Podcast · True Crime

The Trial: USA

by The Crime Desk · English · True Crime

Launched in the UK in 2022, The Trial is an award-winning, chart-topping podcast that goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews wit

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 37 min
Latest: 14 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026 · 25 minNew

American Idol Alum Guilty of Murder - Life Without Parole

Caleb Flynn thought he could murder his wife, stage a break-in and convince police an intruder was responsible. But his own words and devices helped expose the lie. In this follow up episode looking at the American Idol Alum and former pastor accused of murder, we look at the conviction and sentencing of Caleb Flynn. A jury found him guilty of murdering his wife Ashley in the middle of the night, whilst she was feet away from their children. Together, Kayla Brantley and Rachel Bowman break down the evidence used against him in court, including AI generated love songs made for his mistress,…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S5 · E3 · 7 Oct 2026 · 23 min
The Cornell 7 - Why Weren't There Charges?
Seven fraternity members have been accused of sexually assaulting a female student at Cornell University in 2024. But despite the alleged incident being reported nearly two years ago, no criminal charges were brought forward. Now, New York’s attorney general has taken over the Cornell fraternity sexual assault investigation, placing the university’s response and the original decision not to prosecute under renewed scrutiny. In this episode Kayla is joined by senior investigative reporter Dana Kennedy to examine Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit, which put the allegations under the spotlight. They…
S4 · E13 · 30 Sep 2026 · 36 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - “Where is the evidence?”
Eleven jurors favoured finding Lindsay Clancy not criminally responsible for killing her three children, but one juror believed she was guilty. Unable to reach a unanimous verdict, that deadlock caused a mistrial. Now, during hearings which could pave the way for a potential future retrial, her lawyer has made a startling argument: he claimed that prosecutors never proved she killed her children at all. In this episode Rachel and Luke unpack the dramatic battles unfolding in the courtroom during Lindsay Clancy’s latest court hearings, and explain exactly what this means for the case going…
S5 · E2 · 23 Sep 2026 · 19 min
American Idol Alum Accused of Murder
Former American Idol contestant and pastor Caleb Flynn is on trial in Ohio, accused of murdering his wife, Ashley, inside their family home in Tipp City while their two daughters slept nearby. Prosecutors allege Flynn staged the scene to look like a break-in following a long-running affair, while his defence argues investigators developed tunnel vision and lacked the evidence needed to prove he fired the fatal shots. Caleb Flynn denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty. In this episode Luke Kenton is joined by Natasha Anderson, who has been watching the trial unfold in Miami County…
S5 · E1 · 16 Sep 2026 · 43 min
The Murder of Tupac Shakur
For almost 30 years, the murder of Tupac Shakur remained one of America’s most infamous unsolved murders. Now, Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been convicted of orchestrating the fatal drive-by shooting. In this episode, Kayla and Marjorie reunite to retrace the entire case from the confrontation that allegedly triggered the murder of Tupac, to Keffe D’s extraordinary public admissions. We also hear from Greg Kading, the former Los Angeles Police Department detective who led the multi-agency task force investigating Tupac’s Murder. The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for…
S4 · E10 · 9 Sep 2026 · 29 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - Your Questions Answered
After five weeks of evidence and more than 38 hours of deliberations, the Lindsay Clancy trial ended without a verdict. Now, we answer some of the biggest questions raised by the case, by going back through all the trial testimony, on site court reporting, and insight from expert guests. Why couldn’t one juror be replaced? How did the expert psychiatrists come to different diagnoses? What's next for Lindsay Clancy? In this episode, Kayla and Rachel bring you the answers. The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive…
S4 · E6 · 5 Sep 2026 · 33 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - Mistrial
After five weeks of evidence, 84 witnesses and over a week of deliberation, the trial of Lindsay Clancy has ended without a verdict. In this episode, we examine the jury deadlock, the dispute surrounding the lone holdout juror and the defence’s unsuccessful last ditch attempt to prevent a mistrial being declared. The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit https://plus.thecrimedesk.com/the-trial-usa for more information. Click here to sign…
S4 · E5 · 2 Sep 2026 · 11 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - “we are unable to come to a unanimous decision”
