1 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: When Amanda Bussy was seventeen, her home life was spinning 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,079 Speaker 1: out of control. Her father was abusive to her and 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: her siblings, and her mother had just died in a 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: car wreck. So when Larry Declue asked her to run 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: away with him, she jumped at the chance, even though 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: he was nearly twice her age. 7 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: In my mind, he was kind of like a superhero, 8 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: you know. He took me away from all the abuse 9 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: and stuff. 10 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: But soon after she moved in with Larry, she started 11 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: to notice suspicious behavior. One night, after they went to bed. 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 2: I remember being woke up by someone banging on a 13 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: window and they wanted Larry to go hunting with them. Okay, 14 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: so it didn't make no damn sense to me. He 15 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: didn't come back until eleven o'clock that morning. 16 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: Not long after that, she and Larry were out driving 17 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: with Larry's niece, Melissa. 18 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: Melissa starts jumping up and down. This is where it happened. 19 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 2: This is where it happened. Unc Larry, I'm like, what 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: the heck, what are you talking about? What's the matter? 21 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 2: You know, I wanted didn't know what the heck was 22 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 2: going on. That's when I realized something happened. 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: Amanda didn't put the pieces together until a few years later, when, 24 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: to her surprise, she was arrested for the brutal murder 25 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: of a local woman. 26 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 2: My name is Amanda Bussy. I was convicted of a 27 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: second degree murder. I've been incarcerated for almost twenty years. 28 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: From Lava for good. This is wrongful conviction with Maggie 29 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: Freeling today, Amanda Bussy. Amanda Bussy was born February twelfth, 30 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty in Sullivan, Missouri, to Lisa and Kenny. She's 31 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: the oldest of their five kids. Although they grew up 32 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: poor in rural Missouri, Amanda remembers there were some good times. 33 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: Like on Christmas. You know, my dad would take us 34 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: out and you'd throw us in the snow. We'd all 35 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 2: just laugh, you know. He put us on the sled 36 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: and push us down the hill, or he'd go down 37 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 2: with us whenever he was younger. 38 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 3: We were very close during our adolescence. 39 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: This is Amanda's aunt Mary Paint. She's Amanda's mom's sister 40 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: and actually two years younger than Amanda. The two of 41 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: them grew up more like siblings than aunt Nice. 42 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 3: We would go to church together on Sundays, we would 43 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: walk home together after school. Or my dad had a 44 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 3: furniture store, so her mother, my sister worked in the 45 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: store with my dad sometimes, so we would walk to 46 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 3: the furniture store and there was a back room so 47 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: we would choreograph dances and perform them for our family. 48 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: We always would go on adventures in the woods, making treehouses, 49 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 3: creating time capsules. We were both heavily involved in music, 50 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 3: so we were inquired together a lot. She loved to 51 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 3: get up in church and sing. She really connected to 52 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 3: music and used that as an outlet. I believe. 53 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: That is an outlet for what was happening in Amanda's 54 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: home life, which was challenging for a young girl. 55 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 2: It was. It was a pretty hard life. You know. 56 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: My mom was sick grown up. She had congest of 57 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: heart failure and thyroid problems, and she just kept gaining 58 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 2: weight gaining weight, you know, and eventually she just wasn't 59 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: able to get around and do much with herself. She 60 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: couldn't do things like cutting her toe nows and shaving 61 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 2: her legs and you know, stuff like that. 62 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: Her mother eventually had to stop working at the furniture 63 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: store because of her condition and Amanda stepped into the 64 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: role of a parent. 65 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 2: It was like trying to help mom do everything for 66 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: her and then happened to do for the other kids, 67 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: getting them ready for school, cooking dinner. 