Dax Devlin Ross

Okay, so a cigar smoker's form. Not exactly where I'd expect to find a lead about a crooked cop.

Okay, so a cigar smoker's form. Not exactly where I'd expect to find a lead about a crooked cop.

Here's what I'm wondering. What the fuck? The assistant district attorney, he's not the district attorney, just to be clear about that, is basically saying that no one should have believed his witness, the one he put on the stand, who happens to be the lone eyewitness in two alleged murders by Robert Hill on two different occasions.

Here's what I'm wondering. What the fuck? The assistant district attorney, he's not the district attorney, just to be clear about that, is basically saying that no one should have believed his witness, the one he put on the stand, who happens to be the lone eyewitness in two alleged murders by Robert Hill on two different occasions.

So Frenchy now has the name of this troubled and troubling witness, and now she's also got the name of the person Teresa helped convict of murder, one Robert Hill, former drug dealer. So, Steve, where does she go from here?

So Frenchy now has the name of this troubled and troubling witness, and now she's also got the name of the person Teresa helped convict of murder, one Robert Hill, former drug dealer. So, Steve, where does she go from here?

More on those real lives after the break.

More on those real lives after the break.

Standard journalism practice is to get a comment from everyone mentioned in a story, especially a high-stakes story like this one. She calls the district attorney's office.

Standard journalism practice is to get a comment from everyone mentioned in a story, especially a high-stakes story like this one. She calls the district attorney's office.

Frenchie's story breaks on May 11, 2013. The headline, Review of 50 Brooklyn Murder Cases Ordered. The story lays it all out. How Teresa Gomez says she witnessed six separate murders. Who sees six murders? And Frenchie tells other stories, like Chewbacca's. How Scarcella told the court he had made an incriminating statement that Chewbacca says he never made.

Frenchie's story breaks on May 11, 2013. The headline, Review of 50 Brooklyn Murder Cases Ordered. The story lays it all out. How Teresa Gomez says she witnessed six separate murders. Who sees six murders? And Frenchie tells other stories, like Chewbacca's. How Scarcella told the court he had made an incriminating statement that Chewbacca says he never made.

Chewbacca's friend, Derek, the one who set all of this in motion, at first, he's pleased when he sees the article. But then, he gets angry. This is personal. You see, Scarcella was the cop who arrested Derek for murder. A murder he insists he didn't do.

Chewbacca's friend, Derek, the one who set all of this in motion, at first, he's pleased when he sees the article. But then, he gets angry. This is personal. You see, Scarcella was the cop who arrested Derek for murder. A murder he insists he didn't do.

I remember that bar distinctly. It was where I entered this story. I remember coming there one night, sitting down with you, and having the first big conversation about this series.

I remember that bar distinctly. It was where I entered this story. I remember coming there one night, sitting down with you, and having the first big conversation about this series.

Um, to be clear, there's been more than one. So we could be talking about the time I got pulled over twice within about 20 minutes because I had a vanilla aroma air freshener in my rearview mirror.

Um, to be clear, there's been more than one. So we could be talking about the time I got pulled over twice within about 20 minutes because I had a vanilla aroma air freshener in my rearview mirror.

I'm entering my third year of law school. I'm standing on a street corner in Adams Morgan in Washington, D.C. You know, I got my satchel on because at the time I used to wear a satchel and I used to keep my poems in my satchel. I was first starting to grow my dreads. I'm with my buddy who's a student who's a Georgetown law. And he decides to jump up on a scaffold and do a pull-up. Okay?

I'm entering my third year of law school. I'm standing on a street corner in Adams Morgan in Washington, D.C. You know, I got my satchel on because at the time I used to wear a satchel and I used to keep my poems in my satchel. I was first starting to grow my dreads. I'm with my buddy who's a student who's a Georgetown law. And he decides to jump up on a scaffold and do a pull-up. Okay?

And I think I jumped up and maybe did a pull-up with him. And we got down and I turned around and there was a cop. I don't know where the fuck that came from. Just next to us. Get down on the ground. Get down on the ground. And I, me, you know, having done two years of law school at this point, I got, I just, I took crim pro.

And I think I jumped up and maybe did a pull-up with him. And we got down and I turned around and there was a cop. I don't know where the fuck that came from. Just next to us. Get down on the ground. Get down on the ground. And I, me, you know, having done two years of law school at this point, I got, I just, I took crim pro.

