1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: Hey, Oh my god, I'm so excited. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: I'm not ready for you. 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 3: I thought I want to talk about that's bullshit. 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 4: We don't need setup. 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: This is okay, That's what I thought. 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 5: One afternoon, I see a white envelope sitting in my 7 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 5: mailbox in Brooklyn, stamped in red letters. It says mailed 8 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 5: from a state correctional institution, and on the top left 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 5: of the envelope, I see his name, Oh Journey. I 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 5: had to call Kelsey right away. She was back in 11 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 5: her home state of North Carolina after months of living 12 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 5: between Florida and Brooklyn, reporting on the Leo Schofield case 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 5: with me. Okay, it looks like it's it's on prison 14 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 5: paper and it's not the original thing. 15 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 6: I said, Okay, just read it. 16 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, oh. 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: My God, says I want you to know that Polk 18 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 2: County gave me a call about you. I don't think 19 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,199 Speaker 2: you can come see me. Who knows what will happen? 20 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: And that is sad when they can't see that. 21 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 7: I have kept my damn mouth shut for thirty one 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 7: years Schofield case. 23 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 2: Let's say he should be out. I've thought about writing 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 2: my story that no one wants to hear. I just 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: don't really know how gotta go Jay. 26 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 8: Scott moment. 27 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 5: That has my field. 28 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 8: Sut sory in this vass. 29 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:22,399 Speaker 9: To see gralation, brag desbish to the world. 30 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 2: Solding, s. 31 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 5: To the word solding, So. 32 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 10: Things Bone Valley, Chapter eight. 33 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 5: Dear mister King, I'd started writing Jeremy because honestly, I 34 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 5: didn't know what else to do. After working on this 35 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 5: story for a year, the evidence I'd seen pointed more 36 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 5: and more towards Jeremy Scott as Michelle Schofield's killer. So 37 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 5: I sent my letters out hoping that Jeremy might decide 38 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 5: to open up to me, to converse in a way 39 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 5: that he hadn't with the lawyers, investigators, and cold case 40 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 5: detectives who read him his rights and make him swear 41 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 5: under oath. I just want to have a conversation with him, 42 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 5: to hear the story he says that no one wants 43 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 5: to hear. But we need to back up for a 44 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 5: minute to September of twenty nineteen, about ten months before 45 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 5: I got Jeremy's letter. So we're here at the Tampa 46 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 5: Law Center in Tampa, Florida. We're here for the second 47 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 5: DCA Oral Arguments after studying every detail of Leo's case 48 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 5: over the past year. This is the first legal proceeding 49 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 5: we get to see for ourselves the deciding factor. But 50 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 5: this moment, this particular appeal, is everything for Leo. This 51 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 5: could really kill all his chances of going forward at 52 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 5: this moment, and I think this is almost like his 53 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 5: last chance. The reason we're here is because the judge 54 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 5: in the last hearing denied Leo a new trial, even 55 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 5: after watching Jeremy Scott confess to killing Michelle Schofield in court. So, 56 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 5: in spite of the forensic evidence linking Jeremy Scott to 57 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 5: the crime scene, and despite the fact that there is 58 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 5: still no physical evidence and no direct evidence tying Leo 59 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 5: Schofield to the murder of his wife, a single judge 60 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 5: ruled that Jeremy Scott was not credible and his confession 61 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 5: to killing Michelle was not believable. But Leo those lawyers 62 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 5: appealed the judge's decision and won. 63 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: So. 64 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 5: Now, almost two years after Jeremy Scott confessed on the stand, 65 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 5: Leo was given another chance to make his case in 66 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 5: court to argue that he deserves a new trial. This 67 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 5: hearing will be before a panel of three judges seated 68 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 5: on the Second District Court of Appeal. It's about to 69 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 5: start when we see Leo's wife Chrissy and their daughter 70 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 5: Ashley walk through the door. 71 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,799 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know what you're like, trying to get somewhere 72 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 4: on time. Oh yeah, don't get stressed. 73 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: But you made it. 74 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 5: Everything's fine. They're just starting to see people. So you 75 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 5: guys are in great shape. How are you am I today? 76 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 11: Hmmm, I don't I don't know if I have a 77 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 11: word for it. 78 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 5: Actually, just. 79 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 8: Hopeful. 80 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 11: Hopeful, Yeah, that's probably. 81 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 5: The best word. At Leo's last hearing, Chrisy witnessed how 82 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 5: Jeremy Scott withstood the prosecutor's verbal abuse. How by the 83 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 5: end of his testimony, Jeremy maintained that it was he 84 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 5: alone who killed Michelle Schofield back in February of nineteen 85 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 5: eighty seven. Some of his last words in court that 86 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 5: day were, I killed her. 87 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 11: It's maddening that we are still here all these years later, 88 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 11: and I was thinking about it's been two years since 89 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 11: I got the call about the confession. Two years. He 90 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 11: described in detail what he did, how he did it, 91 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 11: what he was thinking when he did it, what Michelle 92 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 11: was saying when he killed her two years later and 93 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 11: we're still talking about this. 94 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 5: If these three judges don't grant Leo a new trial, 95 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,919 Speaker 5: it will become even harder for him to successfully appeal 96 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 5: to a higher court and get another opportunity to prove 97 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 5: his innocence. Leo isn't allowed here to watch the hearing, 98 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 5: and he won't find out how it went until he 99 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 5: calls Chrissy later in the day. How are Leo's spirits lately? 100 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 11: He's hopeful, but he's also afraid. He's afraid that we'll 101 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 11: get more of the same. He's afraid that he'll disappoint 102 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 11: his family. When I think about that is when I 103 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 11: get choked up, because he doesn't disappoint us. But so 104 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 11: that's where he is. 105 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 12: So that's that I think we should go in. 106 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 5: The room is more like a lecture hall than a courtroom, 107 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 5: but there's a tenseness in the air. More than a 108 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 5: dozen people have come in support of Leo. They are 109 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 5: all aware that this may be Leo's last chance for justice. 110 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 13: You know my name is, said Seth Miller from the 111 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 13: Edison's Project Flores, my co counsel mis Stolen, who will 112 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 13: not arguing. 113 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 5: Today, First, Leo's attorney, Seth Miller from the Innocence Project 114 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 5: of Florida, gets up and begins his oral argument about 115 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 5: the new evidence of Jeremy Scott's confession to killing Michelle. 116 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 5: He only has twenty minutes to present his case, but 117 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 5: the judges can interrupt at any point to ask questions. 118 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 7: We have additional fact. 119 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 5: That Seth brings up. How there are certain details Jeremy 120 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 5: knows that only the murderer could know, how Jeremy's story 121 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 5: is consistent with the forensic evidence, and how Michelle was 122 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 5: found in the same spot that Jeremy used to take 123 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 5: his girlfriend Jamie Nellams. But just a minute into his argument, 124 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 5: the judges are already interrupting with questions, and before long 125 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 5: they veer away from Jeremy Scott's confession and instead dredge 126 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 5: up the same so called evidence from the original trial, 127 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 5: like Leo's father's weird behavior. 128 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 13: His ex girlfriend Jamie Nellens testified that he used to 129 00:08:58,520 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 13: bring her to. 130 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 14: Then few mornings after the incident, the defendant's father had 131 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 14: a premonition that that's where the body was and led 132 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 14: police to that location. 