68 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: Amanda's father, Kenny, worked various jobs, but she doesn't remember 69 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: any of them lasting long. 70 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 2: My dad, he just he quit working and then he 71 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: just start selling his drugs. He'd go from this place 72 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 2: to that place, and eventually he just whenever he was home, 73 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: they'd be all we'd have house full of people, you know. 74 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: The Bussy home became a revolving door of people buying 75 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: and selling drugs, particularly meth. It was rumored that Kenny 76 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: controlled the local drug trade and ruled with violence and intimidation. 77 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: We started realizing, hey, you know, Dad's not who we 78 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: thought he was, you know, and whenever he'd start coming 79 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 2: down off of drugs, you know, he start hitting us 80 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 2: and stuff. 81 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 3: It took me a while to figure out that things 82 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 3: at her house weren't very good. 83 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: This is Mary again. 84 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 3: When I was there, I would notice there were sometimes 85 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 3: strange people there. My nieces would tell me, you know, 86 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 3: about their dad being abusive toward them. It just wasn't 87 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 3: a good environment. 88 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: Which is why Mary's parents wouldn't allow her to stay 89 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: at Amanda's often. 90 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 3: My parents knew that her father was selling drugs, and 91 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: they tried to be a good influence on my sister 92 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 3: and her husband. They tried to minimize anything that they 93 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 3: were aware of. They tried to correct, but a lot 94 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 3: was hidden from them. 95 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: At one point, Amanda's sisters were so distraught they tried 96 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: to run away, but that only made their situation worse. 97 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 3: Their dad figured out where they were and he beat 98 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 3: them so horribly. Whenever he found them, he punched one 99 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 3: of them in the face and broke their nose. I 100 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 3: don't understand how someone could do that to their child. 101 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 3: I think that that person has to be completely void 102 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 3: of soul or you know, I just don't understand. That's 103 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 3: I can't comprehend it. 104 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: But Kenny's abuse towards his family, particularly Amanda, went far 105 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: beyond a punch in the face. When Amanda was around thirteen, 106 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: her father started sexually abusing her, and so did his 107 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: friends who would often come by to buy drugs. 108 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 2: You know, someone would end up stay in there, or 109 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: they'd sneak into the room, end up having sex. You know, 110 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: it just it's we shouldn't have been taking an advantage 111 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: like that. 112 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 3: Were any of your other siblings being abused, I. 113 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: Can't say for sure. 114 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 4: For sure, I would see little little things like Dad 115 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 4: paying them more attention or something, and then I tried 116 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 4: to like take away that attention. 117 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 2: I kind of went out of my way from my 118 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: brothers and sisters a lot because I didn't want them. 119 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 2: I didn't want my dad getting to them like that. 120 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: You know, even though Mary was also a child when 121 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: all of this was happening, she tried her best to 122 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: stand up for her family. 123 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 3: About fifth grade, I started going to my school counselor 124 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: and telling them, somebody needs to do something because my 125 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 3: nieces are being sexually abused, they're being physically abused, and 126 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 3: you know, in fifth grader words, right. I was worried 127 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 3: about backlash from their parents, but my parents protected me 128 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 3: very well, and I had a wonderful home life, and 129 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 3: I just couldn't even understand or fathom really what was 130 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 3: happening to them. I don't think she's ever even told 131 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 3: me half of the stuff that actually happened, but I've 132 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 3: heard from her sisters things that have happened to them 133 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 3: as well, So I just know that the sexual and 134 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 3: physical abuse was rampant. 135 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 1: Amanda felt utterly alone and helpless. 136 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 5: People getting worse and worse. 137 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: And of course, you know, I don't remember stuff like 138 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 2: that when I'm a kid, had am I supposed to know? 139 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 5: You know what I mean? 140 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: Like, I don't know the truth about a lot in 141 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 2: my life. You know, I questioned all my life that, 142 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: you know, why mom let us, why mom will didn't 143 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 2: do anything up. My mom knew something was going on. 144 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: She did ask me one time, and I was honest 145 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 2: with her about it, and she kicked my dad out, 146 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 2: but it didn't last. It was like for two weeks, 147 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: and then I found out that my mom was just 148 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 2: as scared of my dad as I was. There's a 149 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 2: lot of stuff that I didn't know until I got older. 