Law&Crime Sidebar

Nineteen-year-old Brianna Moore is accused of giving birth alone in her University of Tampa dorm bathroom, placing her newborn in a trashcan, and causing the baby’s death. But now, in newly filed legal motions and expert reports, the young mother is unveiling a striking potential defense: she didn’t know she was pregnant, panicked during a medical emergency, and the tragedy was an accident. Prosec...

The investigation into the baffling, unsolved disappearance of Amy Bradley—who vanished from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship nearly 30 years ago—is heating up again after a massively watched Netflix docuseries brought new attention to the cold case. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber sat down with private investigators Jim Carey & Earl Nance to discuss new evidence, alleged sightings, and their absolut...

Two defendants accused of the horrifying murder of 22-year-old Mercedes Vega, who was allegedly shot, beaten, had bleach poured down her throat, and was left to die in a burning car, could now face the ultimate punishment. Prosecutors in Maricopa County, Arizona are officially seeking the death penalty against Cudjoe Young and Sencere Hayes, who police believe murdered Vega to prevent her from tes...

Rapper 50 Cent’s new Netflix docu-series,  Sean Combs: The Reckoning , has dropped, immediately rocketing to the top of the charts. The four-part series explores Sean “Diddy” Combs’ life, from Bad Boy Entertainment to his recent federal trial and shocking allegations of assault, abuse, and ties to the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. Law&Crime Legal Counsel Elizabeth Vulaj joins...

Utah father Micah Smith allegedly forced his three young children—ages 2, 4, and 8—on a nine-mile mountain hike in freezing conditions, leaving two fighting for their lives. Charged with six first-degree felonies, Smith faced a judge for the first time since the arrest. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the shocking evidence, the harrowing video from the hike, and why the court decided he’s...

A Georgia mom accused in a murder-for-hire plot in the Bahamas claims her GPS ankle monitor is "cramping her style" and preventing her from launching a new career. Lindsay Shiver is petitioning the Bahamian court to remove the monitor and allow her to move back to Thomasville, Georgia, for modeling and influencer work. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down her legal arguments and her difficult h...

A Utah father who was stranded on a mountainside with his three young children during a storm is now facing child torture and aggravated child abuse charges. The indictment reveals shocking evidence, including a video where his 8-year-old daughter asks, "Are we going to freeze to death, daddy?" Micah Smith, is accused of ignoring warnings, being ill-prepared, and abandoning his children before res...

A New Mexico teen who gave birth and threw her newborn baby into a dumpster has had her conviction appeal denied. Alexis Avila was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse involving great bodily harm. On appeal, her attorneys argued that jury instructions on mental health were confusing and claimed ineffective assistance of counsel for not pursuing an insanity defense. Law&Cr...

Former Mississippi teacher Wilson Jones used artificial intelligence to create explicit videos of his own middle school students, a scheme uncovered by a school monitoring system that flagged a "severe sexual alert" from his computer. Investigators say he used the students' real faces and typed detailed, explicit prompts into an AI website to generate the material. With his federal trial approachi...

The man accused of brutally murdering young welder Amber Czech could face upgraded charges. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber and Minnesota trial attorney Paul Applebaum are taking a closer look at the latest from a Minnesota courtroom, including the court-ordered mental health evaluation for her coworker and alleged killer, David Delong. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/amber-czech PLEASE SUPPORT T...

The back and forth continues in the Celeste Rivas Hernandez investigation. An LAPD official is pushing back on a claim that the 14-year-old's body was frozen and decapitated, but in a new twist, the LA County Medical Examiner's office has confirmed a court-ordered security hold, sealing all information about her death. What does the security hold mean for the investigation, and does this suggest t...

There are major new developments in the Celeste Rivas Hernandez death investigation. Reports allege the teenage girl's body, found in the trunk of a Tesla registered to singer D4vd, was frozen, dismembered, and decapitated. Now, a potential second suspect who may have helped with the body's disposal has been identified. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber and former police commander Mike King break down t...

