In 1986, while on a summer camp trip to the Grand Canyon, 16-year-old Jacob Wideman fatally stabbed his roommate, Eric Kane. Jacob confessed to the murder, but couldn’t explain why he did it.
The crime devastated both boys’ families. For the Widemans, it was also a haunting echo from their family history.
Just two years earlier, Jacob’s father, acclaimed author John Edgar Wideman, had published "Brothers and Keepers," a memoir that grappled with how his brother, Jacob’s uncle Robby Wideman, was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a fatal robbery. How could another inexplicable crime happen twice in two generations?
Jacob served decades behind bars for killing Eric Kane. Then in 2016, an Arizona parole board granted him house arrest. Jacob’s release outraged his victim’s family.
It wasn’t long before Jacob was back before the board, fighting again for his freedom.
Violation, a new podcast from The Marshall Project and WBUR, tells the story of how this horrible crime has connected two families for decades. It explores suffering and retribution, as well as power and privilege. It also pulls back the curtain on parole boards — powerful, secretive, largely political bodies that control the fates of thousands of people every year.
Hosted and reported by The Marshall Project’s Beth Schwartzapfel, Violation debuts on March 22, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Beyond All Repair Ch. 10: Truth
Beyond All Repair Ch. 9: Someone Is Lying
Beyond All Repair Ch. 8: Anthony Snow
Beyond All Repair Ch. 7: Made Up
Beyond All Repair Ch. 6: Hope
Beyond All Repair Ch. 5: The Motive
Beyond All Repair Ch. 4: The Husband
Beyond All Repair Ch. 3: Bad Blood
Beyond All Repair Ch. 2: The Case
Beyond All Repair Ch. 1: Boxes
Trailer: Beyond All Repair
What's next after Violation? Introducing a new murder mystery, "Beyond All Repair"
Violation Ep 8: ‘The Fullness of Time’: Jacob Wideman’s Uncertain Future
A message from Team Violation
Violation Bonus: The Court Ruling Jacob Wideman Was Waiting For (Update)
Violation Bonus: Jacob Wideman Says 'Vindictive' Arizona Officials Violated His Rights (Update)
Violation Presents: Ear Hustle
A message from Team Violation
Violation Ep 7: No Safe Place
Violation Ep 6: 'Your Life Is About To Change'
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