Twenty-five years after Toforest Johnson’s conviction, new details have prompted calls for a new trial.

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** THE WEEKLY REVEAL
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Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023

Hello! In this issue:
* An Alabama man has been on death row for decades based on the testimony of one “earwitness.”
* Start your holiday shopping with a Reveal T-shirt from our new shop.
* A look at how police officers are trained to protect their departments’ interests.


** THIS WEEK’S PODCAST
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** In Bondage to the Law
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Toforest Johnson (in white shirt) during a 2004 family visit at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., with his mother (from left), Donna; daughter Shanaye Poole; and son Tremaine Perry. Credit: Courtesy of Johnson’s family

On a summer night in 1995, a sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed in a hotel parking lot in Birmingham, Alabama. When investigators arrived at the scene, they found no eyewitnesses and almost no evidence to point them to the shooter.

Ultimately, a man named Toforest Johnson was convicted and sentenced to death in the killing, even though he had alibi witnesses who said he was with friends at a nightclub miles away. His conviction rested instead on the testimony of an “earwitness” – a woman who claimed to have overheard Johnson confessing to the crime.

In 2019, journalist Beth Shelburne began investigating the case. This week, in partnership with Lava for Good and the Earwitness podcast, we tell the story of Johnson’s case ([link removed]) , from the night of the murder to calls today for a new trial.
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🎧 Other places to listen: Apple Podcasts ([link removed]) , Spotify ([link removed]) , Google Podcasts ([link removed]) or wherever you get your podcasts.


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** A Quote to Remember
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“Red turns to green at the time of trial. If there's blood in the photo, you're going to pay money. Clean ’em up and get them smiling for the picture.”

Lexipol co-founder Bruce Praet gave this advice in a 2019 workshop on how law enforcement officers can protect themselves in court. We found that Praet gave another controversial piece of advice ([link removed]) in the wake of police shootings: that officers should use the family notification to do some digging, before telling anyone what happened. And departments in California have been following his advice.

Listen: We Regret to Inform You ([link removed])


** In Case You Missed It
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🎧 America Goes Psychedelic, Again ([link removed])
This issue of The Weekly Reveal was written by Kate Howard and edited by Nikki Frick. If you enjoyed this issue, forward it to a friend ([link removed]) . Have some thoughts? Drop us a line (mailto:[email protected]) with feedback or ideas!

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