133 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 5: Is what really bothers me listening to the judges questions, 134 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 5: is that Leo Senior's story about a vision from God 135 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 5: continues to be treated as a fact in this case, 136 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 5: as if he woke up that morning with a premonition 137 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 5: and then led police to some random ditch in Polk 138 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,719 Speaker 5: County where Michelle's body just happened to be. That's not 139 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 5: what happened. Leo Senior had been searching for Michelle for 140 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 5: nearly three days and nights. He didn't lead police to 141 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 5: the body. He found her body, then flagged down a 142 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 5: passing trucker who alerted the police. And it wasn't until 143 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 5: after the police showed up that he claimed to have 144 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 5: had this clairvoyant vision from God. It was a story 145 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:02,079 Speaker 5: told by a distraught and troubled man. And so, with 146 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 5: only twenty precious minutes to argue his case, Seth gets 147 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 5: stuck explaining Leo's father's premonition instead of arguing to the 148 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 5: judges why Jeremy Scott's confessions deserve to be considered by 149 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 5: a new jury at a new trial. Impact and that's 150 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,839 Speaker 5: all Leo and his lawyers are asking for. They're not 151 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 5: asking for Leo to walk out of prison today. They're 152 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 5: just asking for a new jury to decide his fate. 153 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 5: After Seth takes a seat, the attorney for the state 154 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 5: makes his argument, and it's basically this, Jeremy Scott is 155 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 5: not credible and nothing he says should be believed. But 156 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 5: there is one time the state says that you can 157 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 5: believe Jeremy when he says he didn't kill Michelle. 158 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 13: His version of events, which was deemed credible by his 159 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 13: court in twenty ten, that he stole the stereo equipment 160 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 13: and found the abandoned car and did not kill michelle'sko field, 161 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 13: matches much more logically with the evidence known in the 162 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 13: case than his version of events. 163 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 5: This is the preposterous position the state is forced to 164 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 5: defend that a man who has confessed to three different 165 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 5: murders in Polk County that he is forensically linked to 166 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 5: is suddenly nothing more than a car stereo thief. It's 167 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 5: like they're refusing to acknowledge the fact that the State 168 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 5: Attorney's office has already prosecuted Jeremy Scott twice for murder. 169 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 13: If this court does not have any further questions, I 170 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 13: would ask that you affirm the trial court's denial of 171 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 13: the motion for newly discovered evidence thank you very much. 172 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 5: The hearing doesn't last long, about thirty minutes, and then 173 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 5: it's over. We all walk out into the lobby and 174 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 5: don't know how to feel. It's hard to read what 175 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 5: the judges are thinking, and Leo's family wants to remain optimistic. 176 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 5: But now the waiting begins. For the next eight months. 177 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 5: We will all wake up in the morning and refresh 178 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 5: the second DCA's website to see if their decision has 179 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 5: been posted online, to see if the court has ruled 180 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 5: that Leo should be granted a new trial. 181 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 15: Hi, I'm Jason Flamm, CEO and founder of Lava for 182 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 15: Good podcasts, home to Bone Valley, Wrongful Conviction, The War 183 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 15: on Drugs, and many other great podcasts. Today we're asking you, 184 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 15: our listeners, to take part in a survey. Your feedback 185 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,839 Speaker 15: is going to help inform how we make podcasts in 186 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 15: the future. Your complete and candid answers will help us 187 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 15: continue to bring you more insightful and inspiring stories about 188 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 15: important topics that impact us all. 189 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 5: So please go to. 190 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 15: Lava for Good dot com slash survey and participate today. 191 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 5: Thank you for your support. 192 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 16: Bone Valley is sponsored by Stand Together. Stand Together is 193 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 16: a philanthropic community that partners with America's boldest change makers 194 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 16: to tackle the root causes of our country's biggest problems, 195 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 16: including the failed War on drugs that has criminalized addiction, 196 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 16: fuelled over incarceration, and shattered communities. At eleven years old, 197 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 16: Scott Strode drank his first beer. At fifteen, Scott went 198 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 16: to a mental health facility because of suicidal thoughts, where 199 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 16: he tried cocaine. 200 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 5: Like many others who experience addiction, Scott. 201 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 16: Was using drugs and alcohol to numb the pain he 202 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 16: was trying to numb childhood trauma. In his early twenties, 203 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 16: Scott was invited into a boxing gym by a friend. 204 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 5: That's where he. 205 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 16: Discovered the healing power of sport and community that helped 206 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 16: propel him towards sobriety. In two thousand and six, Scott 207 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 16: founded The Phoenix, a free, sober, active community that uses 208 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,079 Speaker 16: the transformative power of sport to help people treat and 209 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 16: heal from addiction and imagine new possibilities for their lives 210 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 16: through fitness. The program restores compassion to a system that 211 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 16: has long relied on locking people up to solve the 212 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 16: addiction crisis. Scott Strode is one of many entrepreneurs partnering 213 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 16: with Stand Together to drive solutions in education, health care, poverty. 214 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 5: And criminal justice. 215 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 16: To learn more about addiction and the War on drugs, 216 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 16: listen to the War on. 217 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 5: Drugs podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 218 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 5: While Leo and his family wait for the judges to 219 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 5: release their decision about whether or not Leo will be 220 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 5: granted a new trial, Leo has one other chance for freedom, 221 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 5: not through a new trial that will allow him to 222 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 5: clear his name, but through parole. Parole is basically the 223 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 5: state way of saying you committed a crime, served your sentence, 224 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 5: and kept out of trouble in prison, so as long 225 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 5: as you keep checking in with us now and again, 226 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 5: we no longer think you're a present danger to society. 227 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 5: But parole is not ideal for Leo because even if 228 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 5: it's granted, he'll still be a convicted murderer in the 229 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 5: eyes of the state. On the other hand, if he's paroled, 230 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 5: he'd at least eventually be home with his family. In 231 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 5: a lot of ways, Leo is the perfect candidate for parole. 232 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 5: He's a model inmate who's obtained multiple college degrees and 233 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 5: leads the prison ministry program God behind Bars. 234 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 17: I've graduated college, I've gotten awards from the toast Masters. 235 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 17: I can't do anything else. There's nothing else to do here. 236 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 17: I've been the pastor of the Messionic community here since 237 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 17: twenty eleven. I invented programs to graduate from and. 238 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 5: Leo hasn't had a single disciplinary infraction in fourteen years. 239 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 5: In fact, over his thirty years in prison, he's been 240 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 5: written up just five times, and only for minor infractions, 241 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 5: like once he missed a day of work because of 242 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 5: an injury and another time he handed out one of 243 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 5: Chrissy's mary K Cosmetics cards to a corrections officer he 244 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 5: was friendly with. In addition to presenting their prison records, 245 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 5: inmates are expected to show that they'd be a benefit 246 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 5: to society and that they'd have stable housing and jobs. 247 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 5: Leo has all of that lined up. He has dozens 248 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 5: of letters of support from friends and family, and even 249 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 5: corrections officers who have known him for years. Leo even 250 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 5: has a letter of support from Michelle's brother Jesse. Sam 251 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 5: Chrisy got in touch with him after the fingerprints and 252 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 5: Michelle's car were matched to Jeremy Scott and Chrissy started 253 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 5: sending Jesse documents, so. 254 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 18: I read through it and I was like, dang man, 255 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 18: this stuff's pretty substantial. Fingerprints was a big deal. Jeremy's 256 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 18: history was a big deal. By the fact that he 257 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 18: had murdered other people and that he was around that 258 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 18: same area frequently was a big deal. And and a 259 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 18: lot of that stuff just started adding up. 260 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 5: Do you believe that Jeremy Scott killed your sister? I 261 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 5: think so. 262 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 18: I think he did. Yeah, And I think that Leo's 263 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 18: been wrongfully in prison this whole time. 264 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 5: And you know, it's it. 265 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 18: It bothers me. It makes me sad, you know that 266 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 18: they won't try to pursue the evidence that's boiled up 267 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 18: after all these years and at least process it, you know, 268 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 18: and then we'll all know, you know, if he did 269 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 18: or not. I mean, dude, we're all just searching for 270 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 18: the answer, you know, So why wouldn't we pursue it? 271 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 6: Yeah, the parole hearing, it started pretty early in the morning. 