The Knife: A True Crime Podcast

Episode: “A Preventable Tragedy”

Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Patia Eaton (Hannah Smith on hiatus)
Guest: Michael Foot, Attorney & Host of "Brief Recess"

Episode Overview

This episode examines the murder of Lauren Johansson, focusing on the legal and systemic failures that allowed accused abuser Bryson Rivers to be released on bond—ultimately leading to Lauren’s death. Host Patia Eaton is joined by attorney Michael Foot, who provides detailed legal analysis and insight into how gaps in the bond, court, and monitoring systems contributed to this “preventable tragedy.” The episode is framed as an exploration of not just the crime, but its devastating ripple effects and the shortcomings of the justice system.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: The Lives of Lauren Johansson and Bryson Rivers

• Lauren’s Story

  • Born in 2001 to a loving family (10:22)
  • Attended University of Southern Mississippi for nursing; high-achieving student (13:05)
  • Volatile relationship with Bryson Rivers since high school, escalating to abuse (10:47–13:22)

• Dynamic of Abusive Relationships

  • Michael speaks candidly about his experiences and how “abusers are relentless and want to find their way back in.” (12:33)
  • Abuse is about control, not love: “It's not about someone's level of intelligence…these abusers are really relentless and want to find their way back in, and it's often subversive.” [Patia, 12:33]

2. The December 2023 Attack in Nashville

• After an argument during a trip to Nashville, Bryson attacks Lauren in a parking lot, violently beating her and holding her hostage (14:29–14:54)

• Lauren manages to call her parents, providing critical evidence and allowing police to find her using the Life360 app (17:26–18:14)

• Michael highlights the rarity and impact of such physical and digital evidence in domestic violence cases (19:19)

  “Physical evidence is always gonna be better than testimony...so seeing this and hearing that, knowing there was a phone call, knowing that there was body cam footage, I think from the police and having that DNA evidence is just like...extraordinary, like slam dunk.”
  —Michael Foot, [19:19]

3. Legal Proceedings: Arrest, Charges, and the Bail System

• Charges: Bryson arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, stalking, and coercion of a witness (20:04)

• Bond Set: Initial bond at $251,000, described as high due to the severity (20:23)

• Bail Process Explained: Michael outlines the “absolutely unhinged” bail bondsman system and its inherently inequitable and risky nature (20:57–24:43)

  “Judges determine bond amounts...most people don’t have a quarter million dollars sitting at a bank account, so they go to a bail bondsman...It's kind of like this little bit of a gamble, but it's quite lucrative for a lot of people.” —Michael Foot, [20:57]

• Bond Lowered: Despite Lauren’s father warning that “if you let Bryson Rivers out, he will kill my daughter,” Judge Cheryl Blackburn reduces the bond to $150,000 (25:49–26:30; 28:09–31:05)

  “This is an unusual decision for a judge to lower bond based off this evidence...judges are usually pretty quick to leave bond where it is, especially because we have this robust bondsman business.”
  —Michael Foot, [30:23]

4. Systemic Failures: Gaps in Monitoring and Communication

• Bonding and GPS Monitoring Mishaps:

  • Bryson’s mother pays two companies to post bond; he’s released just after 4pm—too late for the GPS company to properly install his monitor (34:44–35:20)
  • The monitor installer, working several jobs, takes Bryson’s word on his release conditions, allowing him to travel out of state (38:09–39:52)
  • Communication breakdowns: The clerk’s office fails to send full release conditions to monitoring agencies (53:51–54:10)
  • The result: Bryson leaves Tennessee and returns to Mississippi; multiple alerts are missed or go unheeded (41:00–43:53)

  “The system is not set up to protect victims. Our judicial system fails victims all the time…Oftentimes the onus is placed upon domestic violence victims to protect themselves.”
  —Michael Foot, [39:11]

• Notification Failure: Lauren’s father receives only a voicemail alerting of Bryson’s release, which he listens to days later (42:47–43:00)

5. The Murder of Lauren Johansson

• After being released, Bryson travels to Lauren’s home, kidnaps her, and ultimately murders her (44:14–46:48)

• Her body is found in her car’s trunk at a Mississippi cemetery; Bryson flees but is apprehended nearby (46:48–47:04)

• Michael and Patia stress the meticulous recordkeeping and victim advocacy of Lauren’s father, Lance Johansson, who has since filed a $150 million civil suit against those responsible (47:41–50:18)

