Death Row Stories

What do medieval witch hunts, public guillotines, and America's death penalty have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Death Row Stories, I leave the United States and travel across France in search of places where people were once executed. The death penalty did not originate in America. It was inherited from Europe, where executions were part of everyday life for centuri...

On May 14 2026, Death Row Stories takes you inside a race against time as Texas prepares for what could become its 600th execution since 1976. From an early morning abolitionist press conference to a long, uncertain wait outside the prison, everything now depends on one question: will the execution of Edward Busby actually go forward tonight? At the center of the case is a major legal and moral is...

Texas is about to carry out its 600th execution since 1976. But this case is different. Edward Lee Busby Jr is scheduled to die for a brutal 2004 murder in Fort Worth. What he did was horrific. A 77-year-old woman, Laura Lee Crane, was taken at random from a grocery store parking lot and killed. Her family still carries that loss. But today, the focus has shifted to a critical question: should he...

At the gates of the Huntsville Unit, I witnessed one of the most controversial executions in recent Texas history. James Broadnax was put to death as serious doubts still surrounded his case, after his cousin Demarius Cummings recently claimed he was the actual gunman. In this episode of Death Row Stories, I report from outside the prison as protesters gather on both sides, families of the victims...

What really happens when the state kills someone? In this shocking episode of Death Row Stories, I sit down with Corinna Barrett Lain, author of Secrets of the Killing State, to expose the dark, hidden world of lethal injection, botched executions, and the secret systems behind the death penalty in America. For years, states have claimed lethal injection is clean, humane, and reliable. But what if...

In 1913, a 21-year-old man was executed in Texas after a trial he could not understand. This episode of Death Row Stories investigates one of the most disturbing and little-known cases in the history of the death penalty in Texas. Abram Ortiz was a young Mexican laborer working in South Texas. When a violent crime shocked the region, he was arrested and quickly brought to trial. But there was a ma...

In 1847, a United States–appointed governor was killed in his own home. He was shot with arrows and scalped in front of his family. What followed was one of the earliest mass executions carried out by American authorities. In this episode of Death Row Stories, I speak with Bob Romero, former president of the Taos County Historical Society and author of a history book on Taos. Standing on Taos Plaz...

What happens when a single decision changes everything? In this episode of Death Row Stories, Tyrone Williams speaks from inside Texas death row — not to explain a crime, but to reflect on the choices that can define a life forever. From refusing a plea deal to believing he acted to protect his children, Tyrone walks us through the moments where the path split… and never came back. Now diagnosed w...

From a stolen Secret Service briefcase at age 16… to a desperate escape from Texas Death Row… Charles Thompson spent his entire life running. In this exclusive, unfiltered interview filmed inside the Polunsky Unit, Charles reveals the wild path that led from drugs and fugitives to one of the most unbelievable escapes in U.S. prison history. For the first time, he walks us through the addictions, t...

Once lost to addiction and violence, David Collingsworth spent years behind bars in Texas. Today, he’s free — and his voice echoes inside the same prisons where he once lived. Through The Prison Show, a unique radio program broadcast across Texas prisons for over 45 years, David now connects inmates and their families — including those on Death Row. Every Friday night, messages of love, updates, a...

What happens when a rising singer is accused of a crime he didn’t commit—based only on lies? In this gripping episode of Death Row Stories , Perry Cobb takes us through his extraordinary life: from performing in Chicago nightclubs to being falsely accused of double murder. With no evidence against him—only the testimony of a witness later exposed as unreliable—Perry was tried five times , convicte...

What happens when a sociologist steps into the execution chamber—not just as a researcher, but as someone chosen to witness a man’s final moments? In this powerful episode, Dr. Sandra Joy shares her unique and deeply human perspective on the U.S. death penalty. A sociology professor at Rowan University and longtime death row witness, Sandra doesn’t just analyze the system—she's been inside it....

🔎 Who decides who lives—and who dies? In this new episode of Death Row Stories, we dive into the case of Demond Depree Bluntson, a Texas man incarcerated since 2012 and sentenced to death in 2016.His story spans years of legal twists, personal contradictions, and unanswered questions. In May 2025, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a major opinion about it. What did the jury know at the t...

