Serial Killer Israel Keyes, Scott Peterson, Sammy the Bull - Megyn's "True Crime" Mega-Episode

The California Supreme Court unanimously reversed Scott Peterson's death penalty because the trial judge improperly excused jurors who expressed general opposition to the death penalty, rather than assessing if they could still be fair. This error tainted the sentencing phase.

the California Supreme Court had reversed the death penalty unanimously by the way because we had complained in real time the judge was using the absolute wrong standard for uh excuse using jurors if somebody didn't have a um kind of a a preference for the death penalty or not. He was just excusing anybody who was against the death penalty, which is not the standard.

Scott Peterson's defense is seeking a new trial on the guilt phase due to a juror, dubbed 'Strawberry Shortcake,' who allegedly lied during jury selection by not disclosing she was a victim of domestic abuse while pregnant. This juror is now invoking the Fifth Amendment, suggesting her initial declaration denying lies might be false.

there's this woman who was a juror. Strawberry Shortcake is the way she was dubbed by the media... this woman filled out a form and did not disclose that she had been the victim of domestic of abuse while pregnant... she's got a new lawyer and she's invoking the fifth amendment.

The trial of police officer Kim Potter, charged with manslaughter for accidentally shooting Dante Wright instead of tasing him, is challenging for the prosecution. Her immediate, distraught reaction captured on video demonstrates authentic remorse, which Mark Geragos believes will likely sway the jury towards a 'not guilty' verdict.

this tape... certainly gives um you know people often say well they didn't show remorse or they didn't understand or they there wasn't they didn't act right. I you know we I've spent a career defending people who didn't act right. I mean clearly here this is somebody who's in the throws of uh a great deal of angst and I think that that is going to probably carry the day for because remember other than people who are famous pe police officers are the only other category of people that truly get a presumption of innocence.

Mark Geragos's firm initially secured a dismissal of the Jesse Smlette case, with Smlette forfeiting bail and performing community service. Geragos expresses outrage that the case was resurrected for a new trial, implying political motivations behind the re-prosecution, though he is under an informal gag order.

I handled the case originally the first time it was dismissed... I thought it was resolved fairly last time... I think frankly um it's outrageous that he's on um trial again for the very same thing um that it was already resolved on.

Mark Geragos strongly advises against defendants, especially high-profile ones, giving media interviews during ongoing legal proceedings. He cites Scott Peterson's disastrous interview with Diane Sawyer and Alec Baldwin's recent comments about the 'Rust' shooting as examples where attempts at image control backfire, providing ammunition for prosecutors and civil litigants.

I can't think of worst advice consistently... I can't give you an example where it worked out well for somebody to go do an interview while they're pre-charging or while the prosecutor's making decisions. It just makes no sense whatsoever.

Mark Geragos criticizes the HBO documentary 'Leaving Neverland' for its biased portrayal of Michael Jackson's accusers. He states the filmmaker selectively edited his past press conference comments to misrepresent his stance and omitted crucial information about the accusers' credibility, including instances where they were caught lying under oath and had financial motivations.

The documentary filmmaker had done was he cut and spliced a um a press conference I had done... to make it seem like I was talking about the accusers, which I wasn't... He didn't mention any of it... It was completely sanitized. It was a complete rewrite of history.

Mark Geragos, a former CNN contributor, describes the network's shift from objective legal analysis and long-form discussions to a 'polemic' and 'anti-Trump network' under Jeff Zucker. He believes this partisan turn has eroded its journalistic integrity and led to declining viewership, predicting a significant 'reboot' in the near future.

they were already kind of descending into this pmic that they've um decided the path they've decided to go down... he just decided to go all in on the anti-Trump network and turn it into that... you just can't find what it used to be 20 years ago.

The podcast highlights a significant decline in CNN's viewership, with its 9 PM show sometimes drawing only 900,000 viewers, a stark contrast to the 1.3 million viewers a Fox News 9 AM show achieved in 2007. This decline is attributed to CNN's 'Trump mania' strategy and perceived ethical compromises, such as retaining controversial figures like Jeffrey Toobin, Chris Cuomo, and Don Lemon despite public accusations and incidents.

Chris's 9:00 show sometimes was getting 900,000 people. I mean there was a time when CNN you could just have the color bars on there and you get 900,000 people. I when I launched America's Newsroom with Hemer in 2007, we created that show from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We'd get around 1.3 million.

