From the Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy, True Bill Talk is about getting to the truth of criminal prosecution in America right now: what it is, how people experience it, and how prosecutors can better serve their communities. Each episode of the podcast will feature in-depth conversations between Vanderbilt Law Professor Alissa Marque Heydari and prosecutors, policy experts, and advocates with diverse perspectives on the challenges and responsibilities of prosecution. Produced by K ...
…
continue reading
Vanderbilt Project On Prosecution Policy Podcasts
Memphis has become the center of intense federal law enforcement activity—and the results are more complex than you might expect. The Memphis Safe Task Force issued over 4,000 traffic citations, made more than 1,000 arrests, and conducted 206 firearm seizures in just a couple weeks, creating a dramatic surge that's already stretching thin the commu…
…
continue reading
1
Mini TBT Episode: Will Tennessee Eliminate Felony Murder?
18:49
18:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:49
True Bill Talk's newest episode takes you inside a Tennessee State Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where state senators examined proposed legislation to eliminate felony murder and accomplice liability in Tennessee. These are complex doctrines with serious implications for people, especially if someone gets involved in a crime that results in an…
…
continue reading
1
Re-sentencing laws with Hillary Blout
1:11:14
1:11:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:11:14
Hillary Blout is the Founder and CEO of For the People. A former prosecutor, Hillary has been at the forefront of advocating for prosecutor-initiated re-sentencing (PIR) laws across the country. In this episode, we explore Hillary's compelling personal journey, including her experience growing up in a low-income, high-crime neighborhood. She shares…
…
continue reading
1
Sherry Boston on Representation and Responsibility
1:10:37
1:10:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:10:37
Sherry Boston has served as the District Attorney of DeKalb County, Georgia since 2017. But describing her just as a "local DA" doesn't capture her full impact. In addition to her work with us here at VPOPP, she's active in organizations like her state DA's association and the National Black Prosecutors' Association. She's also the lead plaintiff i…
…
continue reading
1
Mini TBT Episode: Tennessee's recent execution
10:50
10:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:50
Byron Black was recently executed in Tennessee. This is not your typical capital case, however, because the current local district attorney actually agreed with the defense that Mr. Black's death sentence should be commuted to life in prison. However, the Tennessee Attorney General then took over the appeal and pushed for execution anyway. It's a p…
…
continue reading
1
David Leavitt from Utah County on Shaking Up the Status Quo
1:04:37
1:04:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:37
David Leavitt led the Utah County DA's office for 4 years before being voted out of office in 2022. David spent four years trying to rein in excessive plea deals, questioning his own office's outdated norms, and demanding real checks on police power. His approach earned him an intense backlash, and his 2022 re-election campaign became a referendum …
…
continue reading
Recently, with support from Microsoft, VPOPP worked with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law to produce a report about how artificial intelligence (AI) tools are impacting the work of prosecutors around the country. Katie Kinsey, the Policing Project's chief of staff and tech policy counsel, is a leading voice on what AI can do, should do, an…
…
continue reading
1
Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick and Valerie Craig on what victims need and deserve
1:07:12
1:07:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:12
On this episode, Alissa speaks with two women who are reshaping what victim advocacy is and what it could do for our criminal justice system. Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick became an advocate after her son was killed in her backyard. Today, she works with Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and Rodney's Village, a nonprofit that she founde…
…
continue reading
1
The Executive Order Targeting Prosecutors with Carissa Hessick and Brenner Fissell
28:19
28:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:19
On April 28, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive order aimed broadly at local law enforcement -- but one section stood out. Section 5 of the Order represents a statement of how the Administration intends to get involved in decisions made by local prosecutors. In this special episode of True Bill Talk, we invite two well-known crimina…
…
continue reading
1
Torry Johnson, Former DA From Nashville, Has Some Concerns
1:04:39
1:04:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:39
Torry Johnson was the District Attorney of Davidson County, Tennessee for 26 years. In this conversation, Torry shared his thoughts about the so-called "progressive prosecutor" movement, the right-ward shift in Tennessee's politics, and how he thinks about the role of the DA when the job has become heavily politicized.…
…
continue reading
1
Larry Krasner from Philadelphia Is More Complicated Than You Think
42:14
42:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:14
Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia District Attorney since 2017, has become something of a lightning rod and is now one of the most well-known prosecutors in the entire country. Larry and two of his line prosecutors were recently in Nashville to visit Vanderbilt Law School and speak with our students about careers in prosecution. While they were in to…
…
continue reading
1
Todd Williams from Asheville, NC: Capital cases and serving a progressive city in the South
35:42
35:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:42
On this episode of True Bill Talk, Alissa talks with Buncombe County DA Todd Williams about the complexities of prosecutorial discretion, including the death penalty, politics, and his personal beliefs in justice.By Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy
…
continue reading
1
Welcome to True Bill Talk, a new podcast from the Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy
6:13
6:13
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
6:13
True Bill Talk explores the realities of criminal prosecution in America. Each episode features in-depth conversations with prosecutors, policy experts, and advocates with diverse perspectives on the challenges and responsibilities of prosecution. Hosted by Alissa Marque Heydari of the Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy.…
…
continue reading
