Podcast · Society & Culture
by KQED · English · Society & Culture
When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Va
6 Oct 2026 · 26 min
Reporters Madi Bolanos and Anna Sussman take listeners behind the gates of Chowchilla women’s prison, and share stunning new developments in the story. We Are Jane Doe is a KQED and Snap Judgment co-production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S3 · E3 · 6 Oct 2026 · 23 min
Ali faces down her attacker in court and wins. But will the officers who assaulted her former cellmate and 150 other women see justice? We Are Jane Doe is a KQED and Snap Judgment co-production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S3 · E2 · 6 Oct 2026 · 28 min
August 2, 2024 started with a mass search. Officers combed the housing unit for contraband as more than 150 women waited in the hot and crowded dining hall. But things did not go to plan, or did they? We Are Jane Doe is a KQED and Snap Judgment co-production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S3 · E1 · 6 Oct 2026 · 31 min
Aliksandria Prout had only been at the Central California Women’s Facility for a few days when an officer stopped her at a checkpoint. “You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,” he said. And that was just the beginning. But what he didn’t realize was, this time he’d picked the wrong girl. We Are Jane Doe is a KQED and Snap Judgment co-production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 Mar 2026 · 50 min
Sharing a special episode this week from a new podcast called Blood Will Tell. When a birthday party in suburban San Jose turns deadly, 18-year-old identical twins are arrested for suspected murder. One brother spends nearly two years in jail before the truth comes out: authorities locked up the wrong twin. How could one brother let his twin take the fall? And why would the other sacrifice his freedom for a crime he didn’t commit? Blood Will Tell is a modern-day saga of Shakespearean proportions, following Vietnamese-American brothers whose unbreakable bond is tested by silence, sacrifice,…
18 Dec 2025 · 4 min
Today we are sharing the trailer for Season 3 of Dig, from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. Each season, Dig exposes the systems that allow injustice to fester, and shines a light on the people fighting for solutions. Season Three: The GirlsThey were trusted educators and respected coaches. But in the summer of 2025, twin brothers Ronnie and Donnie Stoner, were indicted on more than 50 charges related to child sex abuse allegations. A group of young women say the abuse stretched back nearly two decades. So what took so long? Season Three of Dig brings you the story of those…
15 Apr 2025 · 4 min
Today we're sharing with you the trailer for Season 2 of Suave, the Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast from Futuro Studios. “Suave” Gonzalez was released from prison after 31 years serving a life sentence without parole. He was one of thousands of juvenile lifers granted a second chance at life. Season 2 is his story about life after incarceration—and the search for the true meaning of freedom. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S2 · E15 · 16 Dec 2024 · 45 min
Sukey and Julie have some news and updates about Valentino Rodriguez Sr., Mimy Rodriguez and some of the key players at New Folsom prison. We also share a recent conversation with an attorney who has been involved in the legal fight for disability rights in California state prisons for decades. Read our digital article: 'How to Kill a Cop': Death, Despair and Corruption in California's Most Violent Prison. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline…
S2 · E14 · 16 Sep 2024 · 46 min
Today we’re sharing the first episode of 'Hush,' an investigative podcast from Oregon Public Broadcasting focused on uncovering the buried truth about critical stories in the Pacific Northwest. This series looks at the case of Jesse Lee Johnson, a Black man who lived for 17 years on Oregon’s death row for a crime he says he didn’t commit, and tries to understand why the state tried for so long to kill him. Follow and listen to more episodes of “Hush” here: https://www.opb.org/show/hush/ If you’re in a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. Learn more about your ad…
S2 · E13 · 9 Jul 2024 · 34 min
Today we’re sharing the first episode of “The Youth Development Center,” a series from New Hampshire Public Radio. This podcast from the creators of "Bear Brook" and “The 13th Step” dives deep into how New Hampshire became the center of one of the largest youth detention abuse scandals in the country. This episode follows the story of Andy Perkins, a man who remained silent about his experiences at the Youth Development Center for decades. Then, he saw something on the news that made him realize he wasn't alone. Follow and listen to more episodes of “The Youth Development Center” here:…
S2 · E12 · 2 Jul 2024 · 33 min