272 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 6: Got there, saw Chrissy and Ashley and you know, the 273 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:11,120 Speaker 6: whole gang. 274 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 5: It's January eighth, twenty twenty, about four months after the 275 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 5: second DCA hearing that would determine whether or not Leo 276 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 5: will get a new trial, but there's still no decision 277 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 5: in time for Leo's parole hearing. I had something scheduled 278 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 5: that day, so Kelsey made arrangements to fly down to 279 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 5: Tallahassee to cover the hearing herself, and I knew Kelsey 280 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 5: was kind of nervous about this trip. 281 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 6: Texted Gilbert, I said, don't see Hill yet. 282 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 5: Jerry Hill was John Aguero's boss at the time of 283 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 5: Leo's trial back in nineteen eighty nine. He's a tough 284 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 5: talking law and order prosecutor who ran unopposed in his 285 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 5: last seven elections. Parole is different from Leo's other hearings 286 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 5: because a representative from the state doesn't have to be there. 287 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 5: But Jerry Hill in his office have made a point 288 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 5: of showing up to these hearings. Even though he retired 289 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 5: in early twenty seventeen after serving thirty two years as 290 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,719 Speaker 5: state attorney, he still drives hours to attend these parole hearings, 291 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 5: and he's taken a special interest in Leo's case. We 292 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 5: tried emailing Jerry Hill, but we received no response. We 293 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 5: had a lot of questions and since nobody from the 294 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,920 Speaker 5: state Attorney's office would agree to be interviewed. We knew 295 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 5: our only chance to talk to Jerry Hill might be 296 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 5: after the hearing, and with me unable to attend, Kelsey 297 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 5: was going to have to be the one to try 298 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 5: to corner him support. 299 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 13: We have a number of those people here and I'd 300 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 13: like to call on. 301 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: Some of them. 302 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 5: Seth Miller from the Innocence Project makes the case for 303 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 5: Leo's parole. He has just ten minutes and he has 304 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 5: to share that time with Leo's family members and people 305 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 5: whom Leo mentored in the prison, all of whom have 306 00:19:58,160 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 5: shown up to speak on his behalf. 307 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 19: He's a leader, a mentor. 308 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 15: He encouraged me to participate in programs, and here I 309 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 15: am today. 310 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 5: With so many speakers in so little time. Even Chrissy 311 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 5: and Ashley are given less than a minute to explain 312 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 5: to the commissioners who they are and why they want 313 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 5: Leo home. 314 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 8: Good morning. 315 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 20: My name is Chrissy Schofield. I've been in prison with 316 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 20: Leo for about twenty eight years now, and one thing 317 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 20: that I do know about the Department of Corrections is 318 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 20: it's not designed to build better men. 319 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 11: But there are a few that do rise and Leo's 320 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 11: one of those guys. 321 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: Hi, my name is Ashley. 322 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 21: All I have to say is I will take advantage 323 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 21: of every opportunity every family outing, everything that they teach us, 324 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 21: I will take in just so when my dad gets home, 325 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 21: we can have the best life that we possibly can. 326 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: That's all I have to say. 327 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 5: The ten minutes are up. Everyone who speaks on Leo's 328 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 5: behalf a seat. Then it's the other side's turn. 329 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 19: Think. 330 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 6: I look to my right. I glanced up and I 331 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 6: saw Jerry Hill walking down the aisle approaching the podium. 332 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 6: So I immediately like stopped breathing for a minute. It 333 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 6: was just like kind of in shock, like, oh my god, 334 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 6: he's here. 335 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 7: Borning commissioners. Jerry Hill on behalf of Brian Haas, the 336 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 7: state attorney for the. 337 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 6: Dense Circuit, texted Gilbert again, JK. Hill is here. Gilbert says, Okay, 338 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 6: stay cool, you got this. 339 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 5: The next ten minutes of the hearing is supposed to 340 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 5: be allotted to any of the victims' loved ones who 341 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 5: want to speak or have a letter read. They usually 342 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 5: asked the parole board not to release the convicted person 343 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 5: that's up for parole, but Jesse Michelle's brother had written 344 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 5: a different kind of letter to the state, and he 345 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 5: asked for it to be read at the hearing. He wrote, 346 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 5: I do not have confidence in the conviction of Leo 347 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 5: Schofield and I support his request for parole. But Jesse 348 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 5: Salm's letter is never presented. Instead, the retired state attorney 349 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 5: Jerry Hill uses the time to argue that Leo Schofield 350 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:18,640 Speaker 5: should never get out. 351 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 6: Of prison, and he starts talking about the facts of 352 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:22,680 Speaker 6: the case. 353 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 7: The defendant's car and his wife's car was abandoned on 354 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 7: a F four. It was discovered by the father and 355 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 7: Leo before law enforcement could find it. 356 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 5: By this point, I was getting used to the state 357 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 5: twisting the facts and injecting bad evidence into every proceeding. 358 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 5: But then Jerry Hill takes it to another level. Instead 359 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 5: of the usual mention of Leo's father's vision from God, 360 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 5: jerry Hill gets it wrong in a major way. 361 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 7: Leo said he was driven by an interforce to go 362 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 7: back to the pit area again. Leo's say that he 363 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 7: felt drawn to that area and felt that Michelle was 364 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 7: calling out to him. 365 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 5: He makes it sound like it was Leo himself who 366 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 5: had the premonition. 367 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 7: Leo said he began to search. The closer he got 368 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 7: to Michelle, the worst's head hurt. 369 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 5: It's not the job of the three parole commissioners to 370 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 5: know all the facts of Leo's case. In fact, the 371 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 5: point of the hearing isn't supposed to be about the 372 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 5: facts of the case at all. Most of the people 373 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 5: who are hoping to be granted parole have admitted their 374 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 5: guilt in the crimes they've been convicted of the point 375 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 5: of parole is to evaluate how they've conducted themselves in prison, 376 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 5: to see if the inmate can be safely released back 377 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 5: into society after having served their minimum sentence. But listening 378 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 5: to Jerry Hill, these commissioners probably thought it was suspicious 379 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 5: that the guy who was convicted of killing his eighteen 380 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 5: year old wife also claimed that a vision from God 381 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 5: led him to discover her boy. But of course none 382 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 5: of that ever happened. It wasn't Leo but his father 383 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 5: who had this supposed vision from God. Maybe it was 384 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 5: just an honest mistake by a retired state attorney who 385 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 5: is no longer familiar with the facts of the case 386 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 5: from back in the nineteen eighties. But these kind of 387 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 5: misrepresentations happen over and over at every stage of Leo's case, 388 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 5: from his trial through all his appeals and now parole. 389 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 5: The state, attorneys, the judges, they just keep getting the 390 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 5: facts wrong. And it's hard to know if it's just 391 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 5: carelessness or if the state is intentionally misleading in order 392 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 5: to keep Leo locked behind bars. Either way, someone's freedom, 393 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 5: someone's life is on the line. And Jerry Hill isn't 394 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 5: done with his argument yet. 395 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 7: I listened to that presentation, how this individual has taken 396 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 7: advantage of a lot of opportunities, But folks, I got 397 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 7: to point out an absolute glaring hole in that presentation. 398 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 7: I didn't hear one word about regret. Sarah wish I 399 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 7: hadn't done it. I was a different person. Then this 400 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 7: guy is an unrepentant, jury convicted first degree murderer, proven 401 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 7: beyond into the exclusion of every reasonable doubt. There's no remorse, 402 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 7: there's no sorrow. How do you put a man in 403 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 7: a program, getting him ready to be released into society 404 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 7: when he can't say I'm sorry, when he can't say 405 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 7: I did it. 406 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 12: I know this is a subsequent and I'm sorry. I'm 407 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 12: so emotional about it. 408 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 7: I just feel very strongly that this is a cold, 409 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 7: calculating first degree murder. He's a manipulator and this is 410 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:01,919 Speaker 7: exactly where we. 411 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 20: Ought to be. 412 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 5: After Jerry Hill speaks, the commissioners announced their decision right 413 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 5: then and there, Leo is denied parole. The commission makes 414 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 5: it very clear that parole is not a right, but 415 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 5: quote an active grace of the state. There will be 416 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,439 Speaker 5: no active grace for Leo Schofield. 