Podcast Summary: The Free Press Investigates - Spiral | 4. Bring It On (November 4, 2025)

Main Theme:

This episode of Spiral centers on the high-stakes trial of Michael Manuel Jackson Bolanos, accused of murdering beloved Detroit community leader Samantha Woll. Reporter Frannie Block meticulously details the courtroom drama, the complicated evidence, defense strategies, the deep undercurrents of race and history in Detroit, and the jury’s struggle to reach a verdict in a haunting, racially charged case.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap and Setting the Stage

• The episode begins by recalling the initial suspect, Samantha's ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Herbsman, who confessed but was later released.

• Michael Jackson Bolanos, 29, is now on trial for Sam’s murder, largely based on security camera footage and blood on his clothing.

• The stakes are high: four charges including first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder (linked to home invasion), and lying to the police.

• In a dramatic move, Michael takes the stand in his own defense.

  Notable Quote

  • "We immediately said that was bogus. We knew Jeff. That was totally bogus."—Friend of Sam, referencing Jeffrey Herbsman's confession (00:21)

2. Michael Bolanos’ Testimony: Wrong Place, Wrong Time?

• Michael admits to being in the area to break into cars but insists he did not kill Sam. Says he found her body on the sidewalk, panicked, and fled.

• Police evidence—Sam’s blood on his sleeve and backpack—is explained as the result of checking her pulse.

• Michael claims he didn’t call the police because, as a Black man out at night breaking into cars, he feared being blamed for a white woman’s murder.

  Notable Quote

  • "I'm a black guy out in the middle of the night breaking into cars, and I find myself standing in front of a dead white woman. That doesn't look good at all."—Michael Bolanos (06:02)

3. Racial Tension, Detroit’s History, and the Court of Public Opinion

• The episode takes a deep dive into the history of race relations, police, and white flight in Detroit, linking it to perceptions of the case.

• Sam’s background as a Jewish leader and advocate for racial justice is highlighted.

• Online commentary reveals raw racial and antisemitic tensions running alongside the trial.

• The defense creates a petition for Michael, emphasizing the possibility of a Black man being framed.

  Notable Online Quotes

  • "The black guy being railroaded for killing Samantha Wool while the Jew who did it watches from home." (09:43)
  • "We cannot let these Jewish supremacists use the legal system as a weapon for oppression." (10:01)

4. Prosecution’s Case: Timeline and Evidence

• The State’s theory: Michael was stealing from cars, found Sam’s door open, entered as a crime of opportunity, and murdered her.

• Evidence includes circumstantial details: phone GPS, internet searches (e.g., for "black light"), police scanner app use, and traces of Sam’s blood.

• Motive not premeditated—opportunistic violence.

  Notable Quote

  • "There are simply too many coincidences, too many coincidences to suggest that anyone other than the defendant killed her."—Prosecutor Ryan Elsey (16:47)
  • "When the defense poses this question, who killed Samantha Woll? The answer is apparently everybody but the guy with her blood on him." (20:08)

5. The 'Jeff Problem'

• Sam’s ex, Jeffrey Herbsman, confessed while under the influence but was later released.

• The jury and public are preoccupied with whether Jeff could be the real killer.

• Jeff’s poor performance on the stand and immunity from prosecution raise further questions and create reasonable doubt.

  Notable Quote

  • "They kind of derailed the investigation for a couple weeks there. Right. I mean, they, they lost some valuable time..."—Bruce, jury foreman (21:07)

6. Disputing Evidence: The Washed Jacket and Timeline Holes

• Michael’s North Face jacket—critical blood evidence—was washed before police seized it, making the amount and location of blood ambiguous.

• The scene in Sam's home (undisturbed, fruit bowl knocked over) and the timeline of her movements remain highly contested between State and defense.

  Notable Quotes

  • "That's why the jacket had been washed. It had, and I expressed that."—Tiara White, Michael's girlfriend (27:54)
  • "Maybe Sam ran to get away. Maybe she knocked [the fruit bowl] over. Or maybe the killer went for a weapon like a kitchen knife. The murder weapon was never found."—Frannie Block (30:05)

7. Defense Strategy: Doubt and Alternate Theories

• The defense focuses on the lack of direct evidence, the possibility of other suspects (including Sam's dating history), and inconsistencies in the prosecution’s timeline.