I'm just more like, I haven't violated any laws that you're just going to come in broad daylight and tell me to get down on my, get down on my knees. I'm not doing that. I don't know what happened five more police cars show up. And at some point my friend and I get separated. Somehow I end up in an alley on my back. And they have three or four on me. Oh my God. My family has Sunday dinner.

I'm just more like, I haven't violated any laws that you're just going to come in broad daylight and tell me to get down on my, get down on my knees. I'm not doing that. I don't know what happened five more police cars show up. And at some point my friend and I get separated. Somehow I end up in an alley on my back. And they have three or four on me. Oh my God. My family has Sunday dinner.

I don't show up. No one knows where I am.

I don't show up. No one knows where I am.

And you'd be right, except for one thing. Those cops who arrested and beat me, they were black. Wow. I did not expect that. Yeah, most people don't. But for me, what I took away from that is that a cop is always a cop. Always blue. And to cops, I'm a black man. And to be a black man, at least in some spaces in this country, is to be a suspect.

And you'd be right, except for one thing. Those cops who arrested and beat me, they were black. Wow. I did not expect that. Yeah, most people don't. But for me, what I took away from that is that a cop is always a cop. Always blue. And to cops, I'm a black man. And to be a black man, at least in some spaces in this country, is to be a suspect.

And it's gonna be quite a ride.

And it's gonna be quite a ride.

And we'll hear from the politicians trying to tame it.

And we'll hear from the politicians trying to tame it.

And we'll follow Derek Hamilton and his band of convicted murderers who created their own law firm behind bars to take on Scarcella and fight for their freedom.

And we'll follow Derek Hamilton and his band of convicted murderers who created their own law firm behind bars to take on Scarcella and fight for their freedom.

Yeah. You did? Certainly did. That's next time on The Burden.

Yeah. You did? Certainly did. That's next time on The Burden.

That's right. Years later, the Louis Scarcella story changed.

That's right. Years later, the Louis Scarcella story changed.

And I'm Dax Devlin Ross, journalist, author, lawyer. I've written about criminal justice for years. I know what it's like to be wrongfully arrested personally. And I'm interested in the people who went to jail. And maybe shouldn't have.

And I'm Dax Devlin Ross, journalist, author, lawyer. I've written about criminal justice for years. I know what it's like to be wrongfully arrested personally. And I'm interested in the people who went to jail. And maybe shouldn't have.

I'll tell you what, though. We need to know the truth, both about Luis Garcella and the band of convicted murderers who took him on. And about the city we live in.

I'll tell you what, though. We need to know the truth, both about Luis Garcella and the band of convicted murderers who took him on. And about the city we live in.

From Orbit Media, this is The Burden.

From Orbit Media, this is The Burden.

Fast forward to 2013, and Frenchie is at the New York Times. She's itching for a good story, a big story, something that will make a splash. One day, she's on a routine assignment when she meets someone interesting.

Fast forward to 2013, and Frenchie is at the New York Times. She's itching for a good story, a big story, something that will make a splash. One day, she's on a routine assignment when she meets someone interesting.

This is Derek remembering meeting Frenchy for the first time. He's a bigger guy, broad chest, about six foot two. He's got a single gold tooth in the front and a shaved head. Big presence.

This is Derek remembering meeting Frenchy for the first time. He's a bigger guy, broad chest, about six foot two. He's got a single gold tooth in the front and a shaved head. Big presence.

That's after the break. Welcome back. Derrick Hamilton was out of prison but still connected to people on the inside. He's a self-taught lawyer, learned the law behind bars, And he was still in the prison grapevine.

That's after the break. Welcome back. Derrick Hamilton was out of prison but still connected to people on the inside. He's a self-taught lawyer, learned the law behind bars, And he was still in the prison grapevine.

This is Shabaka Shakur. Scarcella helped convict Shabaka of a double murder, which he says he didn't do. His 440 was impressive. 60 pages of legal argument, written while he was part of a prison law firm. That's right, a law firm formed in prison and run by convicted murderers, all of whom claimed innocence. More on that later.

This is Shabaka Shakur. Scarcella helped convict Shabaka of a double murder, which he says he didn't do. His 440 was impressive. 60 pages of legal argument, written while he was part of a prison law firm. That's right, a law firm formed in prison and run by convicted murderers, all of whom claimed innocence. More on that later.

In that dense document, two pages focused on Luis Garcella.

In that dense document, two pages focused on Luis Garcella.