3 chapters across the catalog
A dramatic reading by James Earl Jones recreates the 1956 testimony of Paul Robeson before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Robeson defiantly invokes the Fifth Amendment while challenging the committee's authority and defending his right to his political beliefs. The hosts use this as an example of a "legal lynching" where the system attempts to destroy a serious individual's reputation and livelihood.
A news report details the release of Bill Cosby from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction involving Andrea Constant. The legal reasoning centered on a 2005 agreement with a former district attorney who promised not to prosecute Cosby in exchange for his testimony in a civil trial. The court ruled that using this self-incriminating testimony in a later criminal trial violated Cosby's Fifth Amendment rights.
The release of Bill Cosby is contrasted with the ramping up of the R. Kelly trial, noting the media's focus on predatory tropes. Gloria Allred discusses a pending civil case in California involving Judy Huth and an alleged incident at the Playboy Mansion. Because Cosby can no longer be tried criminally for these specific acts, Allred explains he can no longer invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying in upcoming civil depositions.