After 21 days of testimony, more than 80 witnesses and over 300 exhibits, the jury in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial says it cannot reach a unanimous decision. As the judge sends jurors back to continue deliberating, crime correspondent Rachel Sharp reports from inside the courtroom on the tense atmosphere, the evidence requested by the jury and the questions sent to the judge by the jury. Will the jury be able to reach a unanimous verdict? Or could there be a deadlock and possible mistrial? The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new…
S4 · E4 · 28 Aug 2026 · 34 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - The Jury Deliberates
After five weeks, 21 days of testimony and 84 witnesses, the fate of Lindsay Clancy is now in the hands of the jury. As deliberations begin, Crime Desk reporters Luke Kenton and Rachel Sharp examine the final evidence and the dramatic closing arguments. Was Clancy experiencing postpartum psychosis when she killed her three children, or did she understand and control her actions? The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit…
S4 · E3 · 26 Aug 2026 · 52 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - Did She Have Capacity?
Did Lindsay Clancy understand the wrongfulness of killing her three children, and could she control her actions? As the defence rests its case and the prosecution begins its rebuttal, we examine the opposing conclusions of both side’s psychiatric experts, battling in court over whether or not Lindsay Clancy should be responsible for killing her three children. We also break down the unexpected and shocking moment when one expert’s testimony caused the defence to call for a mistrial. The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows,…
S4 · E2 · 21 Aug 2026 · 39 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - “She Was Begging for Help”
This week, Lindsay Clancy’s defence presented their case that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she killed her three children, and in their view, should not be criminally responsible for their deaths. We examine the testimony from her family, including testimony from her own mother and former step-mother. We also heard Dr Paul Zeizel’s conclusion that she had bipolar disorder with postpartum psychosis, and could not appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions. The Trial: USA is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive…
S4 · E1 · 19 Aug 2026 · 59 min
The Trial of Lindsay Clancy - Murder or Mental Illness?
On January 24th, 2023, Patrick Clancy left his home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to collect food and medication for his wife Lindsay Clancy. But when he returned, their three children, five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson, and eight-month-old Callan, were dead. Lindsay Clancy had strangled them using exercise bands, before using a knife to cut her own wrists and neck, finally throwing herself from the bedroom window. She survived, but the fall left her paralysed. Now, she is on trial for her children’s deaths. But Lindsay Clancy does not deny killing her three young children. Rather, she…
S3 · E4 · 17 Aug 2026 · 49 min
Chris Watts Unmasked Pt.4 - Mind of a Murderer: How an Apparent Family Man Became a Monster
Murderer Chris Watts could have divorced his wife. He could have moved on to the bachelor existence he was hiding from her in the months before her 2018 death. Instead, he strangled her in their home and smothered their preschool-aged daughters Bella and Celeste. It defied logic and it was cruel beyond imagination. In the final episode of this series, Crime Desk reporter Rachel Sharp joins Kayla Brantley to break down her reporting on Chris Watts’s possible thinking. Rachel spoke to forensic psychologist Dr.Gary Brucato and behavior analyst Scott Rouse to better understand Watts’s behaviors…
S3 · E3 · 12 Aug 2026 · 23 min
Chris Watts Unmasked Pt.3 - Delusions and Denials: The Disgraceful ‘Good Guy’ Act
Chris Watts lives in another reality. In his mind, he’s a good man. He charms people with a friendly demeanor and is liked by fellow prison inmates. As part of that, he claims to be deeply religious and has tried to blame his unspeakable crimes on other people or spiritual forces. Watts strangled his wife Shannan and then, one by one, smothered each of his two young daughters — Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, on Aug. 13, 2018. He also ended the life of an unborn son, who would have been called Nico. Yet by all accounts, Watts has never shed a tear or expressed remorse. In this episode The Trial:…
S3 · E2 · 5 Aug 2026 · 45 min
Chris Watts Unmasked Pt.2 - Romance and Bible Study: The Prison Life of a Family Annihilator
The murders made him famous. Then came a tidal wave of female admiration. Chris Watts has a flourishing love life behind bars at the Dodge Correctional Facility in Wisconsin in spite of the unspeakable acts he committed against his family in 2018. He’s serving multiple life sentences for the murders of his wife Shannan, their daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, and his unborn son Nico. The confessed murderer was driven by a desire to be clear of his suburban dad's existence. Chris Watts’s daughters adored him as depicted in a large collection of home videos. Bella even joyfully performed a…
S3 · E1 · 29 Jul 2026 · 46 min
Chris Watts Unmasked Pt.1 - Sex, Secrets and Lies: How Watts Betrayed Wife Before Killings