417 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 6: You can't really react to the ruling in the room. 418 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 6: So we all were kind of devastated, but trying to 419 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 6: hide it a little bit until we got out into 420 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 6: the lobby. And then we all stepped outside and I 421 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 6: glanced over and I saw Hill walking out, and I knew. 422 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 6: I knew that that was my opportunity. It's just like, 423 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 6: can't hesitate. I just like turned on my heel and 424 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 6: called out, mister Hill. 425 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: I'm working on a story with Gilbert King about the 426 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 1: Riosco Field. King, can I ask you a question. Well, 427 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: let's see, this case was originally handled by John Aguero. 428 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 12: That's correct. 429 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: What do you think when you take on a case 430 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 1: of his friend so long ago. 431 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 12: I think John was a brilliant prosecutor and that he 432 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 12: was spot on. 433 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 6: He could probably tell how nervous I was. My hands 434 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 6: might have been shaking a little bit. I wish it 435 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 6: hadn't been so obvious that I was nervous, But to 436 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 6: some degree, I think maybe that worked in my favor. 437 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 6: I think maybe it disarmed him a little bit, and 438 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 6: I was able to kind of gain my confidence back 439 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:08,399 Speaker 6: when I realized how little he knows about this case. 440 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:11,159 Speaker 6: And what did you think when you first learned that 441 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 6: the fingerprints in michelle'skoe Fields car were identified to Jeremy Scott? 442 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 12: I thought Jeremy Scott was a thief. 443 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: Your office prosecuted him twice for murder? 444 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 12: Didn't it since then? Not before then? Not at that time? 445 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 12: Subsequent long suchan. 446 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: Poel Johnson murder was in eighteen eighty five, that was 447 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 1: after I believe, No, that was before Michelle's murder was 448 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: at eighty seven. 449 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 12: Okay, you may be right. It doesn't add Did you 450 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 12: hear the transcript? Did you see the judge's findings? All 451 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 12: he's a liar. He offered to sell his testimony for 452 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 12: one thousand dollars. That's hardly a basis for suggesting that 453 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 12: he's the actual murderer. 454 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: Couldn't he be a stereo thief and the actual murderer. 455 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 12: Now that's a theoretical question, and I guess in theory 456 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 12: the answer is, of course he could be. 457 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: I mean, it shouldn't it be your responsibility to investigate. 458 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 7: Wait a minute, we have investigated this thing upside down. 459 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 7: Leo'scholfield is a cold blooded murderer, and if I have 460 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 7: my way, he'll never get out of prison. 461 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: Right now, Leo's case is being reviewed by the Second DCA. 462 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: If they were to reverse the lower court's opinion, would 463 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: you try him again? 464 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 12: Oh, let me tell you, I'm not too worried about that. 465 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 12: We're not gonna have to try him again. 466 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 8: You wouldn't do that, Oh. 467 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 7: We'll try him again if he were to get off me. 468 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 7: Let me tell you right now, he's a killer. And 469 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 7: unless you want to take him home, will you, then 470 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 7: he's where he ought to be. 471 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: Thank you very much. 472 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 6: All of the stuff that I've read before that i'd 473 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 6: read in transcripts, just how the state talks about Leo 474 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 6: in his case, I think maybe i'd kind of been 475 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 6: telling myself like, oh, you know, they can't be that bad, right, 476 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 6: Like I see the words on the page. 477 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: But it just can't be that bad. 478 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 6: I've been listening to Jerry Hill. It's just like, oh gosh, no, 479 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 6: it really is that bad. 480 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 1: It's really worse. 481 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 22: Now. 482 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 17: I think Jerry Hill he had an opportunity to be 483 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 17: the hero, and they can still be the hero. I 484 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 17: don't want money, I don't want fame, I don't want 485 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 17: any of this stuff. I just want justice for my 486 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 17: dead wife. That's what I want. Give that to me 487 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 17: and I'll put my mom over your shoulder and say 488 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 17: you're the hero. You're the frigging hero. 489 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 19: Just do what's right. 490 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 17: Do what's right, because you're never going to give me justice. 491 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 12: Never. 492 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 17: You can't give me back thirty four years. You can't 493 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 17: give Michelle back her life. The least you can do 494 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 17: when you say that you care about her is do 495 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 17: the right thing by her. Because this is not it. 496 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 17: This is definitely not it. 497 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 5: After Leo learns he's been denied parole, he sends Chrissy 498 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 5: an email through the prison system's computers. As usual, it's 499 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 5: Leo who is trying to buoy everyone's spirits. Leo writes, 500 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 5: I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I 501 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 5: was so hopeful that it was going to be different 502 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 5: this time. I'm just sorry. 503 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 2: I love you. 504 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 5: A few months after Leo was denied parole, I go 505 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 5: to my computer and there it is the second DCA's decision. 506 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 5: Leo is also denied a new trial. His chances of 507 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 5: proving his innocence and getting out of prison and having 508 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 5: a normal life with his family they're pretty much gone. 509 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 5: I text Chrissy, I text Judge Scott Cupp. I struggle 510 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 5: to imagine what this will do to Leo. All he 511 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 5: can do now is wait for yet another parole hearing, 512 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,640 Speaker 5: where yet again, the state will argue that he's not 513 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 5: worthy of freedom because he isn't sorry for killing Michelle, 514 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 5: and Leo will refuse to express remorse because he's always 515 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 5: maintained his innocence. The timing of the second DCA's decision 516 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 5: not to grant Leo a new trial, it couldn't be worse. 517 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 5: COVID is in full swing and Chrissy and Ashley are 518 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 5: not allowed any in person visits with Leo. Also, during 519 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 5: this time, Leo's mom passes away and Leo witnesses an 520 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 5: inmate gets stabbed to death. 521 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 17: I mean, it really is shocking to me that we 522 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 17: can get dis and not get any relief at all, 523 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 17: you know, and then the reality is settling in that 524 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 17: the the nightmare scenario that I could die in here, 525 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 17: you know, and and that's just too heavy for me. 526 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 5: Kelsey, I that's gonna be the straw that breaks my back. 527 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 17: I can't do that. I just I'm not gonna give 528 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 17: him another thirty I don't want to. 529 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 22: I don't. 530 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 19: I would feel totally wrong to allow that. I would 531 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 19: rather end it myself. That's the gospel truth. I'm not 532 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 19: gonna let my wife my daughter suffer through this crap anymore. 533 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 12: I'm not. I'm just not gonna do it. 534 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 17: So we're not gonna l anticipate it going that way. 535 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 17: I'm believing I'm willing to take anything that allows me 536 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 17: to go home and take care of my wife and daughter, 537 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 17: short of admitting to something I didn't do. 538 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 5: As Leo struggles to keep hope, I think about all 539 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,240 Speaker 5: the work Kelsey and I have put into this case. 540 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 5: Nobody around Leo will ever say it, but we can 541 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,839 Speaker 5: feel it. They're putting all their hopes in our investigation, 542 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 5: our story about Leo's case, and because I'm also very 543 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 5: aware of the mountains that must be moved in order 544 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 5: to overturn a wrongful conviction. I always make sure to 545 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 5: temper any expectations. Telling Leo's story, no matter how truthfully 546 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 5: and persuasively, is simply not a realistic path toward gaining 547 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:41,280 Speaker 5: his freedom. But there's no denying it. Our investigation, our story, 548 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 5: might just be Leo's last hope, his last chance to 549 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 5: convince people that he was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, 550 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 5: and that Jeremy Scott is Michelle's true murderer. We've seen 551 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 5: how the State of Florida's false narrative has defined Leo's case. 552 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 5: At the very least, we want to correct this narrative. 