Get a behind-the-scenes peek at the reporting for On Our Watch: New Folsom as Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR’s The Sunday Story from Up First, speaks with Sukey about the season and the wider context of this kind of journalism. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Whistleblower resources The Lamplighter Project The Signals Network EMPOWR Whistleblowers of…
S2 · E11 · 18 Jun 2024 · 29 min
On Our Watch was made possible by the passage of a groundbreaking law enforcement sunshine bill in 2018. Today we talk to California State Senator Nancy Skinner, who co-authored the state’s “Right to Know Act," about the legacy of her landmark bill, ongoing obstacles to transparency, and the need for accountability in California prisons. Learn more about Sen. Skinner's work on law enforcement transparency, including The Right to Know Act (SB 1421) and SB 16, by visiting her webpage. The California Reporting Project, a coalition of newsrooms, provides insights into how these open-records acts…
S2 · E10 · 4 Jun 2024 · 44 min
Reporting on prisons from the outside is often difficult; it’s a closed and secretive world. But there is also important reporting being done by people who are inside prison, which comes with dangers of its own. Sukey and Julie sit down with two formerly incarcerated journalists, Rahsaan Thomas and Jesse Vasquez, to talk about the challenges and opportunities of prison reporting. Rahsaan Thomas is the Executive Director of Empowerment Avenue and a producer at Ear Hustle. Jesse Vasquez is the Executive Director of the Pollen Initiative and former Editor-in-Chief of the San Quentin News.…
S2 · E9 · 21 May 2024 · 40 min
Sukey sits down with Mary Inman and Poppy Alexander, two whistleblower attorneys who talk about the cost of speaking up, and unpack the playbook that employers use to keep people quiet. They also discuss a shift in thinking that can protect both whistleblowers and their organizations. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Whistleblower resources…
S2 · E8 · 9 Apr 2024 · 1 hr 25 min
After his son’s death, Valentino Rodriguez Sr. waited for the warden of New Folsom prison to call him. That call never came. In our season finale, we walk through the gates of New Folsom to ask the warden for answers. We also get a rare glimpse inside the world of correctional officer discipline and hear from Sgt. Kevin Steele in his own words. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health…
S2 · E7 · 2 Apr 2024 · 1 hr 14 min
We get to listen in on confidential interviews conducted by Sgt. Kevin Steele before his death. Plus, we finally get to see surveillance footage from inside the B8 unit that sheds new light on the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar. Editor’s note: After this episode first aired on April 2, 2024, CDCR finally located Valentino Rodriguez’s supplemental report about the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar that we reference in this episode. Their public records team was initially unable to find it. However, the agency said the report was exempt from disclosure. Resources If you are currently in crisis,…
S2 · E6 · 12 Mar 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
The team digs deep into the homicide of Luis Giovanny Aguilar—the murder in the day room that Officer Valentino Rodriguez was tasked to write a report about, and that had consumed Sgt. Kevin Steele up until the last day of his life. We track down each of the men who took part in the stabbing to find out: did officers also play a role? Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services…
S2 · E5 · 5 Mar 2024 · 55 min
Valentino Rodriguez Sr. is on the treadmill one morning when he gets a call—Sgt. Kevin Steele is dead. Val Sr. has lost not only his friend, but his partner in their shared quest to find the truth. A meeting with the FBI provides few answers, even as new questions arise about why a second whistleblower from New Folsom has lost his life. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services…
S2 · E4 · 27 Feb 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
How did Sgt. Kevin Steele go from being a true believer in the institution of New Folsom to writing an explosive memo hoping to tear it down? We sift through video evidence, interrogation tapes and internal reports to find glimpses of his transformation. But when he feels his reports of corruption are ignored—he takes an even more drastic step. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human…
S2 · E3 · 20 Feb 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
Valentino’s unexpected death just days after a confidential meeting with the prison’s warden leaves his grieving father with a tangle of questions and suspicions. When law enforcement and prison leadership fail to act, Val Sr. finds an ally in Sgt. Kevin Steele, a senior officer who’d taken Valentino under his wing. The two men have a shared mission–to find justice for Valentino. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental…
S2 · E2 · 13 Feb 2024 · 52 min