Ryan Wedding — a former Olympic snowboarder — is now accused of becoming one of the world’s most violent drug kingpins. Prosecutors say he ran a billion-dollar cocaine empire, ordered multiple murders, and even hunted down a federal witness. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the explosive new indictment with criminal defense attorney Eric Faddis. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Grow your own audien...

We're on the brink of the Department of Justice's release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, as mandated by the new Epstein Files Transparency Act. But how much new information can we realistically expect to see? Law&Crime's Jesse Weber sits down with CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig to analyze some of the biggest questions. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Grow your own audience today – go to https://w...

Two arrests have been made in the shooting death of former WWE NXT star Knuckles Madsen, whose real name is Kevin Nikel. His ex-wife, Amanda Penny, and her new boyfriend, Michael Hogue, are accused of plotting together to kill him. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the two wildly competing narratives, as well as the charges and possibility of bail with victim’s rights lawyer John Phillips. P...

A young, vibrant TikTok influencer is dead, allegedly at the hands of her own boyfriend. Maurice "Girlalala" Harrison, 21, was shot and killed in Florida, and her boyfriend, Shanoyd Whyte Jr., is now behind bars facing a first-degree murder charge. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber is joined by criminal defense attorney John Day to discuss the shocking details revealed in the arrest affidavit and the cr...

As conflicting updates emerge in the Celeste Rivas Hernandez case, questions are growing about why no arrests have been made — even after the 14-year-old’s body was found in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd and investigators collected materials from a rental property linked to where he had been staying. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down what these developments mean for where the investigati...

A judge set a woman's bail at $10 million after an alleged robbery scheme at a Washington casino turned into a homicide investigation. Raylin Marie Benzie is accused of putting fentanyl in the drink of her victim, Arslan, after forgetting her “usual” date rape drug. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber sits down with criminal defense attorney Skye Lazaro to unpack the astonishing details from the probable...

A huge Halloween party thrown by a South Carolina teen ended in gun violence, leaving several shot. The host's father, Kyle Johnson, now faces criminal charges. Why is this parent being held responsible, and what does controversial surveillance footage reveal? Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber and criminal defense attorney Jeffrey Wolf have the latest in this shocking case. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If y...

A South Carolina man is headed to prison for decades after shooting his girlfriend, a mother of three children, and setting her car on fire with her body inside. The horrific crime left Bamberg County reeling, but a chilling text message from the victim, Megan Bodiford, to her friend provided a crucial early clue. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the critical evidence the killer left behind...

Never-before-seen emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate have just been released by the House Oversight Committee — and for the first time, they directly mention President Trump, shedding new light on the world Ghislaine Maxwell was operating in and the powerful figures connected to Epstein. Maxwell — convicted of helping Epstein traffic underage girls — may be trying to cut her 20-year prison sente...

A North Carolina woman sued a social media star for "alienation of affection" and "criminal conversation," claiming the influencer broke up her marriage. With TikTok star Brenay Kennard representing herself against Akira Montague, the courtroom saw an intense showdown, shocking testimonies, and a major verdict that rocked the internet. Family law attorney Randy Kessler joins Law&Crime’s Jesse...

Christopher Scholtes was found dead just days before he was to begin a 20-30 year prison sentence for the hot car death of his 2-year-old daughter Parker. Now, another of his children has filed a lawsuit against him, exposing more family secrets. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber takes a closer look at the new lawsuit with Arizona trial attorney Dwane Cates. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you’re ever injur...

AJ Owens through a closed door, is now attempting to countersue Owens' children for defamation. Lorincz maintains she acted in self-defense, claiming Owens and her children threatened her. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber analyzes the wrongful death lawsuit filed by AJ Owens' family and Lorincz's surprising plans for a countersuit, with insights from Anthony Thomas, lawyer for AJ Owens’ Estate. PLEASE...

Mia Bailey, 30, accepted a plea deal in Utah court on Thursday, agreeing to plead guilty to murder and aggravated assault charges, with the stipulation that she was mentally unwell at the time she committed her crimes. In June 2024, Bailey admitted to police that she'd killed her parents, Joseph and Gail Bailey, and had tried to shoot her brother. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber and litigator Rich Sch...