Up and Vanished Weekly – Listener Q&A Episode Summary
Introduction and Special Episode In this special Listener Q&A episode of Up and Vanished Weekly, host Maggie Freeling and co-host John Street engage directly with their audience, providing personal insights and addressing listener questions. Stripped of advertisements and intros, the episode offers a candid look behind the scenes of the podcast.
Highlight on Andre Brown's Case Maggie shares groundbreaking news about Andre Brown, a man she has been closely following for years due to his wrongful conviction. Two years after his conviction was vacated, Andre was celebrating his freedom and reconnecting with his family. However, the Bronx District Attorney, Darcelle Clark, appealed the decision, threatening to reinstate his prison sentence on a technicality during Christmas 2024. Maggie reveals a significant development: just two days before Andre was set to return to prison, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer intervened, causing the case to be reopened.
"Andre is not going back for the foreseeable future. They're going to reopen everything. And I am elated right now." — Maggie Freeling [03:22]
Maggie's Experience at the Innocence Network Conference Maggie recounts her recent trip to the Innocence Network conference in Seattle, highlighting the collaborative environment focused on criminal justice reform and exonerations. She notes the impressive number of exonerations discussed, emphasizing the ongoing fight against wrongful convictions.
"Almost 300 guys, it was like 285 guys this year were exonerated or had just been exonerated. 90 of them were there for the first time. So it's truly magical." — Maggie Freeling [05:17]
Personal Insights: Flying, Music, and Life Maggie delves into her personal life, discussing her unconventional approach to flying and her passion for music. She humorously describes her flying method, which involves calming techniques to manage anxiety, and shares her love for New York hardcore bands like Agnostic Front and iconic 80s bands such as Sisters of Mercy and Duran Duran.
"My flying skills are well established. I take a Xanax, head to the bar, get a few drinks, pop an edible. By the time the flight takes off, I don't know, I'm on a plane." — Maggie Freeling [06:58]
Listener Questions and Answers
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Book Recommendations Maggie recommends two impactful books:
- “Once I Was You” by Maria Hinojosa: A memoir about her journey from Mexico to becoming a prominent Latina journalist.
- “Lost Girls” by Robert Kolker: A deep dive into the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation.
"Maria's memoir is one of my favorites, and not just because she's my mentor. I think it's really beautiful." — Maggie Freeling [09:02]
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Eyewitness Testimony in Court Maggie discusses the reliability of eyewitness testimony, citing that 70-75% of DNA exoneration cases involve eyewitness misidentification. She emphasizes the fallibility of such testimonies and the need for more robust evidence in legal proceedings.
"Roughly 70 to 75% of DNA exoneration cases involve eyewitness misidentification. That is a very high error rate." — Maggie Freeling [23:59]
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Balancing Storytelling with Investigative Depth Maggie explains the challenges of condensing complex cases into 40-minute episodes while maintaining both depth and engaging storytelling. She strives to present human stories without getting lost in legal jargon.
"How do you fit in personality, making it a show that people want to come back and listen to and often that is a little more light-hearted and be true to the content." — Maggie Freeling [43:59]
Addressing Feedback and Show Adjustments The hosts address listener feedback regarding the use of AI narrators, clarifying that their narrator, Rob Ricotta, is a real person integral to the original Up and Vanished series. They acknowledge constructive criticism and outline upcoming changes to improve episode structure and guest balance.
"We heard you. We're gonna try this and get the beats of the case a little earlier in the episode, and we think that might help make things clearer for listeners." — Maggie Freeling [51:07]
Interaction with Payne Lindsey Maggie and Payne reminisce about their collaboration, sharing light-hearted moments and personal anecdotes that highlight their chemistry and mutual respect. They reflect on Payne’s past ventures and their journey together in creating the podcast.
"I love to pick on Payne because it's just so easy. Like, I just adore the man, and he's just so easy to pick on." — Maggie Freeling [39:56]
Conclusion As the episode wraps up, Maggie and John express gratitude to their listeners, encourage ongoing engagement through Instagram and Discord, and tease upcoming episodes with new structures and content adjustments. They emphasize their commitment to continuously improving the podcast based on audience feedback.
"We are going to take a week break, but when we come back, we're gonna have a fresh set of episodes and we are going to tweak things slightly." — John Street [51:07]
Notable Moments with Pets Adding a personal touch, Maggie shares charming behind-the-scenes interactions with her cats during recording sessions, showcasing the lighter side of podcast production.
"There are a lot of layers to this story, and there is no shortage of strong opinions, Sally. And if that is the case, then it's also potentially the unsolved murder of three people..." — Maggie Freeling [30:43]
Listener Reviews and Closing Remarks The hosts share various listener reviews, both positive and critical, reaffirming their commitment to authenticity and continuous improvement. They sign off by reiterating the importance of listener participation and teasing future content.
"Please keep sending your questions and we will try to feature you in another upcoming Q and A." — Maggie Freeling [51:07]
Final Thoughts This Listener Q&A episode offers a blend of professional insights, personal anecdotes, and direct engagement with the audience, making it a valuable listen for both long-time fans and newcomers to Up and Vanished Weekly.