553 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 5: Kelsey and I are thinking about where to look next, 554 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 5: and there's one stone we've left unturned. We start thinking 555 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 5: more and more about Jeremy Scott. Maybe he has more 556 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 5: to say. We have to try to talk to him. 557 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 5: So I write a letter to Jeremy and mail it 558 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 5: off to him, and when I don't hear from him, 559 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 5: I write another. I tell him that I'm an author 560 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 5: and that I've been investigating the Leo Schofield case, and 561 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 5: that I'm interested in his dealings with the State Attorney's office. 562 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,279 Speaker 5: I send him a self address, stamped envelope and some 563 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 5: extra papers so he can write me back. I know 564 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 5: he's been contacted by journalists in the past and that 565 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 5: he doesn't respond, so my hopes are pretty low, but 566 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 5: there's not much else I can do. It's the spring 567 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:56,600 Speaker 5: of twenty twenty and COVID is stopping us from traveling 568 00:35:56,640 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 5: down to Florida. Sitting in my office in Brooklyn, I 569 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 5: feel powerless. But the one thing I can do is 570 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 5: write to Jeremy. So I keep at it, just hoping 571 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 5: he'll change his mind and write back. 572 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:13,919 Speaker 2: Oh he shouldn't, Jeremy. 573 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 5: And seven months later, I see that first letter sitting 574 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 5: in my mailbox. 575 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,440 Speaker 2: She says, I want you to know that Polk County 576 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 2: gave me a call about you. I don't think you 577 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,840 Speaker 2: can come see me. Who knows what will happen? And 578 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 2: that is sad when I have kept my damn mouth 579 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:36,800 Speaker 2: shut for thirty one years. Schofield case. Let's say he 580 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 2: should be out. I've thought about writing my story that 581 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 2: no one wants to hear. I just don't really know how. 582 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 2: Gotta go. 583 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: Jay Scott, Well, okay, I. 584 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:53,359 Speaker 2: Think he's looking to as again. 585 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 4: He got a call. 586 00:36:55,320 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 1: It sounds like Peulk County made him believe that he 587 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 1: is not allowed to talk to us, which they can't do. 588 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:06,919 Speaker 5: No, they can't, and that's why we're going to figure 589 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 5: out what they did. We file a record request to 590 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 5: find out who might have called him, but we're informed 591 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 5: by the Florida Department of Corrections that they can't release 592 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 5: those records. So I write Jeremy another letter. I want 593 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 5: to see if he'd agree to a visit from us. 594 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 5: I want him to know that I'm eager to hear 595 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 5: his story, that I'm interested in anything and everything he 596 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 5: has to say. I also send him a pre written 597 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 5: consent letter. If he signs, it will allow me to 598 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 5: visit and record an interview with him. It's not long 599 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 5: before he sends the form back to me, signed, but 600 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 5: the prisons in Florida are still locked down due to COVID. 601 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 5: And then, once the Department of Corrections lifts the COVID 602 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 5: restrictions about six weeks later, we find out that Jeremy 603 00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 5: has been placed in disciplinary confinement, so we can't visit 604 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,879 Speaker 5: him until he returns to general population, and who knows 605 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:08,120 Speaker 5: when that will be. As the months pass, we're constantly 606 00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:14,800 Speaker 5: checking his status, there's no change, and he stops writing. Still, 607 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:17,759 Speaker 5: we wanted to find a way to get someone to 608 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 5: look into Jeremy Scott. We felt we had some pretty 609 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 5: compelling evidence linking Jeremy to the murder of cab driver 610 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:28,439 Speaker 5: Joseph Lavere back in nineteen eighty seven. It didn't feel 611 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 5: right just sitting on what we'd collected, so I reached 612 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 5: out to one of my contacts at the State Attorney's 613 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,400 Speaker 5: Office in the Ninth Circuit. That's the office that handles 614 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:40,800 Speaker 5: all the cases in Osceola County, including the murder of 615 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:45,200 Speaker 5: Joseph Lavere. It seemed like there had to be fingerprints 616 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 5: and potential sources of DNA from the taxi that could 617 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,560 Speaker 5: be tested. And if it turns out that Jeremy is 618 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:55,360 Speaker 5: forensically linked to a fourth murder, the murder of Joseph Lavere, 619 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 5: the state's narrative that Jeremy is just a car stereo 620 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,160 Speaker 5: thief who had nothing to do with the murder of 621 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 5: Michelle Schofield would look even more preposterous. But we're in 622 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 5: a weird position. We'd collected so much information about what 623 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:13,400 Speaker 5: the State Attorney's office in Polk County had done wrong 624 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 5: in failing to properly investigate Jeremy Scott, and now we 625 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:20,920 Speaker 5: were thinking about going to a neighboring county state attorney's 626 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 5: office pointing out yet another failed investigation. We don't know 627 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:28,759 Speaker 5: how they're going to react, but we decide it's what 628 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:31,919 Speaker 5: we have to do. We managed to get a meeting 629 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,239 Speaker 5: lined up with the state Attorney's office in the Ninth 630 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 5: Circuit and we presented our case over a zoom call. 631 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:40,240 Speaker 4: Okay, excellent. 632 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:41,879 Speaker 5: So I'm just going to talk to you a little 633 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 5: bit about why I'm doing this and what I've learned 634 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 5: and why I'm really getting. 635 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:46,920 Speaker 12: In touch with you. 636 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,320 Speaker 5: But I go through the whole thing. How while working 637 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:54,040 Speaker 5: on Leo's story, we came across the Lavere case. We 638 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 5: tell them that Jeremy's girlfriend, Jamie, said that Jeremy made 639 00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 5: a spontaneous confession decades ago to getting away with killing 640 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:04,800 Speaker 5: a taxi cab driver, and how we think we've linked 641 00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 5: that spontaneous confession to the murder of Joseph Lavere, an 642 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:13,399 Speaker 5: Ossiola County homicide that's still unsolved. It had been over 643 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,880 Speaker 5: three decades since this office handled the case, and filed 644 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:20,280 Speaker 5: charges against dan Odie, the man who has tried twice 645 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:24,440 Speaker 5: and eventually acquitted. The folks were talking to weren't there 646 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:26,919 Speaker 5: at the time, so we tell them a bit about 647 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:30,240 Speaker 5: dan Odie and some of the accusations of police corruption 648 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 5: that were exposed in court during his case. 649 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:35,560 Speaker 4: I know it was a lot to sort of absorb, 650 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:38,920 Speaker 4: and like I said, I'll hand over any documents, recordings, 651 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 4: anything you think that might be helpful to you. 652 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:45,120 Speaker 5: They seem to understand how this investigation relates back to 653 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 5: Leo's case. 654 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:53,960 Speaker 23: I just wondered if whole County wouldn't be cana frustrated 655 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,279 Speaker 23: a little bit to look at Jermaine's God. But they 656 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:58,640 Speaker 23: know that we're look at him or cold case, and 657 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:03,880 Speaker 23: I think it's with Scott absolutely. 658 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:06,920 Speaker 5: We tell them that we're hoping to meet with Jeremy. 659 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:10,080 Speaker 5: We're just waiting for him to get out of disciplinary confinement. 660 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 3: You have every right as a citizen to engage other citizens, 661 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:18,279 Speaker 3: who include people who are in custody. But I think 662 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 3: if if law enforcement's going to try to work this case, 663 00:41:21,719 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 3: I would think they would want to be part of 664 00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 3: that conversation. 665 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:26,640 Speaker 8: If you're willing to extend that to the agency. 666 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:29,360 Speaker 5: They're basically saying that they can't stop us from meeting 667 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 5: with Jeremy, but they'd rather we don't. It could interfere 668 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 5: with an investigation. In other words, let the cops do 669 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 5: their job. I'm happy to step back and see what 670 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,200 Speaker 5: comes of their work. It could mean justice in a 671 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:46,560 Speaker 5: decade's old cold case, and it could also bring renewed 672 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:47,919 Speaker 5: attention to Leo's case. 673 00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:51,160 Speaker 4: I just sort of want to see this move forward 674 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 4: because I feel very strongly that Jeremy Scott is the suspect. 