A lawyer and restaurateur guest detailed his successful lawsuit against an outdoor dining ban in Los Angeles, which was imposed by an unelected health officer without any supporting data or studies. This situation, along with New York City's mandatory vaccination for 5-11 year olds to dine indoors, is framed as government overreach by 'drunk on their own power' legislators, significantly harming small businesses operating on thin margins.

We got a judge in the RIT court who ruled after basically issuing three orders to show cause and the county could not respond. They couldn't point to a single piece of data, a single study that showed that COVID was being transmitted outdoors by dining. So he enjoined them.

Israel Keyes is presented as a unique serial killer due to his lack of a victim type, geographic pattern, or consistent modus operandi (MO). He meticulously buried 'kill kits' across the country, which included cash, zip ties, guns, ammo, and Drano to accelerate decomposition. His ability to operate undetected for years, often traveling specifically to commit crimes, made him an anomaly for law enforcement.

Keys had no victim type, no geographic pattern, and an MO the FBI described to be as quote unique as a fingerprint.

Keys was apprehended after using his last victim, Samantha Koenig's, ATM card, which police tracked across states. A warrantless search of his car revealed incriminating items like a disguise, Samantha's phone, and ATM card. During interrogation, he confessed to abducting, murdering, and dismembering Samantha, even sewing her eyes open and applying makeup for a 'proof of life' photo. He also detailed the abduction, rape, torture, and murder of Bill and Lorraine Courier in Vermont.

We found a gray hoodie that appeared to be the same hoodie that the perpetrator had been wearing in the ATM videos. And in the pocket of that was this gray piece of cloth that looked like a mask. We also found the amber shooting glasses. We found Samantha's ATM card. Samantha's cell phone was in the car.

The FBI initially granted a journalist 'unfettered access' to the Keyes case but later shut down, leading to theories of suppressed information. Keys, who was raised off-grid by a white supremacist cult, expressed a desire for the death penalty but faced delays due to his anti-death penalty public defender. He attempted and later successfully committed suicide in prison, leaving 11 skulls drawn in blood and the phrase 'We are one,' along with 'Bise, the nation' on his cell wall. His suicide occurred despite jailers being aware of his intentions, with blood pooling from his plexiglass cell for hours.

The FBI announced that they had this guy in in custody. Nobody had ever heard of him. Nobody knew he'd been operating all over the United States for at least 14 years, probably more. Um, and they asked the public for help in identifying other victims... and then they just as quickly pulled this case back from public view.

CeCe Moore, a genetic genealogist, believes it's nearly impossible for a serial killer to operate undetected in 2025 America due to advancements in touch DNA and genetic genealogy. The capture of Bryan Kohberger in the Idaho College murders, linked by touch DNA on a knife sheath and subsequent genetic genealogy, exemplifies this new reality.

CeCe Moore told me she doesn't believe you can have a serial killer in 2025 America. She's like, we've gotten too good touch the touch DNA... Look how Coberger kind of got caught, right? Touch DNA on the knife sheath...

The Gilgo Beach killer, active for many years, serves as a potential exception to the idea that serial killers can no longer evade capture. This is attributed to the killer targeting sex workers, whose cases historically receive less sustained investigative attention, highlighting a vulnerability in the system.

The only I would say my caveat to that would be if you look at the Gilgo Beach killer who was active for many many many many years. It's the victim is just as important, right? He was he was targeting sex workers and they don't stay on sex worker cases for very long, you know?

After serving in the military during the Vietnam War, Gravano returned to a gang, which had by then connected with mafia families. His first murder was an ordered hit on a crew member plotting against his associates, which he carried out by shooting the victim multiple times in a car and then on the street.

I did my first piece of work there... We got in the car about 4:00 in the morning and as we drove away, I shot him in the back of the head twice... I put the gun out and I shot him three more times.

Following his first murder, Gravano experienced no nervousness, sweating, or remorse. He describes an 'out of body experience' where he felt nothing, leading him to conclude that he was either 'stone cold killer' or perfectly suited for the mafia.

I was waiting for this thing to happen, being nervous and sweating, and it didn't happen. Nothing happened. And I went to bed. I slept like a baby... I felt absolutely nothing... I thought either something's wrong with me or I'm just a stone cold killer and I'm going to fit in the mafia perfectly.

Gravano agrees with the sentiment that many mobsters view themselves as 'soldiers' in a perpetual 'war,' rationalizing their violent acts similarly to how a soldier in a conventional war would not be considered a murderer. He equates killing on a battlefield to killing in a car, asserting 'dead is dead' regardless of the means or context.