150 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: You know, see, your mom was being abused by your 151 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: dad too. 152 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. 153 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 5: Absolutely. 154 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: The abuse that Amanda and her siblings were suffering was 155 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: reported to the Department of Family Services by their schools, 156 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: but it wasn't much help. 157 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 2: There was a point in time in my life where 158 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: where we had to go see the shrinks and stuff, 159 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: and they like made us play with dolls, tell us 160 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 2: where we was touched and stuff. That I remember growing up. 161 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 2: I remember Family Services being called a few times by Knie. 162 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: I don't know what for when I was too young, 163 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 2: but we knew better not to say nothing like drugs 164 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 2: and nothing about the drugs in the house. We knew 165 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 2: better than that. You know, there was consequences if we 166 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 2: was said anything like that, Like my mom was like, 167 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 2: do you want to go to DFS? You know, stuff 168 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 2: like that. 169 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 3: The counselors could only do so much because once they 170 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 3: were in the counselor's office, they would not tell them 171 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 3: what was going on. It was just me saying it. 172 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 3: You know. They felt scared, they were afraid. They were 173 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,719 Speaker 3: too afraid. 174 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 2: We had to grow up fast, you know. It just 175 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 2: took a toll on us a lot. 176 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: By ninth grade, Amanda had dropped out of school, and 177 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: then when she was seventeen, her mother died suddenly in 178 00:10:58,760 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: a car wreck. 179 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: After my mom passed away, ninety seven is when everything 180 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 2: went downhill. It's just one thing after another. This is 181 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 2: a really really bad year. 182 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, So tell me about that. After your mom passes, 183 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: you know, everything goes to how I know this is 184 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: when Larry came into your life. So tell me a 185 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: bit about. 186 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: That so to me. I mean, at first, like I 187 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: I thought I had a good relationship. Larry was he 188 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 2: was nice to me. 189 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: Larry Declue was thirty two, fifteen years older than Amanda 190 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,319 Speaker 1: and a drug associate of her father's. He was at 191 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: the house one time when he saw Kenny physically assaulting her. 192 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:51,559 Speaker 2: You know, I was in my dad's room and my 193 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 2: dad started, you know, pressing all against me and had 194 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 2: me against the door, and Larry walks past when and 195 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 2: he's seeing me push some dad off of me. 196 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: Larry and Kenny then went outside and had a talk. 197 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 2: Larry come back and he had asked me if I 198 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 2: just if I wanted to run away with him, if 199 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 2: I just wanted to leave with him, and I was 200 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 2: all for it, you know, I was. I was just 201 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: ready to go at that point. I was ready to 202 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 2: get out of the house and just tired of everything. 203 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 2: And I ended up leaving with him. In my mind, 204 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 2: he was kind of like a superhero, you know. He 205 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:33,719 Speaker 2: took me away from all the. 206 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 5: Abuse and stuff. 207 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,319 Speaker 2: So I thought I loved him. I didn't know any. 208 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: Better, you know, But Mary saw Larry de Clue very 209 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: differently to me. 210 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 3: He is the most frightening person I've ever met in 211 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 3: my life. I was young, and I just could just 212 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 3: looking at him just as eyes. He had crazy eyes, 213 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 3: and he had this aura around him that was frightening. 214 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: And I think that when he came into the picture, 215 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 3: I think that things took a horrible turn. 216 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: About a year after they met, Amanda and Larry got 217 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: married and had their first child, Larry Jr. After this, 218 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: Larry became abusive. 