In this episode of Unshaken Truth, hosts Josh Burns and Andrew Rourke talk with best selling Author John Grisham about wrongful convictions tied to debunked science like Shaken Baby Syndrome. They explore how flawed medical myths led to injustices, the fight for justice, and how faith and perseverance provide hope.
00:00 - Introduction: wrongful convictions, junk science, and our stories
02:06 - Robert Robertson’s case: wrongful conviction based on shaken baby syndrome
03:36 - John Grisham’s involvement and advocacy for justice reform
04:08 - Meeting Robert Robertson on death row and his autism diagnosis
05:38 - The influence of faith and forgiveness among exonerees
09:29 - Flaws in trial procedures and prosecutorial misconduct
12:55 - The difficulty in overturning wrongful convictions and systemic obstacles
16:07 - The story of Ronald Keith Williamson’s wrongful death row exoneration
18:13 - Awareness of the thousands of innocent people in prison; our advocacy efforts
20:23 - The story of Tommy Ward: a wrongful conviction in Ada, Oklahoma
22:03 - The resilience and peace of exonerees despite injustices
23:38 - Why wrongful convictions are so challenging to overturn
26:01 - Closing: ongoing efforts and resources, next episode preview
Music credits: OMRDM06SFWGKD9FJ SPZKCNTRJBNSTH55
photo credit: Photo of Robert Roberson by Iiana Panich-Linsman for The Innocence Project
Family of Robert Roberson
Dallas Morning News
D Magazine
Wall Street Journal
Rep. John Bucy