675 00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:00,400 Speaker 5: We're hopeful that someone is finally going to investigate Jeremy's. 676 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:01,880 Speaker 24: It's nice to you. 677 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:02,879 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. 678 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:04,200 Speaker 5: I really appreciate it. 679 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 4: I'll be in touch. 680 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 5: I'll send my PowerPoint and i'll send documents and recordings. 681 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,360 Speaker 5: A few weeks later, we get a second letter from Jeremy. 682 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 5: It's been seven months since the first one. I call 683 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:26,600 Speaker 5: Kelsey right away. She was sitting in a parking lot 684 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:29,759 Speaker 5: in Durham, North Carolina, trying to get the internet set 685 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 5: up in her new apartment. So I record the call 686 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:39,160 Speaker 5: on my end or I think I do, okay, So 687 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 5: I completely fucked that up and forgot to press record. 688 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:45,600 Speaker 5: That's what happens when you're not here. I have to 689 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:47,239 Speaker 5: do shit on my own and it doesn't work out 690 00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:48,080 Speaker 5: as well as when you're here. 691 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:48,800 Speaker 12: So there we go. 692 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 5: Yes, no, it doesn't happen to you, but it happens 693 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 5: to me. Okay, So here it is. Okay. This letter 694 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 5: dated March sixth, twenty twenty one, and it's from Jeremy, 695 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:08,279 Speaker 5: and he says, dear mister King, I don't know what 696 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:11,680 Speaker 5: it is that you want to know about Polk County prosecutors. 697 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,920 Speaker 5: They lied told me what they were gonna help me, 698 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:18,640 Speaker 5: but that never happened. That's why I told the whole 699 00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 5: truth about Leo Schofield. And I had also told them 700 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:25,960 Speaker 5: things that a killer would know. Leo didn't kill his wife. 701 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:27,480 Speaker 19: I did. 702 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:32,640 Speaker 5: That taxi cab driver that was shot by a three 703 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 5: point fifty seven gun. They didn't want to hear what 704 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:43,080 Speaker 5: I had to say, that taxi cab driver. This is 705 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:46,520 Speaker 5: stunning to me. I never mentioned the cab driver in 706 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:50,000 Speaker 5: my letters. I was very intentional about that. I didn't 707 00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:52,560 Speaker 5: want to confront him about the murder of Joseph Lavere 708 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:56,080 Speaker 5: because I was worried Jeremy might shut down and I'd 709 00:43:56,160 --> 00:43:59,640 Speaker 5: lose the opportunity to sit with him in person. But 710 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 5: how do we have this letter from him? And he's 711 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:07,759 Speaker 5: bringing up the cab driver murder completely unprompted. Jeremy goes 712 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:10,240 Speaker 5: on to write about his release from prison in nineteen 713 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 5: eighty six. That was after his acquittal in the Jewel 714 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:16,600 Speaker 5: Johnson murder and after he served a few months on 715 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:20,880 Speaker 5: the arson charge. Following his release, he stays with his 716 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:25,400 Speaker 5: mother in Perry, Florida, until January, then with an uncle 717 00:44:25,440 --> 00:44:29,360 Speaker 5: in Osceola County, just over the Polk County line. I 718 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:34,879 Speaker 5: keep reading anyway, while I was staying there, I took 719 00:44:35,040 --> 00:44:39,360 Speaker 5: money and a big knife, not just any kind. That 720 00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 5: was the one use on Michelle. I took off in 721 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:49,040 Speaker 5: February nineteen eighty seven, went to Lakeland, Florida. I stole 722 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:52,719 Speaker 5: the gun after Michelle was killed, maybe a week or two. 723 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 5: I can tell you the gun belonged to a cop. 724 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 5: I saw a picture in the house which is winter Haven. 725 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:05,080 Speaker 5: Leo Schofield and myself had the same prosecutor the same 726 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:09,120 Speaker 5: Now he ain't anywhere to be found. He lied to me, 727 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:15,640 Speaker 5: So I know there's people who have wanted to do story. 728 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:19,080 Speaker 5: I can't get money for this but if you or 729 00:45:19,239 --> 00:45:22,840 Speaker 5: any of them are willing to send me paper stamps, 730 00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 5: I'm on CM two right now. CM two is the 731 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:33,399 Speaker 5: second level of close management. It's basically solitary confinement. That's 732 00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:36,440 Speaker 5: why we haven't been able to visit him yet. Turns 733 00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:40,400 Speaker 5: out Jeremy ended up there because corrections officers found a 734 00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:45,279 Speaker 5: makeshift weapon in his shoe. They said they found a 735 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:49,239 Speaker 5: knife on me. I got to live that way. I 736 00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:52,640 Speaker 5: am a walking dead man. I've been running for the 737 00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:56,200 Speaker 5: last twenty years. I never stay in one place too long. 738 00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:00,400 Speaker 5: They almost got me once. If you don't want the 739 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:05,280 Speaker 5: whole truth about Leo and cab driver, I will sail 740 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:10,840 Speaker 5: say my whole story to whoever will pay in stamps. 741 00:46:12,120 --> 00:46:15,720 Speaker 5: I ain't asking for money, just a few books of stamps, 742 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:20,240 Speaker 5: or Leo will never be free. I will be waiting. 743 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:24,520 Speaker 5: I think it's time for to talk about it. I 744 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,840 Speaker 5: am safe in CM. I'll wait to hear from you. 745 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:37,640 Speaker 5: Jeremy Scott. He confessed to killing that cab driver. We 746 00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:40,239 Speaker 5: didn't know what to expect from Jeremy, but in this 747 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 5: letter he just confessed to two murders. We weren't surprised 748 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:49,080 Speaker 5: by his confession to killing Michelle Schofield because he'd confessed before. 749 00:46:50,360 --> 00:46:53,319 Speaker 5: But this cab driver murder confession is shocking to read, 750 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 5: and it's hard to wrap my head around why Jeremy 751 00:46:56,239 --> 00:46:59,720 Speaker 5: brings this up. It's almost like he knows it's something 752 00:46:59,800 --> 00:47:03,400 Speaker 5: that will eventually catch up with him. And he mentions 753 00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:06,440 Speaker 5: the gun, which had always been a lingering question in 754 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:10,600 Speaker 5: my mind. The details he provides might even be information 755 00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:14,880 Speaker 5: we can corroborate, like was there a gun reported stolen 756 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:18,399 Speaker 5: from a house in winter Haven around that time? If 757 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:21,759 Speaker 5: I can keep Jeremy corresponding with me, who knows what 758 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:25,200 Speaker 5: other details he might bring up. His writing is a 759 00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:29,920 Speaker 5: little disjointed, but not too difficult to read. More importantly, 760 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:32,520 Speaker 5: it seems like he has a lot more to say, 761 00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:37,000 Speaker 5: and he seems willing to say it. And so after 762 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:39,399 Speaker 5: we get this letter, we decide we need to turn 763 00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:42,040 Speaker 5: over a copy to our contacts at the State Attorney's 764 00:47:42,040 --> 00:47:45,680 Speaker 5: office in the Ninth Circuit. This letter seemed to validate 765 00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:49,480 Speaker 5: everything we've just presented to them. This letter could even 766 00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:52,440 Speaker 5: qualify as new evidence in the thirty four year old 767 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:57,520 Speaker 5: unsolved homicide of cab driver Joseph Laverere. We were hoping 768 00:47:57,600 --> 00:48:00,640 Speaker 5: they'd move fast and compare the physical evidence it's recovered 769 00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:05,600 Speaker 5: from the taxi to Jeremy fingerprints, DNA, any of it 770 00:48:05,719 --> 00:48:09,319 Speaker 5: might have given us some answers. But a few weeks pass, 771 00:48:10,360 --> 00:48:14,920 Speaker 5: and then a few more, and we hear nothing. It 772 00:48:15,080 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 5: seems that the State Attorney's office isn't doing anything else 773 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:23,120 Speaker 5: to look into Jeremy Scott. So we spend the next 774 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:27,000 Speaker 5: few weeks agonizing about whether to stay in contact with Jeremy. 775 00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 5: Kelsey and I talk it over, and after waiting and 776 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,839 Speaker 5: waiting for some news or an update from the state, 777 00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:38,200 Speaker 5: we decide, fuck it. I'm writing back to Jeremy Scott. 778 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:41,040 Speaker 5: I don't care if the state attorney doesn't want us 779 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:50,280 Speaker 5: talking to him. This time, I ask more specific questions, 780 00:48:51,239 --> 00:48:54,800 Speaker 5: but still I avoid asking any direct questions about the 781 00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:58,520 Speaker 5: cab driver murder. I'm trying to walk the line and 782 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:02,520 Speaker 5: not do anything to compromise the state's investigation, if there 783 00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:07,040 Speaker 5: even is one. So I asked Jeremy about Michelle Schofield 784 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:10,960 Speaker 5: and the prosecutor John Aguero, and I send Jeremy some 785 00:49:11,080 --> 00:49:15,359 Speaker 5: postage stamps. We discuss this too. Stamps are a sort 786 00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:18,080 Speaker 5: of currency in the prison system, and we don't want 787 00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:21,560 Speaker 5: Jeremy to think we're compensating him in exchange for his correspondence. 788 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:26,640 Speaker 5: On the other hand, he's basically in lockdown in close management, 789 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:29,920 Speaker 5: with time on his hands, and if he's bored and 790 00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:32,600 Speaker 5: he finally wants to tell his story, I want to 791 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:39,759 Speaker 5: hear from him. Then finally we get an update from 792 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:43,160 Speaker 5: the State Attorney's office. They tell us that they want 793 00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:46,320 Speaker 5: us to take our evidence to the Osciola County Sheriff's Office, 794 00:49:46,840 --> 00:49:51,040 Speaker 5: the agency that originally handled the Joseph Lavere murder. So 795 00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:54,719 Speaker 5: once again we compile all the evidence we have and 796 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:58,120 Speaker 5: on June twenty second, twenty twenty one, we show up 797 00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:02,279 Speaker 5: in Kassimi to do our presentation. We are heading to 798 00:50:02,360 --> 00:50:07,920 Speaker 5: the Osiola County Sheriff's Office for our big meeting, and 799 00:50:08,040 --> 00:50:09,960 Speaker 5: so we've been trying to get this meeting for months. 