219 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,599 Speaker 2: It was so bad, like I couldn't even go in 220 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: Walmart to get divers without him accusing me of going 221 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 2: inside to meet somebody to do something with them, and 222 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 2: then I would risk, you know, getting beat on and 223 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 2: stuff like that, you know. 224 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: And it wasn't just Amanda. Larry was abusing. 225 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 2: I remember there was a time after I had had 226 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 2: little Larry, when he was a baby. Larry was holding 227 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 2: the baby, and you know, the baby he wouldn't stop crying. 228 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 2: He wouldn't stop crying. And I turned the corner coming 229 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 2: into the living room and I seen Larry like kind 230 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: of throw him hard on the couch, and that's when 231 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: I freaked out real bad, and I'm like, oh my god, 232 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 2: what are you doing? And then he grabs me by 233 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 2: the hair, and he bashes my head into the ground 234 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,239 Speaker 2: and he said, you stupid being. I went to Grandma's 235 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 2: a few times that he came right behind me and 236 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 2: there was no leaving. You know, he was going to 237 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 2: make sure of that. 238 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: Amanda was stuck back in a familiar pattern with no escape. 239 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: He threatened to bury her. He threatened at one point 240 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 3: to kill her and bury her and cement and build 241 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 3: a house on top of it so no one would 242 00:14:55,040 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 3: ever find her body. 243 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: This episode is underwritten by AIG, a leading global insurance company. 244 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: AIG is committed to corporate social responsibility and to making 245 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: a positive difference in the lives of its employees and 246 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: in the communities where they work and live. In light 247 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: of the compelling need for pro bono legal assistance, and 248 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: in recognition of AIG's commitment to criminal and social justice reform, 249 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: the AIG pro Bono Program provides free legal services and 250 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: other support to underrepresented communities and individuals. In November of 251 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven, Diane Coleman went out for the day 252 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: as she usually did. The thirty two year old suffered 253 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: from schizophrenia and lived at a care facility near Sullivan, 254 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: where Amanda's family lived. Diane was allowed to come and 255 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: go from the facility as she pleased, and she usually 256 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: left in the morning and returned at night. But on 257 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: November eleventh, nineteen ninety seven, Diane never returned to the 258 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: care center. Days later, her body was found floating in 259 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: the nearby Merrimec River. An autopsy revealed that she had 260 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: been brutally beaten to death by different blunt objects. Investigators 261 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: ruled her death a homicide. This evening would later become 262 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: significant to Amanda, but she only remembers it because of 263 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: what happened at home that night. 264 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 2: I remember being woke up by someone banging on a window, 265 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 2: and they wanted Larry to go hunting with them. 266 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: Larry left and ended up staying out all night. He 267 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: didn't come home until eleven the next morning. Amanda thought 268 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 1: that was strange. They usually went everywhere together. 269 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 2: So it just didn't make no damn sense to me, 270 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 2: you know, I don't know, there's just certain things that 271 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 2: wasn't adding up. 272 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: Ten days later, seventeen year old Jeremy Payne was brought 273 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: into the police station and questioned about his knowledge of 274 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: Diane's murder. Jeremy knew Diane through his father, who was 275 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: in a relationship with her. In a taped confession, Jeremy 276 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: said that he, Amanda's father, Kenny, and two young women 277 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: named Angela Cody and Melissa O'Brien were all complicit in 278 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: Diane's murder. According to Jeremy, they were all riding in 279 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: a van when they accidentally hit a woman on the 280 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: side of the road. They got out to see what happened. 281 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: Then the group beat her, raped her, and left her 282 00:17:53,640 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: in the woods. Amanda knew both Melissa and Angela, Melissa 283 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 1: was Larry's niece. Once she heard the news of Jeremy's confession, 284 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: Amanda recalled something that happened not too long after Diane's 285 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: body was found. She and Melissa were all out driving together. 