This podcast explores the American criminal justice system from all angles, including perspectives from: law enforcement, prosecution, inmates, fugitives and everything in between.
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A flight on a space cruiser turns into a nightmare for a man who has to face his future alone and come to terms with his past. A princess fighting for the love of her life on Christmas Eve in a kingdom covered with snow. A man finds himself quite literally out of time, sentenced for a crime he won't commit for years. In a world where vampires and werewolves have to live together, a Hunter goes out on a special task. The trials of a robot assassin duck… and many more stories! 'Every Photo Tel ...
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Hosted by Ken Sweeney, The Comfortable Spot is a series of conversations with interesting people from different walks of life. You may not know all of them, but you might find them intriguing, so we hope you are sitting comfortably and happy to stay with us. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TCSPodcast
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Ep 12: Dickie Lynn - Smuggling, Survival, and Redemption
1:03:15
1:03:15
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Experience the story of Richard "Dickie" Lynn, a man whose life journey took him from the serene shores of Michigan to the high-stakes world of marijuana smuggling in Key Largo. Listen as Dickie recounts his early years, the pivotal moment when his family moved south due to his father's health, and the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Donna. Discover how…
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Ep 11: Sam Weitz - Sanctuary Cities from a Homeland Security Perspective
1:37:16
1:37:16
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This week on Justice Then, Justice Now, we are honored to welcome Sam Weitz, who's journey from Atlantic City to becoming a federal agent is nothing short of inspiring. From a pivotal connection with a local mayor that kickstarted his career at just 20 years old to navigating complex state laws and networking, Sam's story is informative and enterta…
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Ep 10: Ruben Gonzalez - The Undercover Fight Against Human Trafficking
1:02:33
1:02:33
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Join us on this captivating journey with Ruben Gonzalez, a former senior special agent with US Customs, as he unveils the thrilling and often perilous world of undercover law enforcement. Discover how Ruben’s childhood in a Puerto Rican family in Wisconsin and his early exposure to law enforcement in Florida shaped his extraordinary career. From be…
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Ep 9: Ralph Friedman - Policing Fort Apache and Beyond
1:15:01
1:15:01
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Join us as we sit down with retired NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman, who shares his extraordinary journey from an unplanned entry into law enforcement to becoming a legendary figure with over 2,000 arrests. Through vivid stories of camaraderie and peril in the 41 precinct, known as Fort Apache, Ralph paints a raw portrait of what it was like to serve…
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Ep 8: Vanessa Rojas - Healing In Prison Through Therapy and Mentorship
1:19:10
1:19:10
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Join us in this powerful episode as we sit down with Vanessa Rojas, Evelyn Bazon-Pappa, and Damaris Ramos Hernandez, to explore their extraordinary journeys from the depths of federal incarceration to becoming beacons of hope and mentors for others. Vanessa's heartbreaking story of childhood trauma, addiction, and the struggles of single motherhood…
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Ep 7: Herb Rutherford - Leadership, Law, and Legacy
59:49
59:49
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Ever wondered what it takes to navigate the complex world of law enforcement and organized crime? Join us as we sit down with Herb Rutherford, a highly respected figure in the U.S. Marshal Service, whose career spans decades of impactful service. From his first memorable encounter with Chief Deputy Toby Roche during the notorious Licavoli trial in …
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Ep 6: Pete Thron (Part Two) - Imprisoned NYPD Officer Turned Author
1:33:02
1:33:02
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In this gripping episode, Pete Thron takes us on an unforgettable journey as he recounts the harrowing conclusion of his court case, his time behind bars, and his path to redemption. From the biased sentencing that shattered his life to the mental and physical struggles of surviving prison, Pete's story is a testament to the resilience of the human…
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Ep 5: Pete Thron (Part One) - Undercover NYPD Officer Faces Wrongful Conviction
1:28:17
1:28:17
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Prepare to be captivated by the extraordinary life of Pete Thron, a former police officer and acclaimed author, as he takes us through his compelling journey from the streets of Harlem to the literary world. Growing up in a strict Sicilian family in Merrick, Long Island, and facing early life challenges, Pete's pursuit of justice and passion for la…
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Ep 4: John Murray - From Surveillance Innovation to the NHL
1:36:37
1:36:37
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Join us for an unforgettable ride through the career of John Murray, a retired NYPD officer and US Customs agent, whose captivating tales from the frontline of law enforcement will leave you informed and entertained. From patrolling Manhattan's Chelsea district to navigating the intricate world of illegal gambling at the Aqueduct racetrack, John's …
