Following Catherine Fuller's murder in DC in 1984, eight young Black men were sentenced to life in prison. Now, 40 years after they were convicted, the accused men—for the first time, in their own words—recount their decades-long saga with the American criminal justice system that failed them. Listeners will also hear from attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, and criminal reform advocates to help shine a light on the flaws and biases of our legal system still present today. Presented by New America, this is The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case.
email: lynchs@newamerica.org
President Biden did not issue pardons for the men from the 8th and H case. While understandably frustrated, they remain determined to continue their fight for justice. Their legal team has indicated they will continue pursuing a pardon by working with the new presidential administration and the Justice Department. We will release a more detailed episode soon, where you will hear from the wrongly accused men and their lawyers. Stay tuned, and thank you for listening.
16 Jan 2025
Meet Russell Overton
Russell Overton shares his remarkable story of resilience and redemption after 37.5 years of wrongful incarceration, highlighting his passion for pottery and family.
8 Jan 2025
Meet Chris Turner
This is the fifth in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.
Today's episode features Chris Turner.
Mr. Turner is a dedicated Duke Ellington School for the Arts employee. He has lectured at universities, colleges, and police academies on his experience of being wrongfully incarcerated. He serves as the board chair for Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop, a nonprofit providing educational services and mentoring for incarcerated youth and adults. He previously served as a board member of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. The Greater Washington Urban League awarded Chris its 2024 Community Impact Award.
1 Jan 2025
Meet Levy Rouse
This is the fourth in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.
Today's episode features Levy Rouse.
Levy earned a computer science degree and recently married a pastor. He walks everywhere in DC, grateful for the opportunity to finally experience the freedom he has long deserved. Levy is a devout Christian who became a minister while in prison. He currently works at a community center in Southeast DC.
25 Dec 2024
Meet Cliff Yarborough
This is the third in a series of six episodes, each highlighting one of the falsely accused men from the 8th and H Case. Despite the challenges they've faced, these men have shown remarkable resilience. This series will allow listeners to get a small glimpse of who these men are as individuals.
Today's episode features Cliff Yarborough.
Cliff devotes his working days to providing physical and spiritual safe passage to schoolchildren. He also cares for his mother and spends all his free time volunteering in his community. Every morning, Cliff manually sends good morning messages to more than 100 of his friends and family. This small but kind gesture is an indication of how thoughtful he is.
18 Dec 2024
Meet Timothy Catlett
Timothy Catlett shares his remarkable story of resilience and determination, overcoming adversity to lead a fulfilling life despite being falsely accused in the 8th and H Case.
11 Dec 2024
Meet Charles Turner
Charles Turner shares his remarkable story of resilience, from volunteering with Free Minds Book Club to mentoring young people reentering the community from prison, and leading a custodial team at a DC library.
4 Dec 2024
Pardon Pursuit
The 8th and H case accused men, including Tyrone Raynolds and others, share how their felony convictions continue to affect their lives, highlighting the need for a presidential pardon.
23 Oct 2024
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
In the summer of 2024, the men from the 8th and H Case submitted applications for a Presidential pardon. Lawyers Shawn Armbrust (Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project) and Eden Schiffmann (Williams & Connolly) share what went into this arduous process. Chris Turner discusses the immense impact a Presidential pardon would have on his life.
----
There are two critical actions you can take to support the pardon effort.
First, you can go to 8thandHjustice.com to add your name to the list of supporters. It takes no more than two minutes. There are two separate links: one for former or current DC residents and one for non-DC residents. You can find this on the "get involved" page.
Second, share your thoughts about the case on any social media platform using the hashtag #8thandHJustice. In recent years, we've seen the power of social media in influencing Presidential pardon decisions. Your posts can increase public pressure, making it more likely that the 8th and H case will catch the president's attention.
17 Jan 2024
One Last Shot
Six of the surviving accused men adjust to life outside of prison walls. In a final act, they consider a last-ditch effort to clear their names and bring justice to light: a presidential pardon.
--
If you want to support a presidential pardon for the men from the 8th and H case, there are 3 things you can do.
First, start conversations about the 8th and H case. Discuss it with your friends and family. Write to your member of Congress to make sure they know about it. Post about it on social media and tag the White House. Use the hashtag #TheAlleyPod to join in the conversation with others.