286 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: They were on Highway N near the Merrimack River, and. 287 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 2: Melissa starts jumping up and down. This is where it happened. 288 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 2: This is where it happened. Uncle Larry. I'm like, what 289 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 2: the heck, what are you talking about? What's the matter? 290 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 2: You know? And we just keep on going and I 291 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 2: want didn't know what the heck was going on. That's 292 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 2: when I realized something happened. I didn't know what happened. 293 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 2: Something happened. 294 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: However, Larry wasn't part of Jeremy's story, and he was 295 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: not arrested for the murder with the others. Jeremy Payne 296 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: was convicted and sentenced to life without parole based on 297 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 1: his confession. The charges against Amanda's father were dropped, and 298 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: Melissa and Angela both took immunity deals. The following year, 299 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: Amanda and Larry had another child, named Felicia. Amanda tried 300 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: to be the best mom she could be despite her 301 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: harrowing home life with Larry. By the end of nineteen 302 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: ninety nine, Amanda's thirteen year old brother, Kenny Junior, also 303 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: known as Buddy, moved in with her and Larry. He 304 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: didn't want to live with her father anymore, and Amanda 305 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: knew he had nowhere else to go. One day, Amanda 306 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: returned home after running some errands. She had left Buddy 307 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: to watch over the kids, including Larry's niece Adrian. 308 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 2: I remember I picked up Adrian and she would be like, ow, 309 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 2: you know, I could tell something was wrong, mind you. 310 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,439 Speaker 2: She's three years old at the time, Okay, So I'm like, 311 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: what's the matter, baby? And then she'd kind of touch 312 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 2: herself down there and she say it hurts, and so 313 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 2: Amama was to pick her up, and I started to 314 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 2: take her bridges off on the couch and then she 315 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,239 Speaker 2: just start crying. I'm like, what the heck man? I thought, Okay, well, 316 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 2: maybe she fell and she hurt herself, you know, but 317 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 2: she was rubbed roll down there and I looked looked 318 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 2: at her. I'm like, honey, I said, what happened. She's 319 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 2: telling Aunt Mandy what happened baby? And when she that 320 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 2: Buddy Buddy, and I mean, right then and there, I knew. 321 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: Buddy had sexually assaulted three year old Adrian. Amanda then 322 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: realized my dad. 323 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 2: Got to him too, you know, I didn't know. So 324 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 2: I had to make one of the hardest decisions there 325 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 2: in my life, you know, to kick my brother out, 326 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 2: knowing he had nowhere to go. 327 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: Amanda also reported Buddy to authorities, but that decision would 328 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: lead to consequences she could never have imagined. In January 329 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: of two thousand, Buddy was facing charges in juvenile court 330 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: for the molestation of Larry's niece, and while police were 331 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 1: questioning him about it, he dropped a bombshell, not about 332 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: the molestation, but about the night of Diane Coleman's murder. 333 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 6: He told the police that he would tell the police 334 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 6: what really happened in the murder if they would essentially 335 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 6: drop the charges or lesson the charges against him. 336 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: This is Anne Garrety rathert. She's the director of the 337 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 1: Willow Project, which focuses on the wrongful convictions of women 338 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:38,360 Speaker 1: and girls. 339 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 6: And so, since he had been living with Amanda and 340 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 6: Larry and they kicked him out when they learned this 341 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 6: about the abuse and turned him over to the police, 342 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 6: he said that they were the ones who had in 343 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 6: fact committed the crime. So then the story he told 344 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 6: was that he was a slate at his grandmother's house 345 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 6: and that Amanda and the people who Jeremy had said 346 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 6: were in the car came to pick him up to 347 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 6: take him to like a birthday celebration late at night. 348 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: Remember, Jeremy is the young man who first confessed to 349 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: Diane's murder and was serving a life without parole sentence. 