Consumed with stress and fed up with how he’s being treated, Valentino Rodriguez reaches a breaking point at work. A veteran officer and mentor to Valentino starts looking into the murder that happened in the dayroom. Valentino and Mimy get married, then Valentino goes in for a final meeting with the warden of New Folsom. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory…
S2 · E1 · 6 Feb 2024 · 54 min
Soon after correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez starts working at New Folsom prison, he gets caught up in a bad incident. An incarcerated man ends up in the hospital with horrific injuries, and the prison starts an investigation. Valentino feels pressured to back up his fellow officers' version of the story, even though he thinks it might not be the truth. Then he gets an opportunity he's dreamed of-- to join an elite unit investigating crimes in the prison. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA…
S2 · 23 Jan 2024 · 2 min
We’re back with a second season of On Our Watch from KQED! “New Folsom” traces the footsteps of two whistleblowers in an elite investigative unit in California’s most dangerous prison. Host Sukey Lewis and co-reporter Julie Small piece together a gripping narrative about broken promises and unwritten rules. It’s a story about who gets hurt when the system that promises to keep us safe is bent on protecting itself. New episodes drop weekly, starting February 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E8 · 1 Oct 2021 · 17 min
Less than six weeks after On Our Watch published an episode examining the shooting and death of Oscar Grant, California's Attorney General Rob Bonta opened an external investigation into the 12-year-old case. In a wide-ranging interview with On Our Watch's Sukey Lewis, Bonta talks about California's systemic issues in policing, his efforts at addressing them and says the Oscar Grant case remains unresolved. We also look at new police reforms promising that cops who commit serious misconduct can be stripped of their badges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E7 · 8 Jul 2021 · 1 hr 10 min
One of the first police shootings to be captured on cell phone, millions saw Bay Area Rapid Transit police Officer Johannes Mehserle fire a single, fatal gunshot into Oscar Grant's back as the 22-year-old lay face down on the train station platform. Now, a lawsuit filed by NPR member station KQED has forced BART to comply with California's 2019 police transparency law, and release never-before-heard tapes from inside that investigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E6 · 24 Jun 2021 · 43 min
Fellow officers long suspected a veteran detective in Antioch, Calif., was leaking operational police secrets to a drug dealer. For years, the department didn't act on their concerns. Even after the detective was finally fired in 2017, his record remained secret. In episode six of On Our Watch we look at the incentives departments have to investigate dishonest cops and what the secrecy around police misconduct means for criminal defendants who are prosecuted on their testimony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E5 · 17 Jun 2021 · 55 min
An officer is repeatedly disciplined for not turning in his police reports on time. A mom goes to the police asking for help with her missing daughters. In the fifth episode of On Our Watch, we look at what can happen when police don't follow through on reports of victimization, and an accountability process that doesn't want to examine those failures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E4 · 10 Jun 2021 · 52 min
A 16-year-old Black kid walks into a gas station in Stockton, Calif. to buy gummy worms for his little sister. When the teen gets in an argument with the clerk over a damaged dollar bill, a white officer in plainclothes decides to intervene — with force. In the fourth episode of On Our Watch, we trace the ripple effects of this incident over the next 10 years in a department trying to address racism and bias. But can the chief's efforts at truth and reconciliation work when the accountability process seems to ignore the truth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E3 · 3 Jun 2021 · 56 min
After his son is shot and killed by a Richmond, Calif. police officer, a father looking for answers becomes a police transparency advocate. When the files about his son's death are released, they show an accountability system that seems to hang on one question: did the officer fear for their life? And in a rare interview, we hear from the officer who pulled the trigger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 · E2 · 27 May 2021 · 51 min
One officer in Los Angeles used car inspections to hit on women. In the San Francisco Bay Area, another woman says an officer used police resources to harass and stalk her. The California Highway Patrol quietly fired both of them for sexual harassment, but never looked into whether their misconduct was criminal. The second episode of On Our Watch examines the system of accountability for officers who abuse their power for sex and exposes where that system falls short. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Va
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