Many mobsters consider what they do almost military in nature. They consider themselves soldiers... Does that capture the mentality? I believe so. I 100%... It doesn't matter how you take it. You can beat somebody to death.

Gravano recounts the death of 16-year-old Alan Kaiser, emphasizing that Kaiser was not the target. The intended victim, Aldo Candido, fled, and Kaiser ran at Gravano's associate, Louis Molo, who then shot and killed him. Gravano expresses shock and sadness over Kaiser's age but attributes his death to his unexpected actions.

He was 16. We didn't know he was 16. He wasn't a target. Wasn't in the hit... He ran at Louie Molo... He turned around with the shotgun inches away from the guy and shot him in the chest... We found out the next day that he was 16 years old. We were in shock. It was terrible.

Gravano became highly powerful in the New York construction industry, stating that no major job could proceed without his approval. He credits Paul Castellano for mentoring him in this sector, allowing him to control unions and accumulate wealth.

I became very powerful in the construction industry... you can't get a job at this point in my life without some sort of a wink and a nod from me saying yes or no... Paul Castellano had me under his wing because he loved construction and um he was part of the reason I became very powerful in the construction industry.

The movie 'The Godfather' deeply affected Gravano, accurately portraying the family orientation and certain behaviors within the mob. He notes its role in romanticizing the mafia, fostering public fascination with the 'tough guy' image, wealth, and defiance of authority.

That movie stunned me. It It was probably one of the best movies I ever watched... it showed the family orientation how we are with family... everybody in my mind anyway has a fascination, especially men have a fascination of being a tough guy. Uh going with beautiful women, uh beautiful cars, making money, you know, the government.

Gravano confirms that Donald Trump, despite operating in New York real estate, successfully avoided direct mob interference. Trump's strategy involved employing a security detail of ex-FBI agents, making it too risky for mobsters to directly threaten or extort him.

Donald Trump. He was smart. He was a good builder... He had a group of ex FBI agents for security purposes. So we knew I knew that. So you could push on him a little bit. I tried but couldn't succeed... I backed away from him because there was nothing I could do.

Gravano claims that actor James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in 'The Godfather,' was an 'associate' of the Colombo crime family and sought permission to be in the movie. He also asserts that Frank Sinatra was an associate of the Genovese family, citing an incident where John Gotti tried to disrespect Sinatra, leading to the Genovese family's intervention.

James Khan was was in hooked him with the mob... I was there when he came down and asked permission to be in that movie... He's on record now with the mafia as an associate... just like Sinatra was... the Genevese family came right out of the woodwork and protected them.

Gravano decided to cooperate with the federal government against John Gotti after Gotti planned to 'throw Sammy and Frankie under the bus' to secure his own freedom. This betrayal, revealed by one of Gotti's lawyers, led Gravano to flip, despite facing life in prison himself.

He wanted me to take the weight so he can go free... He had the balls to actually tell me this to my face and um that's when I walked away from him... I'm going to throw Sammy and Frankie under the bus and I'm going to go free.

Sammy Gravano revealed that John Gotti actively spread negative information about him to other captains, alleging Gravano was killing partners and taking over unions. This was a calculated move by Gotti to create a narrative that would justify Gravano's murder within the mob's ethical framework, making it appear that Gravano had violated their code.

Gotti was telling Frankie to talk about to the captains to prepare Sammy's killing his partners. He's killing union guys and taking over the unions. He wanted that to go out so that when he kills me, he would have justification.

Gravano described his short-lived experience in the Witness Protection Program as 'doing time on the outside.' He found the program's rules, which included no contact with family or friends and constant relocation, too confining after serving prison time. He left after eight months, despite promising a year, due to a woman recognizing him and his refusal to be moved again.

I went in the witness protection program for eight months... I didn't want to go in... You can't have any contact with your family or friends or there's all kinds of rules. I just did five years in prison. I'm not going to live by a whole bunch of set of rules.

At 77, Gravano expresses a belief in God as a creator but rejects the concept of asking for forgiveness for his past actions. He argues that if God made him, God could have stopped him at any point. He views his actions as 'honorable' in his own eyes, never taking advantage of people or cheating, except when dealing with the government or hiding his activities from family.

I don't think you go anywhere, but if I going to go anywhere, I'm a negotiator. I'll talk to him and I'll talk to uh I'm not going to ask for forgiveness. If you made me, then you made me. You could have stopped me anytime you wanted. I'm not going to You made me what I am. I'm a lion. You made me that.