someone who has not had an easy time up until that moment, and then you see them absolutely ruined by it. As a historian, it's a pattern you're familiar with. But every time it's. It's shocking and it's devastating because these are real people. Their lives were ruined.

[Narrator]

There are some historical figures whose lives and stories are immortalized. Dubby wrote a memoir about her life. Mary didn't get to tell her story on her terms, but she's been written about extensively. But Ray, he was at the center of this whole trial, and yet his story is mostly untold. We don't know if his relatives consider him a man who was wrongfully accused of Mary's murder or if they have their own doubts. His relatives never returned our invitations to speak for this podcast. Aside from his criminal record, we really don't know what happened to him or his family.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

He's not fleshed out for you. And you remember, right? This guy had a mom, he had five children. He had a wife. All of these people suffered. There were, you know, two victims that day. There was Mary Meyer and there was Ray Crump Jr. You know, Crump was acquitted, but he never stopped paying for it.

[Narrator]

The one thing we do have is a letter. It's addressed to Dovey. On August 10, 1965, 10 days after Ray was acquitted.

[Ray Crump]

Dear Mrs. Dovey Rountree, just a few lines to say hello and thank you very much. I hope that everyone is fine, for I am grateful to all of you. At the present time, I'm doing all right and so far I had no trouble and things are looking good for me right now. I hope they are the same with you. I'm sending you the balance on my account. Sorry for being so long, but I had to get to work. And I say thank you. Thank you. Yours truly, Raymond Crump.

[Narrator]

And so, knowing what we know about Ray, that a jury found him not guilty, but his future involved bad behavior. We're still left wondering, if it wasn't Ray, then who could have murdered Mary Pinchot Meyer? Her killing left so many unanswered questions, it was only a matter of time before people filled in the gaps. Mary was a woman who had the ear of some of the most powerful people in the country. Journalists, government officers, a sitting US President. What did she know? Was it enough to cost her her life? Oh, and did we mention the diary?

[Historian or Legal Expert]

Mary had expressed a desire that if anything ever happened to be that diary be destroyed.

[Narrator]

We'll get to all of that and more on next week's. Episode of Murder on the Towpath from Luminary. Murder on the Towpath is a production of Film Nation Entertainment in association with Neon Hum Media. Our executive producers are me, Soledad o' Brien, Alyssa Martino, Milan Popelka and Jonathan Hirsch. Lead producer is Shara Morris. Associate producers are Natalie Ryn and Lucy Licht. Senior editor is Catherine St. Louis Music and composition by Andrew Epen Sound design and mixing by Scott Somerville Fact checking by Laura Bullard Special thanks to Allison Cohen, Sarah Vacchiano, Rose Arce, Kate Mishkin, Ronald Young Jr. And Michaela Cella if.

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[Tucson Tourism Representative]

To check out McDonald's new McCrispy strips. It's chicken made for dipping. We're talking juicy and peppery breaded chicken. It's so good, it's got its own dip, the Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip. It's creamy, sweet and spicy all at once. You'll be like, dip, bite, dip bite. So good. Or you can dip them in any of our sauces because it's chicken made for dipping. New McCrispy strips only at McDonald's Tucson is a city that stays with you. The food here isn't just a meal, it's a legacy. And whether it's the kick of a chiltepin, which is a very hot pepper for those of you who don't know or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog after a night out on the town, every dish has a story to tell. And beyond the culinary journey, each neighborhood offers a glimpse into a rich tapestry of cultures blending into the Sonoran Desert. Tucson isn't just a getaway, it's a journey into heritage and a community that feels like home. Learn more at visit tucson.org Viva @.

[Historian or Legal Expert]

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[Narrator]

I don't know if I'm in the right career ew.

[Rocket Mortgage Representative]

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[Historian or Legal Expert]

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[Soledad O'Brien]

This is an iHeart podcast.