800 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:15,040 Speaker 5: Just a few hours before our meeting, they email me 801 00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:17,280 Speaker 5: saying they don't want us to record. 802 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:20,960 Speaker 1: How are you feeling it's this? 803 00:50:22,239 --> 00:50:26,480 Speaker 5: I think, I mean, I feel pretty good that they're 804 00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:30,239 Speaker 5: gonna have to do something about this. I don't think 805 00:50:30,239 --> 00:50:31,960 Speaker 5: they can just blow us off. But I don't know 806 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:37,200 Speaker 5: what kind of worries me is. This is a dirty case, 807 00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:39,680 Speaker 5: and they have to know it. If they look into 808 00:50:39,719 --> 00:50:41,000 Speaker 5: it a little bit, they have to see it. 809 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:45,040 Speaker 1: All right, Well, it's about time to go in, right, 810 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:47,319 Speaker 1: all right, let's do it, Okay, I'm going to turn 811 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:49,200 Speaker 1: this off a degree after. 812 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:56,560 Speaker 5: We're brought inside to a conference room. About a half 813 00:50:56,640 --> 00:50:59,200 Speaker 5: dozen people are there, and I set up my PowerPoint 814 00:50:59,239 --> 00:51:03,160 Speaker 5: to display a big screen. I have police reports with 815 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:06,680 Speaker 5: witness descriptions and a sketch of the alleged suspect in 816 00:51:06,760 --> 00:51:10,960 Speaker 5: the Joseph Lavere murder, a thin man around five foot ten, 817 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:15,520 Speaker 5: much closer to Jeremy's appearance than six foot four, two 818 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 5: hundred and thirty five pound Dan Odie, who has tried 819 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:22,680 Speaker 5: twice for the murder. I also present records that show 820 00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,839 Speaker 5: that fingerprints were lifted from the car, and I show 821 00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:28,279 Speaker 5: them a photograph of a baseball cap that was found 822 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:31,280 Speaker 5: in the back seat of the cab, which police believed 823 00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:35,000 Speaker 5: the suspect left behind. It's the same evidence I'm hoping 824 00:51:35,040 --> 00:51:38,360 Speaker 5: they'll dig up from some storage locker and start analyzing. 825 00:51:39,560 --> 00:51:42,520 Speaker 5: And I have tape of Jeremy's brother, Royal Dean Scott, 826 00:51:43,080 --> 00:51:46,279 Speaker 5: saying he remembers talking to Jeremy about the cab driver, 827 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,800 Speaker 5: and how Jeremy left Osceola County shortly after the incident. 828 00:51:51,760 --> 00:51:55,160 Speaker 5: I'd heard about the cab driver uh Man Robb, and 829 00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 5: I remember him saying something about it and that he had. 830 00:51:58,080 --> 00:51:58,919 Speaker 7: To leave for the law. 831 00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:06,960 Speaker 5: Then I have Jeremy's letter mentioning how he got the 832 00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:10,240 Speaker 5: gun and how he has more to say about that killing. 833 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:14,960 Speaker 5: I stole the gun after Michelle was killed, maybe a 834 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:17,960 Speaker 5: week or two. I can tell you the gun belonged 835 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:21,839 Speaker 5: to a cop. I think it's time for to talk 836 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:25,960 Speaker 5: about it. I'll wait to hear from you, Jeremy Scott. 837 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:31,880 Speaker 5: It seems like the main person we're trying to convince 838 00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:35,600 Speaker 5: in this meeting is Major Wiley Black. He's the head 839 00:52:35,640 --> 00:52:39,960 Speaker 5: of criminal investigations. To get to that position, Major Black 840 00:52:40,000 --> 00:52:42,360 Speaker 5: has put in a lot of years with the sheriff's office. 841 00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:46,640 Speaker 5: This gives us pause because this case has a lot 842 00:52:46,719 --> 00:52:51,080 Speaker 5: to do with possible corruption within this sheriff's office. It's 843 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:54,080 Speaker 5: likely that Major Black both knew and worked with Deputy 844 00:52:54,120 --> 00:52:58,200 Speaker 5: Buddy Shepherd that was the detective accused of threatening to 845 00:52:58,239 --> 00:53:00,719 Speaker 5: take the children away from you. Young mother is in 846 00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:06,120 Speaker 5: Intercession City. Unless they testified against dan Odie, we try 847 00:53:06,200 --> 00:53:09,840 Speaker 5: our best to brush past the Buddy Shepherd accusations. We 848 00:53:09,960 --> 00:53:12,879 Speaker 5: don't want them focusing on that now. We want them 849 00:53:12,920 --> 00:53:15,600 Speaker 5: to be compelled to act because of the evidence we 850 00:53:15,719 --> 00:53:19,359 Speaker 5: present and the opportunity to close a thirty four year 851 00:53:19,440 --> 00:53:23,200 Speaker 5: old unsolved murder. So we show them what we have. 852 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:27,560 Speaker 5: They make photocopies of Jeremy's letters, We answer a few questions, 853 00:53:27,880 --> 00:53:31,560 Speaker 5: and then it's over. Kelsey tells me to stay quiet 854 00:53:31,719 --> 00:53:33,239 Speaker 5: until she can get the microphone out. 855 00:53:34,320 --> 00:53:35,120 Speaker 1: How do you think that went? 856 00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:37,960 Speaker 5: I don't think it went very well at all. What 857 00:53:38,040 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 5: do you think, really? 858 00:53:40,320 --> 00:53:41,920 Speaker 6: Yeah, why do you say that? 859 00:53:43,000 --> 00:53:45,360 Speaker 5: I think they were engaged, they were listening. But I 860 00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:50,000 Speaker 5: think the homicide detective Wiley Black, I think he to me, 861 00:53:50,160 --> 00:53:51,880 Speaker 5: I felt like he was signaling that this case is 862 00:53:51,960 --> 00:53:55,800 Speaker 5: going nowhere. Did you get that? 863 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:59,399 Speaker 1: I don't know, I thought he. I mean he said 864 00:53:59,400 --> 00:54:03,239 Speaker 1: he was going to into the evidence. I think he 865 00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:10,360 Speaker 1: was being realistic that it very likely could not exist 866 00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:11,080 Speaker 1: at this point. 867 00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:14,960 Speaker 5: But the fingerprints we know exist. I mean, they have 868 00:54:15,160 --> 00:54:18,040 Speaker 5: copies of those prints and those can be at least 869 00:54:18,120 --> 00:54:21,520 Speaker 5: be run. As we're getting ready to leave the parking 870 00:54:21,560 --> 00:54:24,719 Speaker 5: lot at the Sheriff's office, it begins to rain like 871 00:54:24,840 --> 00:54:28,800 Speaker 5: it does almost every summer afternoon in central Florida. The 872 00:54:28,920 --> 00:54:33,200 Speaker 5: darkening sky matches our mood. I just got the feeling 873 00:54:33,239 --> 00:54:37,320 Speaker 5: that this is going to die right here. This is 874 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:39,440 Speaker 5: a little frustrating because you can see the black hole 875 00:54:39,560 --> 00:54:45,320 Speaker 5: sort of develop. I'm not encouraged at all by this. 876 00:54:48,920 --> 00:54:50,920 Speaker 5: So we just have to like strategize about how to 877 00:54:51,400 --> 00:54:56,120 Speaker 5: next steps and when do we start doing our own investigation. 878 00:54:57,680 --> 00:55:01,279 Speaker 1: I mean, they didn't tell us to not go and 879 00:55:01,400 --> 00:55:04,960 Speaker 1: talk to Jeremy, so yeah, there's that. 880 00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:08,200 Speaker 5: I think that's what we have to do now. 881 00:55:08,239 --> 00:55:08,960 Speaker 2: I just I just. 882 00:55:11,080 --> 00:55:14,839 Speaker 1: I don't know. But it's freaking hot in this car. 883 00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:18,880 Speaker 1: So you've got any of this? Is well, do you 884 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:20,360 Speaker 1: have any final thoughts? 885 00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:23,319 Speaker 5: Yeah? I want to keep investigating this, and I want 886 00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:26,120 Speaker 5: to talk to some of these witnesses that I've been 887 00:55:26,160 --> 00:55:29,320 Speaker 5: steering clear of. And I want to start asking Jeremy 888 00:55:30,000 --> 00:55:33,080 Speaker 5: in letters about that taxi cab driver. There could be 889 00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:36,400 Speaker 5: something there. I don't want to stop on this Jeremy 890 00:55:36,440 --> 00:55:40,480 Speaker 5: thing now. I just feel like, what are we gonna do? 891 00:55:43,640 --> 00:55:43,759 Speaker 15: Right? 892 00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:47,560 Speaker 1: Well, at least we got some free coffee out of that. 893 00:55:47,719 --> 00:55:52,920 Speaker 5: Right, Yeah, free coffee. Nice ride through Intercession City all right, 894 00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:54,359 Speaker 5: let's get out of here. 895 00:55:54,400 --> 00:55:54,759 Speaker 2: All right. 896 00:56:03,600 --> 00:56:06,640 Speaker 5: We follow up with Major Wilie Black, who was sitting 897 00:56:06,640 --> 00:56:09,960 Speaker 5: in the room with us, but our emails go unanswered. 898 00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:13,439 Speaker 5: Weeks go by, and there doesn't seem to be any 899 00:56:13,560 --> 00:56:17,080 Speaker 5: forward movement on the case. I get the sense that 900 00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:21,160 Speaker 5: the Osceola County Sheriff's Office doesn't want this case reopened. 901 00:56:29,120 --> 00:56:31,120 Speaker 24: Hey you there, yeah in. 902 00:56:31,239 --> 00:56:34,640 Speaker 25: Here, ooks, are you recording? 903 00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:36,480 Speaker 24: Yes, recording. 904 00:56:36,520 --> 00:56:39,360 Speaker 5: Now we get another letter from Jeremy. 905 00:56:40,160 --> 00:56:43,680 Speaker 22: All right, I'm opening this one. Feels this one feels 906 00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:44,280 Speaker 22: a little thicker. 907 00:56:44,320 --> 00:56:56,160 Speaker 24: I don't know why. Oh lord, Okay, okay, this was 908 00:56:56,280 --> 00:56:57,719 Speaker 24: said on May sixte. 909 00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:06,120 Speaker 5: Dear mister King, I received your letter along with ten stamps. First, 910 00:57:06,239 --> 00:57:09,080 Speaker 5: let me tell you why I ask for stamps. It's 911 00:57:09,120 --> 00:57:11,680 Speaker 5: the only way I can buy soap and food back 912 00:57:11,719 --> 00:57:15,120 Speaker 5: here on CM. I don't have anyone to help me. 913 00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:19,120 Speaker 5: I just want you to understand why I ask for stamps. 914 00:57:20,720 --> 00:57:23,880 Speaker 5: I really don't have shit to do. I read when 915 00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:28,440 Speaker 5: I can find books. I don't get any mail, not 916 00:57:28,600 --> 00:57:32,240 Speaker 5: unless it's from you. Now about some of the things 917 00:57:32,280 --> 00:57:37,760 Speaker 5: that you asked me about, Yes, John Aguero did prosecute 918 00:57:37,840 --> 00:57:42,280 Speaker 5: both me and Leo, And yes, mister John Aguero did 919 00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:46,000 Speaker 5: lie to me. They took me to see mister Aguero's 920 00:57:46,040 --> 00:57:51,000 Speaker 5: office and he told me that Leo Lawyer wants to 921 00:57:51,120 --> 00:57:54,480 Speaker 5: talk with me. Jeremy starts writing about that meeting he 922 00:57:54,560 --> 00:57:58,280 Speaker 5: had with Aguero alone in his office after the fingerprints 923 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:02,120 Speaker 5: in the Mazda were identified killed. It sounds like Aguero 924 00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:05,479 Speaker 5: was telling Jeremy that Leo and his father were bad 925 00:58:05,600 --> 00:58:09,000 Speaker 5: guys who not only killed Michelle, but may have killed 926 00:58:09,080 --> 00:58:12,720 Speaker 5: other girls too, and that Aguero needed Jeremy's help to 927 00:58:12,880 --> 00:58:17,200 Speaker 5: keep Leo locked up. I think this is why Jeremy 928 00:58:17,280 --> 00:58:20,240 Speaker 5: says things like I don't know what else Leo has done, 929 00:58:20,600 --> 00:58:23,960 Speaker 5: but in this one he's innocent me. He went on 930 00:58:24,200 --> 00:58:27,680 Speaker 5: talking about how he will be sitting on my parole, 931 00:58:28,360 --> 00:58:31,640 Speaker 5: how he can write on my behalf. All I had 932 00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:35,040 Speaker 5: to do is keep on saying how my fingerprint was 933 00:58:35,080 --> 00:58:39,160 Speaker 5: in the car. At the time, I really thought he 934 00:58:39,360 --> 00:58:42,960 Speaker 5: was gonna help me. I have heard a state attorney 935 00:58:43,040 --> 00:58:47,720 Speaker 5: has help inmates before, and plus my grandma was still alive. 936 00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:52,240 Speaker 5: But you were right, it was just me and John Aguero. 