The AJC Breakdown podcast

Breakdown

Veteran AJC journalist Bill Rankin presses on to expose injustices in this award-winning true crime podcast. He pores over trial transcripts and court records to break down the story and the criminal justice system.

Crime

Breakdown

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is the subject of the second episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Breakdown podcast. Willis is overseeing the investigation of former President Donald Trump and his allies. (Jenni Girtman / AJC file)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 2: ‘A force of nature’

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger received a call from President Trump on Jan. 2, 2021, when Trump told him to "find" him 11,800 votes to overturn the election results. The AJC's ninth season of the "Breakdown" podcast explores what happened next and whether a crime was committed during the call. (Brynn Anderson / AP)

Credit: Brynn Anderson

‘Breakdown — The Trump Grand Jury’ Ep. 1: The Jan. 2 phone call

In this video screenshot, Leanna Taylor, ex-wife of Justin Ross Harris, speaks to AJC reporters in Birmingham on Feb. 10.

Justin Ross Harris’ ex-wife reacts to decision reversing his murder conviction

Justin Ross Harris is sentenced in December 2016 to life in prison for killing his 22-month-old son, Cooper. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)

Credit: Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Georgia Supreme Court tosses Harris’ murder conviction in hot car case

Coverage of the Trump Grand Jury

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will wait until after the May 24 primaries to call in witnesses to testify about whether former President Donald Trump tried to illegally overturn election results in Georgia in 2020. (AJC and McClatchy File photos)

Credit: File photos

Trump probe: How would the Fulton County special grand jury work?

File photo / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Credit: Phil Skinner

Key players in the Fulton DA’s Trump probe

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will wait until after the May 24 primaries to call in witnesses to testify about whether former President Donald Trump tried to illegally overturn election results in Georgia in 2020. (AJC and McClatchy File photos)

How can Trump fight Fulton’s election meddling probe?

Fulton Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney (background) speaks to legislators’ attorney, Don Samuel during a motion hearing at Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Friday, July 1, 2022. Fulton Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney at a roughly 90-minute hearing Friday did not come to a final decision about what exactly the District Attorney’s office can ask Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former state Sen. William Ligon of Brunswick and several other unnamed state legislators. But he said that anything related to their conversations with other legislators or motivations are off-limits. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Trump probe: Fulton judge hears from lawmakers challenging subpoenas

3h ago

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis talks to news media following a crime and public safety summit at Atlanta Metropolitan College on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (Natrice Miller / natrice.miller@ajc.com)

Credit: Natrice Miller/ Natrice.Miller@ajc.com

Fulton DA pushes back against legislators fighting subpoenas

Former Georgia Sen. William Ligon, Jr., R-Brunswick, in June 2020. Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com

Legislators challenge subpoenas from Trump special grand jury

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is the subject of the second episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Breakdown podcast. Willis is overseeing the investigation of former President Donald Trump and his allies. (Jenni Girtman / AJC file)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 2: ‘A force of nature’

Season 8 — The Ahmaud Arbery case

Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley listens to Ahmaud Arbery's father give an impact statement during the sentencing for the three men convicted of Arbery's muder. Episode 19 of the AJC's "Breakdown" podcast examines the sentences received by Travis and Greg McMichael, and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan. (Stephen B. Morton / AP)

Credit: Stephen B. Morton

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 19: Life in prison

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 18: We have a verdict

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 17: Ahmaud Arbery’s killer takes the witness stand

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 16: ‘We don’t want any more Black pastors’

Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski gestures as she speaks during opening statements in the trial for the three men charged in Ahmaud Arbery's killing. Episode 15 of the AJC's "Breakdown" podcast examines the opening statements, and lingering questions over the makeup of the jury. (Octavio Jones / AP)

Credit: Octavio Jones

‘Breakdown’ Ep.15: 11 white jurors, one Black juror

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 14: We’re almost there

‘Breakdown’ Ep.13: Jurors express some strong opinions

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 12: The Ahmaud Arbery murder trial begins

Episode 11 of the AJC's "Breakdown" podcast focuses on a new defendant in the Ahmaud Arbery case — former District Attorney Jackie Johnson, who has been charged with obstructing a police officer and violating her oath of office in the immediate aftermath of Arbery's killing in 2020.

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 11: A fourth defendant is indicted

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 10: The defense makes its case

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 9: Is Ahmaud’s imperfect past relevant?

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 8: He ran. And ran. And ran.

This viral video of Ahhaud Arbery's last moments made the case nationally known. Now the producers of the AJC's 'Breakdown' podcast have been able to see the bodycam footage from the first police officers on the scene. That footage is the subject of the seventh episode of the 'Breakdown' podcast, now in its eighth season.