350 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 1: In the story he told police Melissa O'Brien, Angela Cody, himself, 351 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: and Kenny Bussey were all present that night. Jeremy never 352 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: mentioned Buddy, Larry or Amanda, but now Buddy was telling 353 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 1: police that he was actually in the car, that Larry 354 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: and Amanda were there too, and that his dad, Kenny 355 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: was not. He went on to say. 356 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 6: That they gave him LSD and he fell asleep. That 357 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 6: was his story. So then the next thing he said 358 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 6: was that he woke up and no one else was 359 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 6: in the van, and he got out of the van 360 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 6: to see what was going on, and he saw a 361 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 6: woman lying in the road, and he saw the rest 362 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 6: of the people from the car standing around her and 363 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 6: beating her with objects. He says that they told him 364 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 6: to do the same, and he ran back to the 365 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 6: van and did not, but he saw Amanda specifically hit 366 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,199 Speaker 6: the woman with multiple objects. 367 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 1: Buddy also said he saw Larry hit the woman multiple times, 368 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: and even though Jeremy Paine had pinpointed Kenny as a 369 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: fellow perpetrator, Buddy claims his father was not involved. 370 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 6: So this is where the situation comes in where he 371 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 6: perhaps is trying to protect his father as well. That 372 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 6: also probably had to do with his fear of his 373 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 6: father having also been horrifically abused by his father. So, 374 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 6: you know, all of these things are so convoluted by 375 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,880 Speaker 6: the threats and the intimidation and the violence going on. 376 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: In the spring of two thousand, Larry de'clue was arrested 377 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,360 Speaker 1: and charged with first degree murder. Amanda was also arrested, 378 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: but was released due to lack of evidence. Around this, 379 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: Amanda also found out she was never actually married to Larry, 380 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: he never finalized the papers. She also learned a shocking 381 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: truth about the man she'd once seen as a superhero 382 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: whisking her away from her abusive father. 383 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 2: It wasn't until later and then I found out my 384 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 2: dad had sold me to Larry for drugs. 385 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: With Larry finally out of her life, Amanda tried to 386 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: move forward. She entered into another relationship and had her 387 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: third child, Katie. Meanwhile, the police still had Amanda in 388 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: their sights. Soon after Buddy's conversation with police and Larry's arrest, 389 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 1: Buddy recanted his statements, but police would not accept that, 390 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: and he was then threatened with perjury. 391 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,919 Speaker 2: He did come forward and he said a sad, many 392 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 2: lie and he wrote a statement saying, please tell my 393 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: sister Mee and that I'm sorry for lying on her. 394 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 2: I just tried to clear my dad's name. 395 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: And in two thousand and three, based on her brother's 396 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: initial statements alone, Amanda was arrested for the murder of 397 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: Diane Coleman. What was that like for you? 398 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 5: It was devastating. 399 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 2: So that was my babye brother, and that I helped. 400 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 4: You know. 401 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 5: I didn't understand why he was lying, and I. 402 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 2: Knew, and it just it was everything hit me at once. 403 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 2: I'm like, why would he do that? You know, why 404 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 2: why something happened to where he's saying something like that. 405 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 2: But I love him, and I know that he was 406 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 2: youngest and they scared him into saying whatever they wanted 407 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 2: him to say. And I know that. 408 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: From the beginning, Amanda has maintained her innocence and because 409 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: of that, she opted to go to trial. 410 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 2: You know, I knew God wasn't gonna let me go 411 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,239 Speaker 2: down for something that I didn't do. They couldn't. They 412 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 2: couldn't possibly hang me up for something I didn't do. 413 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: They had nothing on me, you know, And this is 414 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 2: where my mind was set. 415 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: Amanda's defense attorney was public defender David Bruns and Garretty 416 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: rathert remembers reading the transcript of the. 417 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 6: Trial, and to be honest, I was a little alarmed 418 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 6: when I saw that the defense put on by the 419 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 6: public defender lasted three minutes in length, which obviously seems 420 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,160 Speaker 6: grossly inadequate. 421 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: But Anne dug deeper and saw that Bruns actually did 422 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: the best job he could given the circumstances. 