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Ep 3: Amy Povah - Crusade for Prison Reform
59:54
59:54
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What would you do if faced with a 24-year prison sentence for a crime you didn't fully understand? This episode features the extraordinary Amy Povah, an advocate in prison and marijuana reform, and founder of the Can-Do Foundation. Her story begins Dallas and Arkansas, weaving through a complicated legal journey involving MDMA that dramatically cha…
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Ep 2: Paul Pelletier - Revolutionizing Law Enforcement in Miami
56:26
56:26
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What if a single courtroom strategy could turn the tide in the war against drug trafficking? In this riveting episode, we sit down with Paul Pelletier, an esteemed attorney who transformed the legal landscape of Miami in the 1980s. From his early days juggling college and police work to becoming a pivotal federal prosecutor, Paul's story is a testa…
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Ep 1: Evelyn Bozon Pappa - From Life Sentence to Freedom
36:52
36:52
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Can personal decisions transform your life, even when faced with the harshest penalties? Join us in “Justice Then, Justice Now” as we, Tobias Roche and Evelyn Bozon Pappa, navigate through our 30-year journey in the criminal justice system. This episode unfolds with Evelyn sharing her profound story of spending 26 years in prison, emphasizing the p…
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Today my guest is photographer Steven Xiao. Steven is based in San Francisco and picked up photography during the pandemic as a way of getting some fresh air. Steven was a finalist for fine art at the Creative Awards at the Siena International Photo Awards, in the professional category. His work has been published in Dodho Magazine, a professional …
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Today my guest is singer songwriter Phil BroiKos. Phil is currently working on a very unusual project called A Day in Music. Over the course of two decades Phil is planning to release twenty-four hours of music productions of one hour per year. Each hour of music is inspired by events that happened within a corresponding hour of the day. So far, Ph…
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Today my guest is musician Stella Bass. I've known Stella for over ten years and have always admired her professional approach to producing music and her new album, Look for the Silver Lining is no exception. The album is a collection of timeless jazz standards. Stella collaborates with The Johnny Taylor Trio to bring you a heady mix of delightful …
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The Comfortable Spot with Tobias Endler
1:01:51
1:01:51
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Today my guest is author and political scientist Dr. Tobias Endler. With over 20 years in academia, Tobias has published numerous books and articles on US politics, transatlantic relations, as well as democracy, media, populism, and current progressive movements. I have known Tobias for many years now and we often catch up online and in person to d…
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Rock Vocal Mastery: Graham Bonnett on Shaping a Music Legend Today my guest is rock music vocalist Graham Bonnett. Since his early teens, Graham has become synonymous with his powerful voice which has been heard in many songs over the decades. Graham has recorded with some of the best rock acts in the world including Rainbow and Alcatrazz. Graham i…
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Today my guest is graphic designer Simon Roche. Simon is a Product Design Director who builds products and design systems in education and tech. Simon has worked in many fields in the last 20+ years as a designer, and produced work for international clients from Denmark to Australia, as well as for many Irish businesses through cultural work, brand…
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Today my guest is journalist and writer Ken Foxe. With over 30 years' experience in media, Ken has been at the forefront of investigative reporting and was the leading author of a long-running series of articles in 2009 regarding politicians' expenses that led to major changes in the way they were reimbursed. Ken is also a co-director of Right to K…
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The Comfortable Spot bonus with Malcolm Garrett
15:24
15:24
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Everything is on schedule The Comfortable Spot podcast season six in early February.I’ve got some amazing guests and great conversations and as always, some ofthem you will know, some maybe not but I know you’ll find all of them intriguing. In the meantime, here is a bonus mini episode featuringmore from my recent chat with graphic designer Malcolm…
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Today my guest is Mary Ward. Mary is my aunt and has lived in Dublin all of her life. As a family, we have often discussed the idea of documenting our history and as part of that, I thought it would be a great opportunity to sit down with Mary and chat about her memories of living in Dublin over the last 70 years. From her childhood playing all day…
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Today my guest is author and rugby historian James Stafford. A self confessed rugby fanatic, James is the founder of cult rugby website The East Terrace, and has written on rugby for publications such as The Daily Telegraph, Irish Independent, Metro, ESPN Scrum.com, and Rugby World. In 2017 his collection of short comics, The Sorrowful Putto of Pra…
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Today my guest is podcaster and historian Ian Sanders. Ian is the host and producer of the Cold War Conversations podcast. Since childhood, Ian has been fascinated with the Cold War which was an era in recent history that focused on the post war threat of conflict between the Warsaw Pact countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Ian sta…
