THE BURDEN · SEASON 1
The Burden
Detective Louis N. Scarcella was a legendary figure in New York City during the '90s. In a city overrun with violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. But the story changed when a group of convicted murderers-turned-jailhouse lawyers made a startling discovery that linked all their cases: Scarcella was the cop who helped put many of them away. They made a vow: Take down Scarcella. And with the help of a relentless New York Times reporter, they did just that. Thirty years later, 20 people who Scarcella helped put behind bars have since walked free. In the media, he’s known as the disgraced, rogue cop who hoodwinked an entire system. But was this really the workings of one person?
We spent hundreds of hours talking with witnesses who were coerced, jailhouse lawyers, outraged attorneys, and righteous cops. Scarcella insists he didn’t do anything wrong. And after finally tracking him down, he agreed to take us into the belly of the beast... where justice is done (and undone). Welcome to The Burden.
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Introducing: The Burden
The Burden - available everywhere on March 19
Detective Louis N. Scarcella was a legendary figure in New York City during the '90s. In a city overrun with violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. But the story changed when a group of convicted murderers-turned-jailhouse lawyers made a startling discovery that linked all their cases: Scarcella was the cop who helped put many of them away. They made a vow: Take down Scarcella. And with the help of a relentless New York Times reporter, they did just that. Thirty years later, 20 people who Scarcella helped put behind bars have since walked free. In the media, he’s known as the disgraced, rogue cop who hoodwinked an entire system. But was this really the workings of one person?
We spent hundreds of hours talking with witnesses who were coerced, jailhouse lawyers, outraged attorneys, and righteous cops. Scarcella insists he didn’t do anything wrong. And after finally tracking him down, he agreed to take us into the belly of the beast... where justice is done (and undone). Welcome to The Burden.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.
The Burden | 1. The Scoop
Episode 1 of 10
New York Times journalist Frances “Frenchie” Robles gets a tip about a group of wrongfully convicted men in the New York State prison system. The common denominator: many were arrested by the same detective. Frenchie tracks down the story in a surprise visit to prison.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.
The Burden | 2. The Confessions of Louis Scarcella
Episode 2 of 10
Steve chases down the legendary detective. He hasn’t talked in years, but after tracking him to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, Louie starts to sing. We learn about his uncle, the mobster who Louie must investigate for murder.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.
The Burden | 3. The Actual Innocence Team
Episode 3 of 10
We meet Shabaka Shakur, Derrick Hamilton, and the rest of the law firm they founded in prison. They are the best jailhouse lawyers of their generation. They have roles: lecturer, writer, PR man, intern… They claim they were framed...by Louie Scarcella. They declare common cause: bring him down. That cause will change the history of New York state jurisprudence.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad-free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 4. The Crazy World of Murder
Episode 4 of 10
We meet the single eyewitness at the heart of some of Scarcella’s high profile cases. Teresa Gomez claimed to witness 11 murders, and she brought them all to Scarcella. For Louie, she was a truth teller and a “special friend” who also boosted his career. For those she testified against, she was a crack addict and fabulist. We explore the complicated relationship of Louie and Teresa, and her reliability.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 5. The Derrick Dilemma
Episode 5 of 10
Derrick Hamilton, champion of the wrongfully convicted, claimed innocence since the day he was arrested by Scarcella. He claimed innocence in a previous murder conviction as well. But we uncover documents that show he lied. He admits to being a liar. So… was he framed? Or is he the master manipulator the prosecution claimed?
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 6. Does a New D.A. Mean a New Day?
Episode 6 of 10
It’s 2013, and a fierce election for Brooklyn D.A. is in process. It’s an election that will change Brooklyn forever. The old guard is on the ropes and Louie Scarcella is a hot button issue. The lives of our main characters - Derrick, Shabaka, Louie, converge and no one will be the same.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 7. Shabaka’s Last Shot
Episode 7 of 10
Shabaka Shakur is in court and Louie Scarcella is on the witness stand. It’s Shabaka’s last shot to prove he was framed. The courtroom drama doesn’t disappoint. A famed civil rights lawyer does the cross examination of a career, and “gets” Scarcella. A judge takes a hard look at the legendary detective, and changes history.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 8. Judgment
Episode 8 of 10
Derrick and Shabaka are out of prison, but one “law partner” - the one who served as intern - is still behind bars. Derrick wins him a hearing in court. All seems aligned when reality warps. In an exclusive interview, we reveal why: the judge suffers from dementia and the system has been covering it up. The judge issues a devastating decision.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 9. Vindication
Episode 9 of 10
The new D.A. personally overturns Derrick’s conviction. But is he really guilty? The question hovers over the series: Have murderers been freed because of Scarcella’s alleged misdeeds? We investigate. We track the lone eyewitness in Derrick's murder trial to the woods of North Carolina and sort truth from fiction. We reveal a secret report on Derrick’s case, and find out who’s really to blame.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden | 10. A Reckoning
Episode 10 of 10
Louie Scarcella bursts into tears. “It sucks. It sucks.” The swaggering detective has been brought low by jailhouse lawyers. But did one “rogue” cop hoodwink the system? What role did Scarcella play? We confront the famed detective who finally makes admissions and then…in an unexpected twist, Derrick confronts Louie in a zoom call. They have some words for one another.
The Burden is available everywhere you get your podcasts.
All episodes will be available one week early and ad free, along with exclusive bonus content on Orbit’s newly launched “True Crime Club House” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | Teresa Gomez Speaks!
Steve and Dax’s team unearth 30-year old audio recordings of Teresa Gomez making a statement to an assistant district attorney about a murder she claims to have witnessed. Teresa Gomez is arguably the single person most responsible for Louis Scarcella’s rise, and fall as an NYPD detective.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | David Ranta and the Murder of the Century
Steve and Dax dive into the case that made Louie Scarcella famous.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | Blame the Prosecutors
Steve and Dax are joined by journalist Ted Hamm who examines the conduct of the Assistant District Attorneys who worked on Louis Scarcella's wrongful convictions.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | Coney Island of the Mind. Louie’s Mind
Louie Scarcella takes Steve to Coney Island where he moonlighted as a carnival barker and fixed games of chance.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | Admiring Louie
Did Steve and Dax get it wrong? Is Louie Scarcella as bad as his portrayal in the media?
Steve and Dax speak with several of Scarcella’s colleagues who share their admiration for him and stand by his work as a detective.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
The Burden - Bonus Episode | Justin Bonus for the Defense
Justin Bonus talks to Steve and Dax about his journey from hiphop entrepreneur to nationally acclaimed attorney for the wrongfully convicted.
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1
Credits
The Burden is a production of Orbit Media in association with Signal Co. No1.