In The Dark uncovered failures in law enforcement during the investigation of Jacob Wetterling's case.
The podcast highlighted institutional biases and prosecutorial misconduct leading to Curtis Flowers' freedom.
Deep dives
Investigative Podcast In The Dark Acquired by The New Yorker and Condian
In The Dark, known for its award-winning investigative journalism, explored cases of unsolved crimes such as the abduction and murder of Jacob Wetterling. The podcast's meticulous research uncovered failures in law enforcement. The second season highlighted the unjust trials of Curtis Flowers, revealing institutional biases and prosecutorial misconduct, ultimately leading to Flowers' freedom.
Collaboration in Investigative Reporting and Powerful Storytelling
In The Dark's host, Madeline Barron, and managing producer Samara Fremark's collaboration stemmed from Madeline's impactful investigative reporting on sex abuse in the Catholic Church. The duo's partnership evolved into creating the podcast, focusing on deeply researched stories. Working as a team allowed for diverse skills to be utilized, combining in-depth investigative journalism with powerful storytelling.
Exposing Judicial Injustices and Prosecutorial Misconduct
The podcast's second season delved into Curtis Flowers' six unjust trials, revealing a pattern of racial discrimination by DA Doug Evans. The story highlighted prosecutorial misconduct leading to Flowers' wrongful convictions. Through extensive data reporting and document gathering, In The Dark exposed systemic biases within the criminal justice system, ultimately leading to a significant impact on legal proceedings and the release of Curtis Flowers.
We’re pleased to announce that “In The Dark,” the acclaimed investigative podcast from American Public Media, is joining The New Yorker and Condé Nast Entertainment. In its first two seasons, “In The Dark,” hosted by the reporter Madeleine Baran, has taken a close look at the criminal-justice system in America. The first season examined the abduction and murder, in 1989, of eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling, and exposed devastating failures on the part of law enforcement. The second season focussed on Curtis Flowers, a Black man from Winona, Mississippi, who was tried six times for the same crime. When the show’s reporters began looking into the case, Flowers was on death row. After their reporting, the Supreme Court reversed Flowers’s conviction. Today, he is a free man.
A third season of “In The Dark,” which will be the show’s most ambitious one yet, is on its way. David Remnick recently sat down with Baran and the show’s managing producer, Samara Freemark, to talk about the remarkable first two seasons of the show, and what to expect in the future. To listen to the entirety of the “In The Dark” catalogue, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.