• Michael is described as unlucky rather than guilty; the neighbor’s testimony about a loud woman’s voice is challenged.

  Notable Quotes

  • "We're not saying that Mr. Jackson Milanos is an angel. But what he's not. He's not a murderer. He's not a home invader."—Defense Attorney Brian Brown (35:27)
  • "It looks very similar to me. This person running from the scene looks very similar to Jeff."—Defense suggesting the mystery figure was Jeff (38:34)

8. The Jury’s Dilemma

• The jury—eight men, four women, three Black members—find the case excruciatingly complex. Small details like Sam’s sweatpants become debating points.

• Jury foreman Bruce describes the case as a bullseye with premeditated murder at the center.

  Notable Quotes

  • "Honestly, it sounded like something out of a, out of a TV show or even like a movie at first."—Bruce, jury foreman (14:47)
  • "We weren't hung by like, one juror. It wasn't like a one or two people type thing."—Bruce (48:27)

9. The Verdict: Hung Jury, Mistrial, Uncertainty Ahead

• The jury quickly acquits Michael of premeditated murder, convicts him of lying to police, but deadlocks on felony murder and home invasion—a mistrial.

• Sam’s family prepares for a possible retrial, but the State unexpectedly drops the most serious charges amid public outcry and ongoing uncertainty.

  Timestamps

  • Jury Deliberation & Verdict Reading: 47:24–48:01
  • Reaction to Mistrial: 48:22–50:22
  • Breaking News—Judge Drops Charges: 50:27–50:43

10. Emotional Resonance: The Family, The Memory, The Fallout

• Sam's family, devastated, finds strength in her handwritten mantras—most memorably:

  • "Wake up and tell the world to bring it on." (32:09)

• They attend every day of the trial, expressing their grief, anger, and the difficulty of seeing Sam’s death picked apart in court.

  Notable Quotes

  • "We looked him in the face every day of that trial."—Sam’s family member (33:10)
  • "[Michael] turned around to me and said, 'I didn't do it, bro.'"—Sam’s relative recalling a moment in the courtroom (33:21)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---|---| | Opening recap, Michael on trial | 00:01–01:28 | | Michael’s testimony & defense | 03:00–06:17 | | Detroit’s history & race | 07:15–10:12 | | Online/racial commentary | 09:41–10:12 | | Jury selection & views | 14:11–15:05 | | Prosecution’s theory and timeline | 15:05–17:55 | | Defense’s case, alternate suspects | 35:27–38:34 | | Family response and mantras | 32:00–33:44 | | Jury deliberation & verdict | 47:24–48:01 | | State drops charges | 50:22–50:43 |

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Michael Bolanos on Fear of Calling Police:
  "I'm a black guy out in the middle of the night breaking into cars, and I find myself standing in front of a dead white woman. That doesn't look good at all." (06:02)

• Prosecution’s Line on Coincidences:
  "There are simply too many coincidences... to suggest that anyone other than the defendant killed her." (16:47)

• Online Rage and Race:
  "The black guy being railroaded... while the Jew who did it watches from home." (09:41)

• Sam’s Mantra:
  "Wake up and tell the world to bring it on." (32:09)

• Family’s Line of Endurance:
  "We looked him in the face every day of that trial." (33:10)

• Jury Foreman on Complexity:
  "We weren't hung by like, one juror. It wasn't like a one or two people type thing." (48:27)

Tone and Language

The episode’s tone is deeply investigative, balancing empathy for victims with scrutiny for all involved. The language veers from clinical (when discussing evidence or legal detail) to raw and emotive (when relaying personal or family testimony, or the charged language of online commentary). The podcast moves fluidly between careful reporting, direct participant quotes, and broader, reflective commentary on justice and persistent racial divides.

Conclusion

Episode 4 of Spiral: Murder in Detroit is a deft, immersive examination of both the details of Samantha Woll’s murder trial and the broader societal currents it exposes. It is a story as much about justice, doubt, memory, and race as about any one crime, and the jury’s deadlock leaves listeners with unanswered questions and a sense of unresolved grief—setting up the next, final chapter.