423 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 6: There really isn't a defense that can be put on 424 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 6: effectively when someone is completely, factually innocent and in fact 425 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 6: wasn't even at the crime scene, nor knows anything about 426 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 6: the crime scene. You know, since three years had passed 427 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 6: at the time she was implicated, and almost six years 428 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 6: by the time she went to trial, you know, who 429 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 6: of us could remember on any given day what we 430 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 6: were doing and who we were with six years prior 431 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 6: to that moment, right, there are no witnesses who will 432 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,680 Speaker 6: say she wasn't there, So there really isn't a good 433 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 6: defense that can even be put on. 434 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: Bruns and Amanda were convinced the prosecution's case was extremely weak. 435 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: Brunn said all the prosecution had was the testimony of Buddy, 436 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: who by then was seventeen. But Buddy recanted again, this 437 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: time on the witness stand under cross examination by the defense. 438 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 6: So he did a good job of asking him questions 439 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 6: that I believed poke holes in everything he said. The 440 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 6: evidence was so poor and the public defender poked so 441 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 6: many holes in the testimony of Buddy. It almost seemed 442 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 6: like a foregone conclusion that she would be declared innocent. 443 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: But that's not what happened. Do you know how long 444 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: the jury deliberated. 445 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 6: For less than two hours? 446 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 3: Wow? 447 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: Wow. On May twenty seventh, two thousand and four, Amanda 448 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: was found guilty and convicted of second degree murder. She 449 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: was sentenced to twenty five years in prison. 450 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 2: I was devastated. I didn't know what, you know. 451 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 5: I was mad at. 452 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:57,240 Speaker 2: Everybody around me, like what how could they do this? 453 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: At the time of Amanda's conviction, she had three children, 454 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: Larry Junior and Felicia went with Larry's family, but she 455 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: made the difficult decision to put her youngest child, Katie, 456 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: up for adoption. During the first years of her sentence, 457 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: Amanda didn't communicate much with her family, But in twenty thirteen, 458 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: when Amanda got her ged, her sisters and Mary traveled 459 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: to the prison for the ceremony. 460 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 2: And I was chosen to give the see the speaker 461 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 2: for everybody, kind of like Valvictorian, And they kind of 462 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 2: surprised me when they came up there after all these years, 463 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 2: you know, And that's kind of like my whole life 464 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 2: just classed before in my eyes, you know, because we 465 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 2: all conspected. 466 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: And then just a couple of years later, Amanda got 467 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,959 Speaker 1: some more good news the Willow Project was going to 468 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: take on her case. 469 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 2: Well, the very first thing I thought was that. 470 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 5: Someone actually believed me, believed in me, and was there 471 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 5: to help me. 472 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 6: I thought that the case had all the same sort 473 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 6: of issues as other cases that I had read about 474 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 6: where people were wrongfully convicted, no forensic evidence, and the 475 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 6: only evidence that was presented at trial was the testimony 476 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 6: of an incentivized informant, and that was literally the only 477 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 6: evidence against her several years after the murder, when no 478 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 6: one had ever implicated her before or indicated any involvement 479 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 6: on her part up to that point. So all of 480 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 6: the those things led me to believe that her case 481 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 6: was at least problematic, if not that she was literally innocent. 482 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: Amanda has run out of appeal opportunities, so Anne and 483 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: the Willow Project are diligently working on finding new evidence 484 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: to get her case back in court. In the meantime, 485 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: Amanda is now nearing the end of her twenty five 486 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: year prison sentence. She was granted parole and will be 487 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: released in early twenty twenty five. Amanda plans to live 488 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: with Mary, who is thrilled to have her best friend 489 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: and niece back in her life. 490 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 3: I want people to know that she is a good person. 491 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 3: She wanted to be a good mother and be there 492 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 3: for her children. I want them to know that she's 493 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 3: innocent of this crime that she has given her life for, 494 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 3: and she's a victim of evil and terrible circumstances. 