Five Thousand Dollars for a Death Sentence: Inside the Toforest Johnson Investigation w/ Beth Shelburne

Truer Crime

Celisia Stanton

True Crime

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 13 February 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If you heard our last episode, you already know the case against Toforest Johnson is riddled with problems—key witnesses recanted, no physical evidence tied him to the crime, and even the original prosecutor now says he deserves a new trial. But there’s even more to this story. In this follow-up conversation, investigative journalist Beth Shelburne peels back the layers of the case and shares what she uncovered while making Earwitness. We go deep into the tangled web of unreliable witnesses, missed leads, and the political forces keeping Toforest behind bars. Beth also reveals disturbing new details—ones that never made it into the courtroom but could change everything. What happens when the truth is clear, but the system refuses to listen? And how close is Toforest to finally seeing justice? Listen in—because this fight is far from over. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to a tenderfoot TV podcast.
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0:37.6	Hi friends. I am thrilled to share a recent collaboration I did with the team here at
0:42.6	Tenderfoot TV for their latest series Up and Vanished Weekly.
0:46.6	This week, I joined the Up and Vanish team to dig into the tragic story of Mitrease Richardson,
0:51.7	a case that's haunted Los Angeles for over a decade. It began on September
0:56.3	16, 2009, when 24-year-old Maitrice was acting oddly at a Malibu restaurant. Authorities were called,
1:03.7	but hours later, she was released from custody in the middle of the night. No car, no phone, no
1:10.5	wallet. What happened next is a heartbreaking mix
1:14.3	of mystery and tragedy. Up and Vanish Crater Payne Lindsay discusses the details of Mitrease's case
1:20.0	step by step. Then, host Maggie Freeling and I break down the case, asking the tough questions.
1:26.5	Where did the system fail and who should be held
1:28.5	accountable? To listen to the full episode, search Up and Vanish Weekly in your podcast app or wherever you
1:33.7	listen. While you're there, follow the show for more investigative episodes.
1:43.0	Hi, friends. Today, I'm bringing you something a little different, a bonus episode featuring a conversation with investigative journalist Beth Shelburne. If you listen to this week's episode on DeForest Johnson, you already know that best reporting was instrumental in uncovering the deep flaws in his conviction. But beyond that,
2:03.4	she's one of the best investigative reporters working today. Beth has spent more than 25 years
	...

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