A Preventable Tragedy
The Knife: A True Crime Podcast
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 20 November 2025
⏱️ 65 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Criminal defense attorney Michael Foote joins The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren’s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak with Michael Foote about the case and how the criminal justice system failed to protect Lauren.
Listen to Michael Foote’s podcast, Brief Recess, wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
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| 0:56.4 | If I screw up sometimes in court, like it can be life and death for a client. |
| 1:01.1 | I have clients who are up for deportation where if they do get deported, they will die. |
| 1:22.6 | Yeah. Welcome to The Knife. I'm Hannah Smith. |
| 1:23.9 | I'm Pasha Eaton. |
| 1:28.6 | So, Hannah, you were out of town when we ended up recording this, but you and I have talked about this case a bit over the last year, and that is the murder of Lauren Johansson, |
| 1:35.1 | whose ex-boyfriend, Bryson Rivers, is currently charged with capital murder. So in the studio with |
| 1:41.6 | you for this episode is Michael Futt, whose new show, Brief Recess, is part of the Exactly Right Media Network. |
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