937 00:58:53,560 --> 00:58:56,040 Speaker 5: Jeremy seems to be saying that Aguero was trying to 938 00:58:56,120 --> 00:58:59,120 Speaker 5: cut a deal with him. Aguero would help Jeremy with 939 00:58:59,200 --> 00:59:02,240 Speaker 5: his parole. If Jeremy stuck to the story about how 940 00:59:02,360 --> 00:59:06,200 Speaker 5: is Prince ended up in Michelle's car, and after seeing 941 00:59:06,280 --> 00:59:09,360 Speaker 5: how much sway the state attorney had over Leo's case, 942 00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:13,200 Speaker 5: it makes sense why Jeremy might buy into this. It 943 00:59:13,320 --> 00:59:15,920 Speaker 5: might have been Jeremy's only chance of being released from 944 00:59:16,000 --> 00:59:19,400 Speaker 5: prison and spending any time on the outside with his grandmother. 945 00:59:20,960 --> 00:59:23,280 Speaker 5: Jeremy goes on to mention a visit from some guy 946 00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:26,760 Speaker 5: Leo's attorneys sent to speak to him, sounds like private 947 00:59:26,840 --> 00:59:31,400 Speaker 5: investigator Pat McKenna. First, I wouldn't talk to him because 948 00:59:31,560 --> 00:59:35,080 Speaker 5: everyone been lying to me. Then I heard that John 949 00:59:35,160 --> 00:59:39,640 Speaker 5: Aguero died, so all these years later, I told myself 950 00:59:40,120 --> 00:59:44,640 Speaker 5: that I will tell everything, and I did, but nobody 951 00:59:44,760 --> 00:59:47,840 Speaker 5: believe me. I don't know what else I can do. 952 00:59:49,080 --> 00:59:52,720 Speaker 5: I was telling the truth, nothing but the truth. And 953 00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:57,200 Speaker 5: then he writes, I'm going to give you something. Okay, 954 00:59:58,520 --> 01:00:03,360 Speaker 5: I'm going to give you something. Now Jeremy really has 955 01:00:03,440 --> 01:00:06,959 Speaker 5: my attention. He sets up the night of Michelle's murder. 956 01:00:08,360 --> 01:00:12,720 Speaker 5: It was raining most of the night. I just off 957 01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:17,440 Speaker 5: I four went down North Comby where I used to live. 958 01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:23,240 Speaker 5: Once I got off Comby Road, and head to Lakeland. 959 01:00:24,120 --> 01:00:28,680 Speaker 5: I stop at a gas station. I can't remember the name. 960 01:00:29,800 --> 01:00:34,160 Speaker 5: I knew it was raining. I was sick and cold, wet. 961 01:00:35,720 --> 01:00:39,680 Speaker 5: There was a woman on the phone talking. She thought 962 01:00:39,760 --> 01:00:43,480 Speaker 5: I was waiting on the phone. When she got off, 963 01:00:43,600 --> 01:00:47,000 Speaker 5: she asked me if I was lost. I told her yes, 964 01:00:47,680 --> 01:00:50,200 Speaker 5: and hadn't any way to get back to the place 965 01:00:50,280 --> 01:00:55,840 Speaker 5: I was staying. She had a little car. She was 966 01:00:56,000 --> 01:00:59,800 Speaker 5: nice and offered me a ride. So we went back 967 01:00:59,840 --> 01:01:05,280 Speaker 5: down Cumby Road, going out by I four Underpath. I 968 01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:09,920 Speaker 5: told her she could pull in there. There's little trees, 969 01:01:10,440 --> 01:01:12,280 Speaker 5: a little road with a creak in it. 970 01:01:13,360 --> 01:01:14,160 Speaker 2: I know it well. 971 01:01:15,520 --> 01:01:20,680 Speaker 5: So she pulled in. Then she said there's no one here. 972 01:01:22,640 --> 01:01:26,880 Speaker 5: I pulled a knife out. She went crazy, tried to 973 01:01:26,920 --> 01:01:30,440 Speaker 5: push the gas, but I threw the car in park. 974 01:01:32,560 --> 01:01:35,640 Speaker 5: When I first read this letter to Kelsey, this detail 975 01:01:35,800 --> 01:01:36,320 Speaker 5: hit hard. 976 01:01:37,800 --> 01:01:44,520 Speaker 25: Michelle tried to put the car and drive like it 977 01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:45,520 Speaker 25: makes me sick, and that. 978 01:01:47,560 --> 01:01:49,360 Speaker 22: You would have sucked up the car. That like that 979 01:01:49,560 --> 01:01:51,600 Speaker 22: that's the reason it wasn't working. He sucked it up 980 01:01:51,640 --> 01:01:52,080 Speaker 22: by doing it. 981 01:01:53,120 --> 01:01:59,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, she tried to open the car door. That's when 982 01:01:59,280 --> 01:02:03,600 Speaker 5: I lost it. I didn't remember how many times I 983 01:02:03,760 --> 01:02:10,360 Speaker 5: stab I get out the car, went over where she 984 01:02:10,640 --> 01:02:15,600 Speaker 5: was laying out the car door. She had opened it. 985 01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:18,520 Speaker 5: I look at her, not knowing what. 986 01:02:18,640 --> 01:02:19,240 Speaker 12: I just did. 987 01:02:20,800 --> 01:02:23,960 Speaker 5: I was just pulling the knife so I could robbed her. 988 01:02:26,040 --> 01:02:29,560 Speaker 5: I went look around for something to hide her. I 989 01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:33,360 Speaker 5: found something looked like a big bag. I lay it out. 990 01:02:34,200 --> 01:02:36,920 Speaker 5: Then I put her on the bag and rolling her 991 01:02:37,000 --> 01:02:40,480 Speaker 5: up in it. Then took her down by the creek. 992 01:02:41,680 --> 01:02:43,760 Speaker 5: I found a place where I could push her in, 993 01:02:44,600 --> 01:02:49,320 Speaker 5: then cover her with wood trash. I don't understand why 994 01:02:49,400 --> 01:02:52,280 Speaker 5: there was no blood in the car. She was stab 995 01:02:52,480 --> 01:02:57,040 Speaker 5: in the car, not her trailer. I only took ten 996 01:02:57,120 --> 01:03:01,720 Speaker 5: dollars that was on herd take any rings or anything else. 997 01:03:03,520 --> 01:03:05,760 Speaker 22: I only took ten dollars that was on her, you 998 01:03:05,840 --> 01:03:08,720 Speaker 22: know what, Like he took the bills the coins like 999 01:03:08,800 --> 01:03:12,479 Speaker 22: they're fucking in the road, right, I mean, yeah, yeah, 1000 01:03:12,880 --> 01:03:15,480 Speaker 22: it's close enough to whatever. Thirteen dollars, you know what 1001 01:03:15,520 --> 01:03:15,760 Speaker 22: I mean? 1002 01:03:16,520 --> 01:03:20,280 Speaker 25: Also, I was never clear whether she had used the 1003 01:03:21,920 --> 01:03:26,480 Speaker 25: the tip money to buy the coke and the gas 1004 01:03:26,640 --> 01:03:29,360 Speaker 25: and the phone call. Oh, like, I don't know if 1005 01:03:29,400 --> 01:03:30,880 Speaker 25: it had been thirteen dollars. 1006 01:03:31,640 --> 01:03:36,200 Speaker 22: Holy shit. Yeah, that's amazing because she says what twee dollars, 1007 01:03:36,240 --> 01:03:41,240 Speaker 22: a gas and a coke. Yeah, there's no fucking way 1008 01:03:41,320 --> 01:03:44,840 Speaker 22: he knows that. Wow. 1009 01:03:46,960 --> 01:03:49,959 Speaker 5: I got back in the car, put it in drive, 1010 01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:54,919 Speaker 5: took off on I four. The car started slowing down. 1011 01:03:55,920 --> 01:03:58,840 Speaker 5: It wasn't out of gas. I don't know why. It 1012 01:03:59,040 --> 01:04:02,560 Speaker 5: just died on me. I pull it along the road, 1013 01:04:03,480 --> 01:04:08,360 Speaker 5: park in the rain started stopping. It was close to midnight. 1014 01:04:09,640 --> 01:04:12,800 Speaker 5: No car were on I four, so that when I 1015 01:04:12,920 --> 01:04:15,880 Speaker 5: start cleaning up most of my prints and if there 1016 01:04:15,920 --> 01:04:19,959 Speaker 5: were blood, I cleaned it up. That when I tried 1017 01:04:20,000 --> 01:04:23,600 Speaker 5: to pull the radio and speaker out, they didn't tell 1018 01:04:23,680 --> 01:04:28,240 Speaker 5: people about that. Once I cleaned the car, I left 1019 01:04:28,280 --> 01:04:32,400 Speaker 5: the keys and locked the door. That's when I went 1020 01:04:32,520 --> 01:04:37,720 Speaker 5: up BY four. There is an overpath, there was a 1021 01:04:37,840 --> 01:04:42,520 Speaker 5: store and there was dumpster there. I threw the knife 1022 01:04:42,720 --> 01:04:46,040 Speaker 5: and something. I just can't remember what it was. I 1023 01:04:46,200 --> 01:04:49,560 Speaker 5: know that I cleaned the car with it. Jeremy goes 1024 01:04:49,600 --> 01:04:52,360 Speaker 5: on to write that he went back to Kassimi, breaking 1025 01:04:52,440 --> 01:04:56,600 Speaker 5: into homes, moving back and forth between Osceola and Polk 1026 01:04:56,680 --> 01:05:00,439 Speaker 5: Counties in March. He was eventually arrested for the murder 1027 01:05:00,480 --> 01:05:03,880 Speaker 5: of Donald Moorehead in November of nineteen eighty eight, a 1028 01:05:04,000 --> 01:05:07,160 Speaker 5: year and a half after Michelle Schofield and Joseph Lavere 1029 01:05:07,320 --> 01:05:11,960 Speaker 5: were killed. That's when he first meets his prosecutor, John Aguero. 1030 01:05:12,240 --> 01:05:18,120 Speaker 5: It wasn't, Jeremy continues in his letter. I told John 1031 01:05:18,160 --> 01:05:22,080 Speaker 5: Aguero he knew from the start Leo didn't kill her. 1032 01:05:23,240 --> 01:05:26,480 Speaker 5: Why was her car was on I four stuff missing 1033 01:05:26,520 --> 01:05:29,160 Speaker 5: out of the car, and why was my print was 1034 01:05:29,240 --> 01:05:32,120 Speaker 5: in it? Just like the taxicab driver. 1035 01:05:33,240 --> 01:05:34,080 Speaker 19: What am I to do? 1036 01:05:35,760 --> 01:05:38,600 Speaker 5: I'm been telling the truth. I don't know what else 1037 01:05:38,720 --> 01:05:42,600 Speaker 5: to do. I really want this to go away, but 1038 01:05:42,760 --> 01:05:46,400 Speaker 5: it won't. There's so much shit I need to tell, 1039 01:05:47,120 --> 01:05:49,919 Speaker 5: but I don't know how to put it. I will 1040 01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:54,760 Speaker 5: tell you this, even though John Aguero died, he knew 1041 01:05:54,800 --> 01:05:58,000 Speaker 5: from the start that I was the one who killed 1042 01:05:58,640 --> 01:06:04,800 Speaker 5: not Leo, mister king, I still would like to know 1043 01:06:05,040 --> 01:06:08,800 Speaker 5: how or who got you to write me. I hope 1044 01:06:08,840 --> 01:06:11,880 Speaker 5: to hear from you soon. I hope you can understand 1045 01:06:11,960 --> 01:06:16,120 Speaker 5: my letter. I ain't good at painting putting words together. 1046 01:06:16,920 --> 01:06:19,920 Speaker 5: Thank you so much for the stamps. Hope to hear 1047 01:06:19,960 --> 01:06:22,960 Speaker 5: from you soon. There's so much I need to tell 1048 01:06:24,960 --> 01:06:31,720 Speaker 5: right soon. Jeremy L. Scott ps. Why did the state 1049 01:06:31,760 --> 01:06:34,560 Speaker 5: attorney call me told me if I talk with you 1050 01:06:34,800 --> 01:06:38,000 Speaker 5: that I will be in trouble. Tell me what's going on. 1051 01:06:45,560 --> 01:06:58,040 Speaker 22: Holy fuck, oh man, Oh god, damn it, God fucking 1052 01:06:58,160 --> 01:07:05,560 Speaker 22: damn it. This is unbelievable. There's something fucking unbelievably sincere 1053 01:07:05,640 --> 01:07:08,840 Speaker 22: that comes across in that letter. I don't know what 1054 01:07:08,960 --> 01:07:12,000 Speaker 22: to think. Man, that that was really fucking powerful. 1055 01:07:11,760 --> 01:07:15,760 Speaker 25: For some reason, Yeah, that only makes me want to 1056 01:07:18,600 --> 01:07:21,919 Speaker 25: the fact that this guy is still saying the ship 1057 01:07:22,040 --> 01:07:24,480 Speaker 25: and his story makes so much sense. 1058 01:07:24,480 --> 01:07:28,480 Speaker 5: And it's just like knucking that to be done about it. 1059 01:07:30,200 --> 01:07:32,720 Speaker 22: And he's also saying like, I think I'll be out 1060 01:07:32,720 --> 01:07:33,400 Speaker 22: of here in June. 1061 01:07:34,600 --> 01:07:37,880 Speaker 5: By out of here he means out of close management, 1062 01:07:38,560 --> 01:07:42,880 Speaker 5: out of solitary. Once he's back in general population, we 1063 01:07:43,000 --> 01:07:46,080 Speaker 5: can schedule our interview with him. What I want to 1064 01:07:46,200 --> 01:07:46,760 Speaker 5: talk to him. 1065 01:07:48,600 --> 01:07:50,720 Speaker 22: I mean, honestly, I don't give a shit about those 1066 01:07:50,760 --> 01:07:54,320 Speaker 22: stamps anymore. Let them I'm just fucking keeping this guy talking. 1067 01:07:54,400 --> 01:07:56,600 Speaker 22: And if they say you gave him stamps so he 1068 01:07:56,680 --> 01:07:59,000 Speaker 22: bought soap, I'll go fuck you. He can have soap. 1069 01:08:00,280 --> 01:08:05,080 Speaker 25: Seriously, I don't have any hesitation keep sending him stand. 1070 01:08:06,800 --> 01:08:08,720 Speaker 6: That he can only buy. 1071 01:08:08,640 --> 01:08:13,400 Speaker 22: So For Jesus Christ, I think fuck it. I'm just 1072 01:08:13,640 --> 01:08:17,240 Speaker 22: I'm done with these I'm just done with asking permission 1073 01:08:17,360 --> 01:08:19,040 Speaker 22: to like reopen this case. 1074 01:08:25,920 --> 01:08:29,760 Speaker 24: Hey be there, yeah, right here, what's going on? 1075 01:08:30,520 --> 01:08:32,799 Speaker 22: So I just got off the phone with Paul Walker 1076 01:08:32,920 --> 01:08:37,839 Speaker 22: at the Department of Corrections and he said that Jereney 1077 01:08:37,960 --> 01:08:39,519 Speaker 22: is now in general population. 1078 01:08:40,439 --> 01:08:41,120 Speaker 25: Oh my god. 1079 01:08:42,560 --> 01:08:46,360 Speaker 24: So yeah, and so he's eligible for visitors again. 1080 01:08:48,160 --> 01:08:49,800 Speaker 22: But Jesus, finally some good news. 1081 01:08:49,840 --> 01:08:50,200 Speaker 19: I hope this. 1082 01:08:50,439 --> 01:08:51,439 Speaker 22: I just hope this holds. 1083 01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:58,000 Speaker 5: You know, after three years of investigating Leo's case, We're 1084 01:08:58,120 --> 01:09:15,360 Speaker 5: finally going to meet Jeremy's got Bone Valley is a 1085 01:09:15,439 --> 01:09:19,120 Speaker 5: production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal 1086 01:09:19,200 --> 01:09:23,439 Speaker 5: Company Number One. Our executive producers are Jason Flam and 1087 01:09:23,600 --> 01:09:29,040 Speaker 5: Kevin Wordiska Kornhaber is our senior producer. Britz Spangler is 1088 01:09:29,120 --> 01:09:34,080 Speaker 5: our sound designer. Roxandra Guidy is our editor. Fact checking 1089 01:09:34,160 --> 01:09:38,840 Speaker 5: by Maximo Anderson. Our producer and researcher is Kelsey Decker. 1090 01:09:40,080 --> 01:09:43,080 Speaker 5: Our theme song, The One Who's Holding the Stars, is 1091 01:09:43,160 --> 01:09:46,000 Speaker 5: performed by Lee Bob and The Truth. It was written 1092 01:09:46,040 --> 01:09:50,080 Speaker 5: by Leo Schofield and Kevin Herrick in Florida's Hardy Correctional Institution. 1093 01:09:51,360 --> 01:09:54,439 Speaker 5: Bone Valley is written and produced by me Gilbert King. 1094 01:09:55,880 --> 01:09:59,200 Speaker 5: You can follow the show on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter 1095 01:09:59,400 --> 01:10:01,599 Speaker 5: at lava for Good to See