495 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: Amanda can't know for sure who killed Diane Coleman. She 496 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: just knows that she didn't. And to this day, Mary 497 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: blames everything Buddy did and everything that happened to Amanda 498 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: on their father, Kenny. 499 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 3: Who I also think is one of the most evil 500 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 3: people I've ever met. I just can't stress enough how 501 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 3: he ruined. He really ruined their lives. He stole their 502 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 3: lives from them. I fully hold him accountable for that. 503 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 1: Although her time in prison will be coming to an end, 504 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 1: Amanda knows she has a long road of healing ahead 505 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: of her. One thing that helps is putting her feelings 506 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: down on paper. 507 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 5: I have a poem that I wrote. Would it be 508 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 5: okay if that I read it? 509 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 3: Please? 510 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 2: I wrote it in twenty twelve, called There's no life 511 00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 2: without hope. Imagine being said a teen, trying so hard 512 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 2: not to be bad and putting your trust into that 513 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 2: number one man that you loved so dear, that man 514 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,959 Speaker 2: you call Dad. Then one night everything went wrong. Scared 515 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 2: and alone, trying your best just to hold on, getting 516 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 2: locked up for first degree murder, asking him, Daddy, why 517 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 2: did you hurt her? Telling myself I'm going to get 518 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 2: out because in God, I had no doubt. How can 519 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 2: they give me twenty five years? I couldn't see that far, 520 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 2: my eyes filled with tears, begging my daddy please tell 521 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:36,959 Speaker 2: the truth. 522 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 5: But he wouldn't and I had no proof. 523 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 2: Imagine how hard it was to trust anyone else. 524 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 5: All I could see is they were out for themselves. 525 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 2: There. I was on my knees, asking God, how can 526 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 2: this be? 527 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 5: Where's the justice in his crime? 528 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 2: My dad's out there, I'm doing his time. 529 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 5: Finally I see it. 530 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 2: My eyes are now open, and God said, child, you 531 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: can't stop hoping. 532 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 5: God put an angel into my life. She's helped heal 533 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 5: the pain and get through the strife. You've helped me 534 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 5: get past all the hurtful flinches and most of all 535 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,399 Speaker 5: you've taken away, these senses. You know who you are, 536 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 5: and I thank you so much for the one person 537 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:26,800 Speaker 5: in this world I know I can trust. 538 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 1: To find out more about the Willow Project and how 539 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 1: to help support wrongfully convicted women like Amanda, go to 540 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 1: Willow Project stl dot org. Next time, on Wrongful Conviction 541 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: with Maggie Freeling, Tala Lalay Edwards. 542 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 6: He's saying, now something happened. You shook the baby or something, 543 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 6: And I'm like, shake the baby? 544 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,319 Speaker 4: What are you talking about here? 545 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 2: Like TJ man bag you Like if I. 546 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 6: Was a kid and you're over here like shaking me out, 547 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:09,120 Speaker 6: I'll be in the same position. 548 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:10,279 Speaker 2: Derek Sam, I'm like, what. 549 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freeling. Please 550 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: support your local innocence organizations and go to the links 551 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,439 Speaker 1: in our bio to see how you can help. I'd 552 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 1: like to thank our executive producers Jason Flamm and Kevin Wurtis, 553 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: as well as our senior producer Annie Chelsea, producer Lyla Robinson, 554 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,359 Speaker 1: and story editor Sonya Paul. The show is edited and 555 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: mixed by Annie Chelsea, with additional production by Jeff Cliburn 556 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: and Connor Hall. The music in this production is by 557 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: three time OSCAR nominated composer Jay Ralph. Be sure to 558 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: follow us on Instagram at Wrongful Conviction, on Facebook at 559 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:53,359 Speaker 1: Wrongful Conviction Podcast, and on Twitter at wrong Conviction, as 560 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: well as at Lava for Good. On all three platforms, 561 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,280 Speaker 1: you can also follow me on both Instagram and Twitter 562 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:03,320 Speaker 1: at Maggie. Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freeling is a production 563 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,880 Speaker 1: of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Company 564 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:21,800 Speaker 1: Number one