  “He did everything I think he could have done...by that time, your child is an adult. You don't get to just, yeah, like, lock them in their room if you're scared for their safety.”
  —Patia Eaton, [47:57]

6. Aftermath: Legal Fallout and Broader Implications

• Civil Suit: Lance Johansson sues 15 defendants, including both the monitoring and bond companies (49:04–50:18)

• Judicial Competence Questioned: Attorneys raise concerns over Judge Blackburn’s mental fitness post-stroke; her decision-making is scrutinized by peers (51:00–52:32)

• Review Panel: Six-judge panel finds “small errors” added up to catastrophic system failure but does not penalize bond agencies (52:59–54:10)

• Michael’s Perspective: Emphasizes that errors in the system—sometimes by overworked or undertrained individuals—have literal life-and-death consequences (57:04–58:44)

  “...if I screw up sometimes in court, it can be life and death for a client...But it's also like...can I give myself grace as someone who works in these extreme...I have chosen a career where I am at the nexus of life and death for other people.”
  —Michael Foot, [57:04]

7. Final Reflections

• Systemic Inequity: The bail/bond system is fundamentally flawed, privileging those with money or connections and sometimes allowing dangerous individuals out (64:05–66:34)

• Call to Action: There’s need for oversight, reform, and multiple safeguards—both for the sake of future victims and the integrity of the justice system

  “This story is, like—it's truly heartbreaking because it does feel preventable, and we owe victims of domestic violence protection from their abusers. And it didn't happen here. And so that was a failure.”
  —Patia Eaton, [64:05]

  “At the heart is just people. And depending on how much funding there is, depending on a lot of different factors, there’s errors that are made.” —Hannah Smith, [66:54]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It's not always about loving that person. It's always about control.” —Michael Foot, [11:51]
• “You would just never know [someone is being abused]. It's incredible.” —Michael Foot, [12:49]
• “These deadlines...have real critical life and death ramifications on both sides.” —Michael Foot, [35:20]
• “This is a situation that no one should have been in...the onus is placed upon domestic violence victims to protect themselves.” —Michael Foot, [39:11]
• “It’s just incredibly sad. Bryson Rivers stands trial in 2026 right now. And, you know, I’m sure Michael and I will keep in touch about it.” —Patia Eaton, [68:06]
• “...the criminal justice system is held together with like paperclips and bubblegum...” —Michael Foot, [40:31]
• “Judges are usually pretty quick to leave bond where it is...So it was just kind of like a little. I was like, this is unusual when I read this.” —Michael Foot, [30:23]
• “...if you let Bryson Rivers out, he will kill my daughter.” —Paraphrased from Lance Johansson’s court testimony, discussed at [25:49–26:30]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Michael Foot’s Legal Background: [04:45–07:55]
• Domestic Violence Dynamics: [10:47–13:05]
• Details of December 2023 Attack: [14:28–19:19]
• How Bond Works: [20:57–24:43]
• Bond Lowered Despite Warnings: [25:49–31:38]
• Systemic Bond and Monitoring Failures: [34:44–39:52]
• Notification and Search Efforts: [42:47–44:16]
• Timeline of Failure & Murder: [44:16–47:04]
• Lance Johansson’s Advocacy & Lawsuit: [47:41–50:18]
• Judge Blackburn’s Competence & Systemic Review: [51:00–54:10]
• Concluding Frustrations with the System: [57:04–68:34]

Podcast Tone and Approach

• Empathetic, solution-oriented, and respectful towards the victim and her family
• Frank, sometimes exasperated legal analysis (especially from Michael)
• Calls out both individual failings and larger systemic flaws
• Open about not having all the answers, but driven by a desire for justice and reform

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This episode of The Knife delivers a deeply reported, empathetic account of how multiple, mundane institutional failures can allow a fatal tragedy to occur. Through Michael Foot’s accessible legal commentary and Patia’s dogged focus on the human dimension, it’s a case study in how “the system” is sometimes little more than a handful of overworked, underpaid people making fallible decisions—decisions that can prove deadly for those the justice system is meant to protect.

The case of Lauren Johansson is described not only as “horrific” but “preventable.” The hosts leave listeners with open-ended questions about justice, accountability, and what real change might look like.

Follow up: Listeners are encouraged to watch for updates on this trial and civil lawsuit, and to listen to Michael Foot’s “Brief Recess” for more legal deep dives.