The life that Chris and Shannan Watts had was slipping away. The doting wife and mom fought to keep her family together. The couple was expecting another child — a son, Nico — and they had two happy and energetic little girls already. As Shannan tried to keep her family together, her anxiety and fears intensified. Her husband had been acting strangely. She suspected an affair but he denied it as he went through the motions of his life as a suburban husband and father. In actuality, Chris Watts had become a stranger. This installment of The Trial: USA’s special series on Chris Watts explores…
S2 · E33 · 22 Jul 2026 · 38 min
Melissa Barthelemy's Sister On Long Wait to Face ‘Repulsive Monster’ In Court
Melissa Barthelemy went missing in 2009 when her doting kid sister Amanda Funderburg was just 15. Amid a desperate search, Amanda began getting calls from Melissa's phone. The teen hoped it was good sign — that Melissa resurfaced or that someone had information. Instead, it was the first of a series of calls from a deranged stranger who bragged about killing and sexually assaulting the 24-year-old Buffalo native. The caller refused Amanda's pleas to share her sister's location. Amanda spent years dreading the possibility that the "repulsive monster" would reemerge. Seventeen years after the…
S2 · E32 · 15 Jul 2026 · 49 min
'I Don't Think He Knows How To Be Sorry': A Sit Down With Gilgo Victim's Family
Rex Heuermann’s victims got a measure of justice last month, but the pain and the questions linger for their families. The deranged former architect spent decades murdering sex workers and callously dumping their brutalized remains around Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Heuermann, 62, was sentenced last month to more than three life sentences in prison for eight murders. He was captured in 2023 by investigators who stealthily captured him on a midtown Manhattan street after collecting DNA evidence and tracking his activities. Anguished relatives of the young women he killed finally had the chance…
S2 · E31 · 8 Jul 2026 · 34 min
How Alex Murdaugh's Second Murder Trial Is Shaping Up
It’s another chance for Alex Murdaugh to try to prove he did not callously gun down his wife and youngest son. Murdaugh was previously convicted of fatally shooting Maggie and Paul Murdaugh in a desolate area of his family’s sprawling South Carolina property. The wealthy Lowcountry lawyer got a reprieve in May when the state’s top court found an elected clerk who managed the trial had inappropriate dealings with jurors. Murdaugh was in court last week for the first time since that ruling. On this episode, the Daily Mail’s Rachel Sharp joins The Trial: USA host Kayla Brantley to break down…
S2 · E30 · 1 Jul 2026 · 29 min
Chainsaw, Body Bag And Inflatable Pool: How D4vd's Alleged Murder Materials And Other Evidence May Play Into Key Hearing
They were materials that prosecutors say were procured for a sole purpose: murder. In this episode, we’re joined by the Daily Mail’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez to discuss the upcoming preliminary hearing in the Los Angeles district attorney’s case against singer D4VD, or David Anthony Burke. Hernandez details what prosecutors have revealed so far, including that the young music artist made online purchases for the alleged purpose of mutilating 14-year-old Celeste Rivas and concealing the grisly crime. D4Vd has pleaded not guilty. Click here to sign up to The Crime Desk's…
S2 · E29 · 24 Jun 2026 · 52 min
Top Cop Who Revamped Gilgo Beach 'Demon' Probe Reflects On Rex Heurmann And Cracking The Case
“A demon that walks among us.” That’s what former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said about Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heurmann during an announcement of the elusive suspect’s arrest in 2023. Harrison worked on numerous headline-grabbing investigations over a 30-year career in the NYPD as an investigator and top executive but he may best be known for orchestrating the law enforcement task force that finally led to Heurmann’s capture. In a Long Island courtroom last week, Heurmann received multiple life sentences without the option of parole after pleading guilty in…
S2 · E28 · 18 Jun 2026 · 45 min
Karmelo Anthony Trial Deep-Dive: Part 2
Karmelo Anthony’s lethal force against Austin Metcalf during a 2025 teenage track meet scuffle was not justified. That was the finding of the Texas jury in Anthony’s case last week. The same panel sentenced the 19-year-old to 35 years in prison for murder. Yet the conviction remains a topic of intense interest and controversy. It has been framed as a racial injustice by Anthony’s supporters despite testimony from a number of witnesses that he was not in danger. Metcalf, 17, another local athlete, died for nothing and the verdict was deserved, others say. In this episode, James Stainton, a…
S2 · E27 · 17 Jun 2026 · 56 min
Karmelo Anthony Trial Deep-Dive: Part 1
Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial happened in Texas but the case has triggered strong reactions from observers around the country. The 19-year-old’s legal team argued self-defense but witnesses told the jury that Anthony was never in danger. He was simply being asked to leave a private area belonging to a rival high school’s track squad. Daily Mail’s Texas Bureau Chief MaryAnn Martinez joins us this week to break down the evidence and dispel misinformation that has been amplified on social media. Unsubstantiated theories have circulated since April 2025, when 17-year-old Austin Metcalf was…
