Podcast
True Bill Talk
Hosted by Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy · EN
From the Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy, True Bill Talk is about getting to the truth of criminal prosecution in America right now: what it is, how people experience it, and how prosecutors can better serve their communities. Each episode of the podcast will feature in-depth conversations between Vanderbilt Law Professor Alissa Marque Heydari and prosecutors, policy experts, and advocates with diverse perspectives on the challenges and responsibilities of prosecution.
Produced by Kerry Hayes from Coeo Strategies, Collin Nixon, and Alissa Marque Heydari. Music by Ashot Danielian and Ivymusic.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Re-sentencing laws with Hillary Blout
Sep 3001:11:14Tap to summarizeHillary Blout is the Founder and CEO of For the People. A former prosecutor, Hillary has been at the forefront of advocating for prosecutor-initiated re-sentencing (PIR) laws across the country. In this episode, we explore Hillary's compelling personal journey, including her experience growing up in a low-income, high-crime neighborhood. She shares how both her personal and professional background have shaped her perspectives on justice and community safety. We delved into her current focus on PIR laws, which empower prosecutors to revisit cases and reduce sentences for individuals who have demonstrated significant rehabilitation. The discussion includes how the re-sentencing process works, the involvement of victims in the process, and the impact of these laws on the lives of those released from prison earlier than their original sentences.
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Sherry Boston on Representation and Responsibility
Sep 301:10:37Tap to summarizeSherry Boston has served as the District Attorney of DeKalb County, Georgia since 2017. But describing her just as a "local DA" doesn't capture her full impact. In addition to her work with us here at VPOPP, she's active in organizations like her state DA's association and the National Black Prosecutors' Association. She's also the lead plaintiff in a major lawsuit challenging a controversial Georgia law that gives the state power to remove locally elected prosecutors. In other words, Sherry is shaping the future of how prosecution works in Georgia and across the country. This interview will give you an in-depth look into her unique background and career path, including her experience growing up in the only Black family on her street in a white suburb, her evolution from being a die-hard defense attorney to an elected prosecutor, and how her personal background has shaped the way she approaches prosecution.
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Mini TBT Episode: Tennessee's recent execution
Aug 2000:10:50Tap to summarizeByron Black was recently executed in Tennessee. This is not your typical capital case, however, because the current local district attorney actually agreed with the defense that Mr. Black's death sentence should be commuted to life in prison. However, the Tennessee Attorney General then took over the appeal and pushed for execution anyway. It's a perfect example of the growing tension between local prosecutors and state officials—and what happens when they disagree on life-or-death decisions. These are questions that don't have easy answers: What's a prosecutor's duty when defending decades-old convictions? And how do we balance finality in the justice system with evolving legal standards?
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David Leavitt from Utah County on Shaking Up the Status Quo
Aug 6, 202501:04:37Tap to summarizeDavid Leavitt led the Utah County DA's office for 4 years before being voted out of office in 2022. David spent four years trying to rein in excessive plea deals, questioning his own office's outdated norms, and demanding real checks on police power. His approach earned him an intense backlash, and his 2022 re-election campaign became a referendum on the potential and limits of shaking up the status quo - but the real lessons are in why he ran for office in the first place, and how he tried to implement big changes.
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Katie Kinsey on AI and Prosecution
Jul 2, 202500:45:42Tap to summarizeRecently, with support from Microsoft, VPOPP worked with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law to produce a report about how artificial intelligence (AI) tools are impacting the work of prosecutors around the country. Katie Kinsey, the Policing Project's chief of staff and tech policy counsel, is a leading voice on what AI can do, should do, and will do in the criminal justice system in the years to come. Simply put, as the technology becomes less expensive, more powerful, and more commonly used, prosecutors owe it to themselves to understand how they can mitigate its risks while still using it to seek justice in their communities. This episode of True Bill Talk highlights the big themes from this paper -- as well as a few interesting observations that actually didn't make it into the final report.
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Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick and Valerie Craig on what victims need and deserve
Jun 4, 202501:07:12Tap to summarizeOn this episode, Alissa speaks with two women who are reshaping what victim advocacy is and what it could do for our criminal justice system. Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick became an advocate after her son was killed in her backyard. Today, she works with Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and Rodney's Village, a nonprofit that she founded. In addition, Rafiah volunteers as a victim's advocate for Mothers Over Murder. Valerie Craig is the co-founder of Tennessee Voices for Victims. She has spent decades supporting crime victims, including in the wake of mass violence. She also teaches victim impact classes inside prisons, a reminder that the people we prosecute are often victims themselves. These remarkable women make it clear that "victim advocates" aren't a monolith in the way they think about criminal prosecution and what it would take to keep communities safe. This conversation offers insights that prosecutors, policymakers, law enforcement officers, and other activists will find fascinating.
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The Executive Order Targeting Prosecutors with Carissa Hessick and Brenner Fissell
May 7, 202500:28:19Tap to summarizeOn April 28, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive order aimed broadly at local law enforcement -- but one section stood out. Section 5 of the Order represents a statement of how the Administration intends to get involved in decisions made by local prosecutors. In this special episode of True Bill Talk, we invite two well-known criminal justice scholars – Professors Carissa Hessick (UNC School of Law) and Brenner Fissell (Villanova Law) — for a deep dive into the language of the executive order, its legal basis, and its political context.
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Torry Johnson, Former DA From Nashville, Has Some Concerns
Apr 9, 202501:04:39Tap to summarizeTorry Johnson was the District Attorney of Davidson County, Tennessee for 26 years. In this conversation, Torry shared his thoughts about the so-called "progressive prosecutor" movement, the right-ward shift in Tennessee's politics, and how he thinks about the role of the DA when the job has become heavily politicized.
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Larry Krasner from Philadelphia Is More Complicated Than You Think
Apr 9, 202500:42:14Tap to summarizeLarry Krasner, the Philadelphia District Attorney since 2017, has become something of a lightning rod and is now one of the most well-known prosecutors in the entire country. Larry and two of his line prosecutors were recently in Nashville to visit Vanderbilt Law School and speak with our students about careers in prosecution. While they were in town, we recorded this interview in which they discussed their work and views on the criminal justice system - and some of what they shared will surprise you.
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Todd Williams from Asheville, NC: Capital cases and serving a progressive city in the South
Mar 10, 202500:35:42Tap to summarizeOn this episode of True Bill Talk, Alissa talks with Buncombe County DA Todd Williams about the complexities of prosecutorial discretion, including the death penalty, politics, and his personal beliefs in justice.
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