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The Comfortable Spot with Malcolm Garrett
1:09:36
1:09:36
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Today my guest is graphic designer Malcom Garrett. For over forty years Malcom has been at the forefront of graphic design and has created iconic images for musicians and bands around the world. From the Rio album by Duran Duran to becoming a founder member of the 5D World Builders at 5D Institute at USC in California, Malcolm is noted for his coll…
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Today my guest is Kaila Gabriel. Kaila is a first year Masters student at Queens University, Ontario, Canada, studying Immunology and Cancer Therapeutics. In her spare time, Kalia is a contributing writer for The Average Scientist project whose goal it is to make science accessible to all. I invited Kaila to join me a guest to chat about her passio…
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Today my guest is musician and actor Flo McSweeney. Flo first came to prominence as a versatile vocalist on the Irish rock scene with stand out performances with acts such as Moving Hearts and Toy with Rhythm before embarking on a solo career alongside acting roles in theatres across Ireland. In 2018, Flo realised her debut solo album, Picture in a…
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The Comfortable Spot with Joseph Dragovich
43:01
43:01
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Today my guest is author and historian Joseph Dragovich. Joe has recently published Hawkhurst: Murder, Corruption and Britian's Most Notorious Smuggling Gang. The story of the Hawkhurst Gang is an account of one of the first modern crime syndicates and provides the perfect opportunity to explore 1740s Britain, a time of profound political, economic…
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Today my guest is Counselling Psychologist Niamh Delmar. Specialising in mental health and psychological distress, Niamh is involved with assessment, treatment and relapse prevention. She has over ten years' experience as a training consultant for major organisational settings and provides mental health talks and workshops. Niamh is also a freelanc…
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Today my guest is writer, broadcaster and DJ Dave Haslam. Author of a number of influential books, Dave was a DJ at Manchester's Haçienda nightclub, and in 1999 he published a book about the Manchester music scene and, subsequently, books about superstar DJs called Adventures on the Wheels of Steel and Life After Dark; A History of British Nightclu…
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Today my guest is contemporary artist Claire Murray. Based in West Yorkshire, Claire is internationally renowned for her wide range of artworks which evoke multiple reactions. Her concepts deal with light and colour as an open window and allow the viewer to draw their own conclusions while appreciating the simplicity of beauty. What drew me to Clai…
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Today my guest is author Mark Henry. Mark has spent a lifetime analysing trends, understanding what drives them, and explaining their implications. With a wealth of experience in market research and in applying psychology data to the world of business, Mark led the research and strategy function for Irish technology companies before turning to do t…
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Today my guest is author John Erickson. John is a journalist with over thirty years' experience working at daily newspapers in Illinois and Ohio. A prominent reporter in local news, John led the coverage in three stories that earned him a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize, including a series that won a Pulitzer for National Reporting in 1998. His rec…
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Today my guest is environmentalist and sustainability expert Kaj Embren. With over 25 years’ leadership and consultancy experience, Kaj has a track record of promoting sustainable solutions in fields such as industry, governance and civil society. Kaj firmly believes that we already have the tools to obtain sustainability and prosperity, but we sti…
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The Comfortable Spot with Dr. Margaret Weitekamp
48:54
48:54
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Today my guest is author and historian Dr. Margaret Weitekamp. Margaret is chair of the Space History department at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum where she curates the Social and Cultural History of Spaceflight Collection encompassing some 5,000 pieces of space memorabilia and science fiction objects. She is also the a…
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Today my guest is award winning author and journalist Clodagh Finn. Clodagh has worked for various Irish newspapers, including the Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent and she is known for her insightful writing on social issues, culture, and current affairs. Clodagh has recently written Through Her Eyes - A New History of Ireland in 21 Women w…
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Today my guest is Alivia Brown. Alivia graduated from UCLA in 2022 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Evolutionary Medicine. During her time at UCLA, Alivia's research led her to find a passion for education and cross-cultural knowledge. In addition to her academic achievement, Alivia also has her own YouTube channel devoted to Anthropolog…