Second, if you’d like to write a letter of support to be included in the pardon application, you can email it to the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project at 8thandH@exonerate.org (mailto:8thandH@exonerate.org).
And third, share this podcast with as many people as you can.
If you have questions about any of this, you can email me directly at LynchS@newamerica.org (mailto:LynchS@newamerica.org).
17 Jan 2024
Revival
Two decades later, the Catherine Fuller murder case is cracked open again—with the support of a dogged reporter, the Innocence Project, and a team of expert lawyers. And in a moment of hope, it goes all the way to the Supreme Court, where only 2 percent of cases are accepted.
17 Jan 2024
Through The Trenches
An unchecked theory leads to the incarceration of eight young Black men. What is it like to live in prison for decades for a crime you didn’t commit? The accused share their firsthand experience, and criminal justice reform experts Reuben Jonathan Miller, Josie Duffy Rice, Christine Montross, and Melissa Segura “zoom out” to discuss the long-term impacts of incarceration.
17 Jan 2024
Fox Guarding the Henhouse
As the accused prepare for trial, the theory of a “vicious gang killing” is presented as fact by the media. Listeners discover that key evidence was hidden from the defense attorneys by the prosecutors. This represents a constitutional violation of the Brady rule, which requires the disclosure of any material evidence.
17 Jan 2024
Like Dominoes
A series of chain reactions resulted in police arresting 17 young Black people for the murder of Catherine Fuller. Four charges were dropped, and two suspects plead guilty to lesser crimes. Meanwhile, 11 of the arrestees—all of whom maintained their innocence—prepared to face the biggest murder trial in Washington, DC’s history.
17 Jan 2024
The False Confession Trap
Intense interrogation tactics and a threat of life in prison leads to a coerced confession, setting off a chain reaction that would ultimately lead to 17 arrests. False confession experts Jim Trainum and Marissa Bluestine weigh in on why innocent people confess to crimes they didn’t commit.
Follow New America on all platforms and use #TheAlleyPod to share your thoughts.
17 Jan 2024
Prisoners of Their Initial Hunch
An anonymous tip led to a theory of a “violent gang attack” that captured detectives’ imaginations—without any physical evidence. How could the DC justice system mishandle this case so egregiously from the start? In a city built by slave labor and steeped in racial politics, you don’t have to look too hard to find answers.
17 Jan 2024
October 1st, 1984
New America’s Shannon Lynch revisits the 1984 murder of Catherine Fuller that rocked Washington, DC. The story starts at the scene of the crime—an alley near the busy intersection of 8th and H Streets Northeast—and unveils the fateful tip that caused investigators to settle quickly on a theory of the murder.
-
Executive producers: Jason Stewart and Shannon Lynch
Cover art: Samantha Webster
Editorial and media support: Jodi Nardie, Molly Martin, and Joe Wilkes
Audio editing and mixing: Shannon Lynch
Social media: Maika Moulite
Script editing and fact-checking: Thomas Dybdahl and Charla Freeland
Foley assist: Ian Thomas, Elite Access
Visit our website
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Twitter
13 Jun 2023
Trailer: What Happened at 8th and H?
On October 1st, 1984, Catherine Fuller was brutally killed in the H Street Corridor in northeast Washington, DC. Her murder not only scarred the nation’s capital for decades, but it also resulted in the arrests of 17 young Black Washingtonians—the most arrests in D.C. history for a single murder. Of those charged, eight young men were sentenced to life in prison.
They always maintained their innocence.
Years later, evidence previously hidden by prosecutors was discovered, ultimately leading to the case being reopened in the early 2000s. Now, almost 40 years after they were convicted, the accused men—for the first time, in their own words—recount their decades-long saga with false confessions, U.S. prisons, and the American criminal justice system that failed them. Listeners will also hear from attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, and criminal reform advocates to help shine a light on the flaws and biases of our legal system still present today.
This is The Alley: DC’s 8th and H Case.
Host: Shannon Lynch
Executive Producers: Jason Stewart and Shannon Lynch
Cover art: Samantha Webster
Editorial and PR support: Jodi Narde, Joe Wilkes, and Molly Martin
Social Media: Maika Moulite
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
7,083,322
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.5 / 5
196 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
18 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
44
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
91
Contact The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
