The Burden

The Burden - available everywhere on March 19 Detective Louis N. Scarcella was a legendary figure in New York City during the '90s. In a city overrun with violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. But the story changed when a group of convicted murderers-turned-jailhouse lawyers made a startling discovery that linked all their cases: Scarcella was the cop who helped put many of them away. They made a vow: Take down Scarcella. And with the help of a relentless New York Times reporter, they did just that. Thirty years later, 20 people who Scarcella helped put behind bars have since walked free. In the media, he’s known as the disgraced, rogue cop who hoodwinked an entire system. But was this really the workings of one person?  We spent hundreds of hours talking with witnesses who were coerced, jailhouse lawyers, outraged attorneys, and righteous cops. Scarcella insists he didn’t do anything wrong. And after finally tracking him down, he agreed to take us into the belly of the beast... where justice is done (and undone). Welcome to The Burden.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1 of 10 New York Times journalist Frances “Frenchie” Robles gets a tip about a group of wrongfully convicted men in the New York State prison system. The common denominator: many were arrested by the same detective. Frenchie tracks down the story in a surprise visit to prison. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.   The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2 of 10 Steve chases down the legendary detective. He hasn’t talked in years, but after tracking him to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, Louie starts to sing. We learn about his uncle, the mobster who Louie must investigate for murder. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 3 of 10 We meet Shabaka Shakur, Derrick Hamilton, and the rest of the law firm they founded in prison. They are the best jailhouse lawyers of their generation. They have roles: lecturer, writer, PR man, intern… They claim they were framed...by Louie Scarcella. They declare common cause: bring him down. That cause will change the history of New York state jurisprudence. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad-free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.   The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 4 of 10 We meet the single eyewitness at the heart of some of Scarcella’s high profile cases. Teresa Gomez claimed to witness 11 murders, and she brought them all to Scarcella. For Louie, she was a truth teller and a “special friend” who also boosted his career. For those she testified against, she was a crack addict and fabulist. We explore the complicated relationship of Louie and Teresa, and her reliability. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.   The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 5 of 10 Derrick Hamilton, champion of the wrongfully convicted, claimed innocence since the day he was arrested by Scarcella. He claimed innocence in a previous murder conviction as well. But we uncover documents that show he lied. He admits to being a liar. So… was he framed? Or is he the master manipulator the prosecution claimed? The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 6 of 10 It’s 2013, and a fierce election for Brooklyn D.A. is in process. It’s an election that will change Brooklyn forever. The old guard is on the ropes and Louie Scarcella is a hot button issue. The lives of our main characters - Derrick, Shabaka, Louie, converge and no one will be the same. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 7 of 10 Shabaka Shakur is in court and Louie Scarcella is on the witness stand. It’s Shabaka’s last shot to prove he was framed. The courtroom drama doesn’t disappoint. A famed civil rights lawyer does the cross examination of a career, and “gets” Scarcella. A judge takes a hard look at the legendary detective, and changes history.  The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 8 of 10 Derrick and Shabaka are out of prison, but one “law partner” - the one who served as intern - is still behind bars. Derrick wins him a hearing in court. All seems aligned when reality warps. In an exclusive interview, we reveal why: the judge suffers from dementia and the system has been covering it up. The judge issues a devastating decision.  The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 9 of 10 The new D.A. personally overturns Derrick’s conviction. But is he really guilty? The question hovers over the series: Have murderers been freed because of Scarcella’s alleged misdeeds? We investigate. We track the lone eyewitness in Derrick's murder trial to the woods of North Carolina and sort truth from fiction. We reveal a secret report on Derrick’s case, and find out who’s really to blame. The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 10 of 10 Louie Scarcella bursts into tears. “It sucks. It sucks.” The swaggering detective has been brought low by jailhouse lawyers. But did one “rogue” cop hoodwink the system? What role did Scarcella play? We confront the famed detective who finally makes admissions and then…in an unexpected twist, Derrick confronts Louie in a zoom call. They have some words for one another.  The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.  The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In-depth conversations with people at the top of their game. Jordan Harbinger unpacks guests' wisdom into practical nuggets you can use to impact your work, life, and relationships. Learn from leaders (Ray Dalio, Simon Sinek, Mark Cuban), entertainers (Moby, Tip "T.I." Harris, Dennis Quaid), scientists (Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye), athletes (Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Tony Hawk) and an eclectic array of fascinating minds, from art forgers and arms traffickers to spies and psychologists.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve and Dax’s team unearth 30-year old audio recordings of Teresa Gomez making a statement to an assistant district attorney about a murder she claims to have witnessed. Teresa Gomez is arguably the single person most responsible for Louis Scarcella’s rise, and fall as an NYPD detective. The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soon after correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez starts working at New Folsom prison, he gets caught up in a bad incident. An incarcerated man ends up in the hospital with horrific injuries, and the prison starts an investigation. Valentino feels pressured to back up his fellow officers’ version of the story, even though he thinks it might not be the truth. Then he gets an opportunity he’s dreamed of — to join an elite unit investigating crimes in the prison. When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn’t just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino’s sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino’s footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deep Cover is a show about people who lead double lives. Season four, The Nameless Man, tells the epic tale of two federal agents who investigate a rumor about a murder that supposedly took place 15 years prior. It is also the story of a family searching for answers about why their brother was killed. These two storylines collide in a courtroom in Philadelphia, PA where murder, memory, and morality go on trial.If you enjoy this clip, listen to Deep Cover: The Nameless Man wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve and Dax dive into the case that made Louie Scarcella famous. The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re intrigued by the darker side of vacation tales, tune into Slaycation. The show navigates through the sinister underbelly of travel, making you question whether your next getaway might be more dangerous than you think.This episode of Slaycation: "My Big Fat Greek Murder" first ran in back in April. If you enjoy this episode, listen to Slaycation wherever you get this podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if someone you knew turned out to be a serial killer? In the 1970s, Steve Fishman was an intern at his local newspaper. One day, he hitched a ride back home from Boston with a kind stranger who graciously picked him up and dropped him off at his destination. What Steve didn’t know however, was that this stranger was hiding a dark secret: by the time he picked up Steve, he had already killed three people - all hitchhikers. But this fateful ride was just the beginning of Steve’s story. While this may have been the first time Steve met the man he’d come to know as Red, it wouldn’t be the last… Featuring exclusive interviews and never-before-heard tapes, join Steve as he tells his chilling story for the first time and unravels the lingering questions surrounding this wild chapter of his life. Why did Steve get spared by the killer during their first meeting? And what could have possibly driven Steve back to the same killer he had just escaped? Find out on Smoke Screen: My Friend, the Serial Killer - available now wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes right now, completely ad-free. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-binge/id6442475215See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Airship, the studio behind American Scandal, American History Tellers, and History Daily, comes a new true crime history podcast that takes you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream. The debut season tackles one of the country’s most sensational cases: The Menendez Murders. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally shot their parents. Prosecutors said it was a million dollar inheritance that led two greedy kids to murder. But the picture-perfect facade this family built hid troubling abuse; could these teenagers have been driven to kill, or was it even in self defense?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve and Dax are joined by journalist Ted Hamm who examines the conduct of the Assistant District Attorneys who worked on Louis Scarcella's wrongful convictions. The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.