In this week’s episode, I talk with Jonathan Steele about the pros and cons of being an attorney when taking the witness stand. We discuss his experience in depositions as well as in court and he gives great advice on what to expect when testifying. We then transition the conversation to cyber security which is his new focus for family law and privacy.

Join me as the tables are turned, and I am a guest on the Ripple Effect of Murder. I interviewed Jan Canty in episodes 35 and 36 of TTT, discussing what it was like to be a homicide victim survivor. Now, on Jan's podcast, we discuss how homicide survivors may be used in a homicide trial and the emotional stress they come under. We talk about the delicate balance of keeping emotions in check without appearing stoic or removed which may result in looking indifferent.

Jan raised the point that fatigue sets in so even focusing on being able to focus on individual questions becomes taxing. We also talk about how we can protect witnesses that have gone through the trauma, pre, during and post testifying.

Join me talking with Michelle Madrid, a crime scene investigator for the Los Angeles County Sherriff Department with a specialty in DNA evidence. Michelle talks about her 19+ years career and how the Department is changing the environment and stigma to support vicarious trauma. We also discuss how she is not a witness for either side and how bias does and does not play a part in her findings. She describes why testifying is the most important part of the job because as she says – “I can do everything right but if I can’t articulate my findings to a jury it doesn't matter.” She is also one of the authors of the Forensic DNA Interpretation and Human Factors: Improving Practice Through a Systems Approach report which is used as the standard for DNA interpretation.

Join me in a fascinating conversation with Marla Frees who has been a pro bono investigative consultant for various law enforcement agencies around the country. She first discusses she got over being a skeptic of mediums and psychics realizing she had the gift. Her natural profiling skills extend to the crime, victim, and perpetrator within each location/condition to assist law enforcement. She talks about an experience with an extraordinary family that took the deceased’s agenda of offering support and encouragement to a broader level, ultimately impacting a federal law.

Join me in a brutally honest conversation with Lori Miller whose social drinking as a kid turned from innocent fun into a life as a drug addict and time in jail. After multiple arrests for grand theft auto, credit card fraud, living under an alias and being constantly on the run, the law finally caught up to her. She not only surrendered herself but asked the judge to send her to jail because she knew if she were out on parole, she would use again. After serving 4 months of a 6-month sentence, she felt a calling to transform her life.

Join me in our first of many interviews in 2024. Kim Williams and I have both experienced bullying in the workplace and learned how to stand up for ourselves despite the fear of retaliation. She was advised to “just move on”, but instead chose to show her daughter how to bravely stand up for herself against a large corporation. She discusses how to take a breath, control your emotions and focus on facts.

Join me in an educational conversation with Professor Shailini George of Suffolk Law School as she discusses a 2016 study identifying mental wellness issues and addiction in lawyers which led to the American Bar Association. National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Shailini discusses the fact that in some states a lawyer could not admit they got treatment and be admitted to the bar which kept them suffering in silence. Shailini’s approach with her students is "put on your oxygen mask first". She explains that if lawyers are taught mindfulness and wellbeing, they will spread that mindset and be better equipped for helping emotionally prepare witnesses to take the stand.

In this weeks episode I talk with Tyler Schwab who explains the hard truth that there are more slaves today than during the transatlantic slave trade BUT never more stoppable with technology. He also discusses the problem is the missing manpower and financial resources. He explains that social media plays a huge part but once someone is caught it is hard for them not to plead guilty because it can be traced. He works with victims on techniques on how to protect them emotionally when needing to appear in court and walking them the through the legal process. Tyler also tells a great story on why authenticity in the courtroom is so important.