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Today my guest is producer and musical director Simon Ellis. With over thirty years in the music business, Simon has worked with an incredible amount of artists including Britney Spears, Spice Girls and S Club 7. When he is not writing and producing music, Simon is on tour not only as a musician but also as a musical director. I first got to know S…
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Today my guest is naturalist Donald Hobern. Donald is a lifelong naturalist with strong interests in Lepidoptera, DNA barcoding and metabarcoding, insect photography, and automation of species detection. I met Donald via the Mastodon platform as I was looking for someone with experience in Entomology which is the study of insects and their relation…
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Today my guest is author and historian Turtle Bunbury. Turtle has published a number of books such as the Vanishing Ireland series, Easter Dawn - The 1916 Rising, and The Glorious Madness. Described by the BBC History Magazine as "a skilled storyteller", Turtle has also produced a wonderful array of podcast series that focus on Irish history and pr…
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Today my guest is racing driver and entrepreneur Shannon Tobin. At 18, Shannon and her sister set up Equissentials which specialises in importing Equestrian goods into the Irish market. As well as starting her own business, Shannon is one-third of Team Valkyrie Racing which is an all-female racing team creating a safe space for diversity and suppor…
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Today I'm joined by the legendary guitarist Gerry Leonard. With a career spanning almost forty years, Gerry has been the go to guitarist for numerous rock artists, including being a member of David Bowie's band for almost ten years, and as a musical partner to Suzanne Vega. Gerry also has incredible solo work under the guise Spooky Ghost with two a…
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The Comfortable Spot with David Goldstrom
48:57
48:57
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Today my guest is broadcaster David Goldstrom. Over the past twenty years David's commentary and voiceover work has embraced Ski Sunday, the Commonwealth Games and numerous Summer and Winter Olympics, including Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022, David is presently a Senior Commentator for Discovery/Eurosport focusing on the Winter World Cup Ski and Ski J…
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Today my guest is broadcasting journalist Méabh McMahon. With almost twenty years experience, Méabh is currently one of the anchors at Euronews - a pan-European media broadcaster. I was interested in chatting with Méabh about her career which has mostly been based in Europe and about some of the highlights of her time in broadcasting journalism, so…
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The Comfortable Spot with Justin Middleton
53:06
53:06
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Today I'm joined by Justin Middleton. Justin has had a deep love of rugby since his childhood, but unlike many he chose a different path to playing and moved into the world of commentating. With years of experience commentating on rugby games in South Africa, Justin is now based in Ireland and is a regular voiceover for many national and internatio…
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The Comfortable Spot with Daniel Whiteson
48:39
48:39
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Today my guest is Daniel Whiteson. Daniel is a Physics professor at UC Irvine, and a fellow of the American Physical Society. He does research using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and together with his co-host Jorge Cham, he is also behind the popular science podcast Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Daniel is a wonderfully engaging guest a…
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The Comfortable Spot with Prof. Jennie Batchelor
45:58
45:58
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Today I'm joined by academic and author Professor Jennie Batchelor. Jennie has written and edited several books on women's writing, 18th century dress and early women's magazines, so I thought Jennie would be a wonderful guest to discover more about how women were perceived in 18th century media and fashion, so I hope you are sitting comfortably an…
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Today my guest is Robert (Bo) Jacobs. Robert is a historian of Science and Technology at the Hiroshima Peace Institute and Graduate School of Peace Studies at Hiroshima City University. He has published widely on the interface of nuclear technologies with human beings and communities. His book Nuclear Bodies: The Global Hibakusha was published by Y…
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Today my guest is journalist Cristina Maza. Cristina has reported from countries such as Cambodia, India, Serbia and Turkey. Currently based in Washington DC, Cristina writes frequently about foreign policy, international affairs, national security and politics. I've always had a deep interest in the unique sphere of US politics and was delighted t…
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Today my guest is author and broadcaster Clare Mulley. Clare's work primarily focuses on female experience during the Second World War and in this episode, we chat about two of Clare's books, The Women Who Flew for Hitler, which tells the story of Nazi Germany’s only two female test pilots, Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg, and The Spy Wh…
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Today my guest is motoring journalist Bob Flavin. Bob has a real passion for cars and with over 13 million viewers on his YouTube channel, Bob is one of the most popular motoring journalists in Ireland. I have a great passion for automobiles and was looking forward to chatting with Bob, so I hope you are sitting comfortably and happy to stay with u…
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