Michael Politte's Conviction
How did a house fire turn Politte into a murder suspect?
4.4 (40)
58 mins
Discover the case of Michael Politte, a Missouri teenager convicted in 1999 for the murder of his stepfather Richard Politte after a house fire destroyed the family home. Uncover the investigation, the disputed forensic evidence that helped secure his conviction, and the later developments that raised serious questions about whether investigators had accused the wrong person.
Ep 1:
Smoke, Fire, and a Fatal Assumption
A 14-year-old finds his mother dying in flames — and before anyone asks a real question, investigators decide he's the killer, launching a wrongful conviction two decades in the making.
Ep 2:
A Coerced Confession, A Rushed Verdict
A terrified 15-year-old's coerced statement and a single misheard word become the backbone of a case, as a rushed half-day defense sends Michael to life in prison.
Ep 3:
Junk Science and the Man Who Got Away
New science unravels the shoe evidence and burn analysis that convicted Michael, while a suspicious tire iron and an angry, threatened ex-husband point toward the real story investigators ignored.
Ep 4:
Free in Body, Convicted on Paper
Released after 23 years but still legally a convicted killer, Michael fights for exoneration alongside a haunted juror and a prosecutor who refuses to answer the call for justice.
Discussions (5)
Lloyd
Level 3 · 6 days agoThey decided before they asked.
Duke
Level 10 · 6 days agoA 14 year old grabs a garden hose to try to save his burning mother and they decide he's the killer before sunrise. The system failed him at every single turn.
Scarlett
Level 5 · 6 days agoThe part about Josh being pressured for 3 days straight until he changed his story gave me chills. That happens way too often.