S2 · E26 · 10 Jun 2026 · 37 min
‘Cults’ and Cold Cases: A 2026 CrimeCon Recap
Cartisha Morgan came to CrimeCon in the hopes of bringing attention to the case of her missing daughter and young grandchild, a toddler when she vanished. Morgan believes her daughter Ma’Kayla Wickerson bought into the teachings of a group that police have called a cult before disappearing with the tot from their Missouri home. Another family was at the event to ask to promote their campaign for answers. Christopher Abeyta, a 7-month-old, was stolen from his crib in Colorado Springs nearly 40 years ago. His family, including a niece he never met, wants police to focus on a woman who they…
S2 · E25 · 3 Jun 2026 · 36 min
Kaylee Goncalves’s Parents On Treating Killers 'Like The Animals That They Are'
We share in this episode an in-depth conversation with the parents of Kaylee Concalves at CrimeCon 2026 in Las Vegas where they promoted the “Murder Has a Name” foundation started in their daughter’s honor to help other families find answers with the help of advanced DNA technology. Steve and Kristi Goncalves also discussed their family’s raw anger at killer Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing and the risk they decided to take to speak their minds unfiltered. ‘These guys need to be treated like the animals that they are,’ Steve Goncalves told the Mail. ‘If you're gonna behave like an animal, treat…
S2 · E24 · 27 May 2026 · 50 min
Prosecutor Speaks on Death Sentence for 7-year-old Athena Strand’s Killer
James Stainton spent years working to bring Tanner Horner to justice for abusing and killing a beloved child before callously discarding her remains in rural Texas on November 30, 2022. On this episode, Stainton shares with The Trial: USA’s Kayla Brantley what it was like to shoulder the task of seeking justice for Athena Strand and her devastated family. He also discusses capital punishment and why, as he argued at trial, Horner's actions are why the death penalty exists. Horner was sentenced to execution by lethal injection on May 5 after a five-week jury trial held to determine his fate.…
S2 · E23 · 20 May 2026 · 38 min
Murdaugh Wife And Son Murder Verdict Tossed Out: What Went Wrong And What’s Coming
The latest development in the Alex Murdaugh story was a ruling by the highest court in South Carolina reversing his conviction for the 2022 murder of his wife and son. An elected county court clerk was accused of tampering with the jury process by hinting to sitting panelists that Murdaugh was guilty — a stunning betrayal of the public’s trust that the court said denied him a fair trial. The clerk, Rebecca Hill, faced her own investigation and resigned. In this episode, legal expert and retired chief judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals James Lockemy discusses the Murdaugh reversal…
S2 · E22 · 13 May 2026 · 32 min
Killer Is Sentenced To Lethal Injection In Texas For Killing First-Grader
Justice for a joyful little girl who was abducted outside her rural Texas home and murdered by a stranger driving a delivery truck. MaryAnn Martinez, the Daily Mail’s Texas bureau chief, was in the courtroom as a jury sealed the fate of 7-year-old Athena Strand’s killer, Tanner Horner. Athena, a first-grader with an affinity for the outdoors and the color pink, was abused and tortured by Horner, a FedEx driver, before he killed her and callously discarded her tiny frame in a nearby creek on Nov. 30, 2022. A frantic, multi-day search for Athena ensued. The child’s death traumatized her rural…
S2 · E21 · 6 May 2026 · 17 min
Lively vs. Baldoni: The Real Reason the Feuding Stars Settled
After two years of legal mudslinging between “Gossip Girl” actress Blake Lively and actor-director Justin Baldoni, a civil trial was set to unfold in New York. The “It Ends With Us” co-stars instead capped their bitter dispute with a settlement deal that ended an ugly and costly two-year public ordeal that battered their reputations. The Trial: USA this week examines the history of the litigation and explains why a last-minute settlement was a likely outcome. Kayla Brantley interviews entertainment and sports attorney Thomas H. Herndon Jr. about the legal drama. In this episode, Herndon Jr.…
S2 · E20 · 29 Apr 2026 · 27 min
I Was At The White House Dinner With Kash Patel - Then The Shooting Started
Shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — just yards from the President of the United States. At one table sat FBI Director Kash Patel. On this episode of The Trial: USA , Kayla Brantley and Daily Mail Associate Editor Wills take you inside the room as the shooting unfolded — including what happened at their table in the moments the chaos began. They walk through the night step by step — from the first sounds of gunfire, to the Secret Service response, to the confusion inside one of Washington’s most high-profile events. We also break down the case against Cole Tomas Allen,…

About The Trial: USA

The Trial: USA is a English true crime podcast from The Crime Desk. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Crime Desk
Language: English
Category: True Crime
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 37 min
Latest episode: 14 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1771352121
Rights: The Crime Desk

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