Can discredited forensic science send innocent people to death row? Texas was the first state to pass a law—known as the Junk Science Law (Article 11.073) —giving prisoners a chance to challenge their convictions when the science used against them has since been debunked. But more than a decade later, is the law actually helping? In this episode of Death Row Stories , we speak with Estelle Hebron-...

Anthony Graves spent 18 years behind bars—12 of them on death row—for a crime he didn’t commit. Wrongfully convicted based on false testimony, Graves endured solitary confinement, relentless pressure to accept a plea deal, and the unimaginable weight of being labeled a murderer. But his story didn’t end with his release. Instead, it marked the beginning of his mission to expose the flaws of the ju...

How Texas Sent an Innocent Black Man to Death Row | Anthony Graves’ Shocking Story Imagine being taken from your home, accused of a brutal crime you didn’t commit, and sentenced to die—all without a shred of evidence. This is the unimaginable reality Anthony Graves faced. In this powerful third part of our exclusive interview, Anthony shares the harrowing moments of his sentencing, the pain of hea...

"I Was Framed for MURDER!" In this gripping second part of the tenth episode of Death Row Stories , Anthony Graves shares the nightmare of being wrongfully convicted of a brutal crime he didn’t commit. Anthony was living a normal life in Brenham, Texas, when Texas Rangers showed up and arrested him out of the blue. He had no idea why. His case exposes the harsh realities of racial prejud...

In this powerful episode, we begin uncovering the extraordinary life of Anthony Graves, a man who faced unimaginable circumstances after being falsely accused. Arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, Anthony's journey through the justice system will leave you speechless. Anthony is the author of Infinite Hope, a memoir that delves into his harrowing experience. In this first part of his story, we s...

What drives someone to witness over 400 executions? In this ninth episode of Death Row Stories , meet Gloria Rubac, a retired teacher who has spent decades outside the Huntsville Unit on execution days, vocally opposing the practice when lethal injections are carried out. She has become a determined and unwavering figure in one of the world’s most controversial practices. What compels her to retur...

In this unforgettable finale of Pamela Perillo’s story, she opens up about the harrowing reality of life on Death Row. From the looming shadow of execution to the resilience it took to survive, Pamela shares raw, emotional moments that will leave you speechless. What does it feel like to be days away from death? How did she find hope in the darkest of times? This is not just a story of survival—it...

Harris County, Texas, known as the Death Penalty Capital of the World, just elected a new District Attorney. With Sean Teare taking office, questions arise: Will this shift bring any change to the county’s long-standing approach to capital punishment? In this episode of Death Row Stories, I uncover what Sean Teare has said about the death penalty, explore the impact of Harris County’s DA on its im...

A shocking crime. A divided community. Two churches at odds. This episode delves into the complex case of Steven Nelson, whose death penalty trial became a battleground for fairness, justice, and love. With his execution scheduled for February 5, 2025, this case has resurfaced as a pivotal moment to discuss the death penalty, its impact, and the questions it raises. Filmed in Arlington, Texas—wher...

In this gripping sixth episode, filmed live at the Texas Tribune Festival, we dive deep into the harrowing journey of Kerry Max Cook, a man who spent two decades on Texas Death Row, relentlessly fighting to prove his innocence. Wrongfully convicted at just 21, Kerry endured decades of trauma, brutality, and heartbreak, all while battling a system determined to label him a killer. Recently declared...

In Part 4 of our in-depth interview with Pamela Perillo, we delve further into the harrowing realities of life on death row and the moral challenges Pamela faced. After being sentenced to death for her role in two murders, Pamela recounts emotional exchanges with the victims' families, moments of forgiveness, and the heavy toll it took on her soul. This episode explores her refusal to save herself...

Howdy! Isn’t the death penalty the ultimate symbol of Texan strength and justice? Some conservatives are starting to think differently. In this episode, Nan Tolson, a lifelong Texan and director of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, explains why she and others from her conservative community are questioning the death penalty. Grounded in pro-life values and a commitment to fiscal res...