‘Breakdown’ Ep. 7: The immediate aftermath

‘Breakdown’ Ep.6: The McMichaels plead for bond

‘Breakdown’ S08 Ep.5: The elephant in the room

‘Breakdown’ S08, Ep. 4: Father and son

Columnists

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Latest Episodes

Season 7 — Judgment Call

Anthony Hill — seen here with his parents Anthony Hill Sr. and Carolyn Baylor-Giummo — was an Afghanistan War veteran killed in 2015 during an encounter with DeKalb police officer Chip Olsen.

‘Breakdown’ S07, Ep. 1: ‘They’re here to help me’

Former DeKalb County police officer Robert "Chip" Olsen and his wife Kathy Olsen stand for a photo at their Alpharetta residence. The couple has been married for 16 years. (Alyssa Pointer/alyssa.pointer@ajc.com)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

‘Breakdown’ S07 Ep. 2: The road to indictment

Former DeKalb County Police Officer Robert Olsen stands by himself on a break from testifying during his pre-trial in May of 2018. (STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

Credit: Steve Schaefer

‘Breakdown’ S07 Ep. 3: ‘Impervious to pain, superhuman strength’

Protesters celebrate after hearing that former DeKalb County Police Officer Robert "Chip" Olsen was indicted by a grand jury in January 2016 for the shooting death of Anthony Hill. Episode 4 of Breakdown examines why police encounters with the mentally ill often turn deadly. Ben Gray / bgray@ajc.com

‘Breakdown’ S07 Ep. 4: Policing a mental health crisis

Season 6 — A Jury of His Peers

Bill Rankin and Kevin Riley cohost the sixth season of 'Breakdown.' (BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM )

‘Breakdown’ S06, Ep. 1: A Jury of His Peers

AJC Editor Kevin Riley reviews the script for Episode 2 just before he and Bill Rankin entered the booth to record their narration.

‘Breakdown’ S06, Ep. 2: Voice of a killer?

Nicholas Benton, accused of a double-murder during a drug deal gone bad, appears at a hearing in Fulton County Superior Court. (BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM)

Credit: Bob Andres

‘Breakdown’ S06, Ep. 3: A trial by jury

Surveillance video captures two men as the approach a Pontiac Bonneville at a Valero station in northwest Atlanta in April 2016. The man on the right was Quincy Wytche, who would be shot dead a few minutes later. On the left, police say, is Nicholas Benton, who was later charged with killing Wytche and a second man.

‘Breakdown’ S06, Ep. 4: Deliberation

Season 5 — The McIver Murder Case

A Fulton County sheriff's deputy escorts Claud "Tex" McIver into the courtroom for a pretrial hearing. (AJC file image)

‘Breakdown’ S05 Ep. 1: The Tex McIver case

Tex and Diane McIver in an undated photo.

‘Breakdown’ S05 Ep. 2: Whirlwind romance, storybook wedding, tragic death

Diane McIver poses with Donald Trump, then a presidential candidate, and Gov. Nathan Deal.

‘Breakdown’ S05 Ep. 2.5: McIver trial delayed, with fireworks

McIver confers with attorney Bruce Harvey, who has been joined on the defense team by Don Samuel. Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com

‘Breakdown’ S05, Ep. 3: Muddy Waters

Season 4 — Murder Below the Gnat Line

‘Breakdown’ S04, Ep. 1: Was the right man convicted in South Georgia murder?

‘Breakdown’ S04, Ep. 2: Two key witnesses change their stories

‘Breakdown’ S04, Ep. 3: A murder and a mask

‘Breakdown’ S04, Ep. 4: ‘You will die in prison, never to be released’

Season 3 — Predator, M.D.

‘Breakdown’ S03 Ep. 1: Predator, M.D.

‘Breakdown’ S03, Ep. 2: Allegations dogged doctor for decades, went unheeded

‘Breakdown’ S03, Ep. 3: Why would a doctor abuse his patients?

‘Breakdown’ S03, Ep. 4: Doctor relocates his practice, and his problem

Season 2 — Death in a Hot Car

Justin Ross Harris Case Podcast: Season 2 of “Breakdown” from the AJC explores the death of Cooper Harris in a hot car. Breakdown Season 2, Episode 1: “Mistake or Murder?” is now available in iTunes or your favorite podcast app.

‘Breakdown’ S02 Ep. 1: Death in a Hot Car — Mistake or Murder?

‘Breakdown’ S02 Ep. 2: Did the police get the evidence right?

‘Breakdown’ S02 Ep. 3: Leanna Harris: Once implicated, never charged

‘Breakdown’ S02 Ep. 4: Deciding the case before it begins?

Season 1 — Railroad Justice in a Railroad Town

‘Breakdown’ S01 Ep.1: Railroad justice in a railroad town

‘Breakdown’ S01 Ep. 2: Public defender lost but never gave up

‘Breakdown’ S01 Ep. 3: The view from the stoop, a botched appeal

‘Breakdown’ S01 Ep. 4: Interlude--Of prison riots and mountain trackers

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