Episode 5 of “Breakdown: railroad justice in a railroad town” reviews some of the most critical breakdowns in the prosecution of Justin Chapman for murder and arson.

In the process, we learn of several pieces of evidence that Chapman's public defender Jan Hankins says she never received, and are introduced to witnesses that Hankins never had time to visit.

In this first season of Breakdown, senior legal affairs writer Bill Rankin goes deep inside the Chapman case, exploring where the criminal justice system broke down. You can listen to the Breakdown podcast below, or visit www.ajcbreakdown.com for the first five episodes, plus photos, articles, videos and more related information.

Keep Reading

People line up outside the federal building in Atlanta that houses an immigration court and ICE office. Several cases in the court are at the center of a disciplinary proceeding against Norcross immigration lawyer Christopher Taylor. (Ben Hendren/AJC 2025)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Featured

The city of Atlanta opened Azalea Fresh Market downtown to help residents find affordable groceries. (Natrice Miller/AJC)