- 57 minutes 48 secondsGrassroots Tyranny & Policing for Profit: Bill Maurer from the Institute for Justice on Fines, Fees & Government Overreach (COJ191)
Mandy and Liz sit down with attorney Bill Maurer of the Institute for Justice to talk about what happens when public officials forget that their job is to abide by the constitution. Is there anything people can do to reclaim their rights (and the rights of everyone else)? And is the fight worth it?
Yes and Yes.
Still reeling from the uprecedented $176,500 sanction for contempt of court that Judge R. Keith Kelly imposed on investigative journalist Mandy Matney last month, Mandy and journalist Liz Farrell are on a hunt for perspective. How does the government justify such a large payout over a disproportionate infraction?
The answer turns out to be “easily.”
That is, until citizens fight back.
Political and judicial fiefdoms are born where those with no ethical boundaries destroy rights to maintain power and money… sound familiar?
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Join LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon
Support Our Legal Defense GoFundMe: Help Journalist Mandy Matney Fight $176,500 Contempt Order
Or support our reporting: https://lunashark.supercast.com/donations/new
Lawyers & Judges: Send legal suggestions or offers for Pro Hac / Pro Bono representation to [email protected]
Episode References
Meet William R. Maurer of the Institute for Justice
About the Institute for Justice
What is Civil Forfeiture? - IJ overview
The Fight for Braiding Freedom - IJ overview
Jouppi v. Alaska docket history with SCOTUS
“Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal ‘black hole’” - AL.com, Jan 19, 2022
“This City Will Fine You for Mismatched Blinds” - Pagedale, MO case
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
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11 August 2026, 8:54 am - 53 minutes 18 secondsCOJ #190 - The Corruption That Cost Lamonte McIntyre 23 Years: How A Detective, A Prosecutor and A Judge Built A Trial By Lies…
In 1994, 17-year-old Lamonte McIntyre was arrested hours after a double homicide in Kansas City, Kansas — a crime he had nothing to do with. There was no physical evidence and no real investigation. What there was: a detective with a grudge against Lamonte's mother, a prosecutor who apparently knew her witnesses were lying, and a judge allegedly "involved" with that prosecutor. Undoing all those wrongs took 23 years.
This week, Investigative Journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell sit down with Miracle of Innocence co-founder Lamonte McIntyre to talk about being swallowed by a system built to protect itself — the moment two strangers pointed at him in a courtroom, the years he refused to wear a prison ID, and the day a prosecutor finally stood up and dropped every charge.
But this isn't only a story about what was taken. Lamonte talks about what he built after: Kansas compensation law, legislation to prevent police from sexually assaulting citizens, and what he's asking the rest of us to do.
Learn more about the Miracle of Innocence's 9th Annual Fundraising Gala, September 26, 2026 @ 5:00PM
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Join LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon
Or support our reporting: https://lunashark.supercast.com/donations/new
Lawyers & Judges: Send legal suggestions or offers for Pro Hac / Pro Bono representation to [email protected]
Episode References
'Vengeance is his': Witness in Lamonte McIntyre's case reacts to Terra Morehead's disbarment - KSHB 41 📺
Lamonte McIntyre’s wrongful conviction story
“23 Years for Murder. He Didn’t Do it. What Went Wrong?” - NY Times, Nov 20, 2017
Learn more about the Miracle of Innocence & Centurion Ministries
“Lawyer who represented Lamonte McIntyre in murder trial has law license suspended” - The Kansas City Star, June 17, 2022
“Kansas prosecutor who framed innocent man surrenders law license, will soon be disbarred” - KCUR, April 16, 2024
“Trial by Lies: The Lamonte McIntyre story” by Lamonte McIntrye
“Injustice Town: A Corrupt City, a Wrongly Convicted Man, and a Struggle for Freedom” by Rick Tulsky
Previous Episode: COJ #123 with Darryl Burton
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
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*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
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4 August 2026, 9:53 am - 1 hour 2 minutesCOJ #189 - How Did Spartanburg Police Describe the AC Hotel Incident Deborah Barbier Reported?
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and producer of journalism David Moses are recording near Washington, D.C. for a special episode on an explosive FOIA returned from Spartanburg PD.
First, David opens with gratitude for the listeners who requested a GoFundMe and refused to let Mandy stand alone. Then we’re examining the very relevant Spartanburg Police Report that Deborah Barbier filed claiming that a man stood up in the AC Hotel’s lobby area, photographed her, “kept screaming her name” — and that “Mandy Matney” was somehow involved.
The report on the June 22, 2026 incident was released after Mandy’s contempt order was issued and it is stunning: a search warrant, a thumb drive, an IT department, roughly four hours of hotel video — and a police lieutenant who wrote that he was “unable to locate the confrontation Mrs. Barbier advised”. Mandy, Liz and David unpack what’s in the report and what’s very obviously not.
Join LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon
Support Our Legal Defense GoFundMe: Help Journalist Mandy Matney Fight $176,500 Contempt Order
Or support our reporting: https://lunashark.supercast.com/donations/new
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Lawyers & Judges: Send legal suggestions or offers for Pro Hac / Pro Bono representation to [email protected]
Episode References
Mandy joins Laura Richards on Crime Analyst Ep #357 🎧
Link Beth’s FB post highlighting same rules, different treatment 🌐
Hercule Poirot novels by Agatha Christie 📚
Previous Episode: Hear more convos between Laura Richards & Mandy on COJ 62 & 86 🎧
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
LUNASHARK Premium on Patreon get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
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28 July 2026, 10:31 am - 58 minutes 38 secondsCOJ 188 - A Farewell to Eric Bland, But Cup’s Up To A New Era...
After five amazing years in the fray together and 188 episodes, Eric Bland is stepping back from his role as Cup of Justice co-host — but don't call it goodbye.
In this heartfelt and candid farewell, Eric explains his decision to refocus on his law practice, his public speaking career, and — most critically — his role as a legal advocate for Mandy as she navigates ongoing harassment and an outrageous sanction that denied her due process at every turn.
Together, investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland unpack the broken system that's allowed a convicted felon to weaponize the ODC against lawyers, and they celebrate the incredible journey that took them from late-night phone calls about the Murdaugh’s financial crimes to back stage and on the mic with Sheryl Crow, and too many good times to count.
Cups down for now — but the fight is far from over. ⚖️ ☀️
Join LUNASHARK Premium: https://www.patreon.com/c/lunashark
Support Our Legal Defense GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-journalist-mandy-matney-fight-176500-contempt-order
Or support our reporting: https://lunashark.supercast.com/donations/new
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Lawyers & Judges: Send legal suggestions or offers for Pro Hac / Pro Bono representation to [email protected]
Episode References
EB’s Farewell Announcement 🌐
Weatherford v Price Order - June 5, 2000 ⚖️
Beth Braden’s FB post on John Monk & The State’s reporting 🌐
Previous Episode: COJ 25 with Sheryl Crow 🎧
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. LUNASHARK Premium is LIVE on Patreon starting July 15th too!
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
*The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes do not constitute legal advice. Listeners desiring legal advice for any particular legal matter are urged to consult an attorney of their choosing who can provide legal advice based upon a full understanding of the facts and circumstances of their claim. The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes also do not express the views or opinions of Bland Richter, LLP, or its attorneys.
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21 July 2026, 10:22 am - 1 hour 1 minuteCOJ #187 - Journalist Mandy Matney Ordered to Pay $176,500 from Contempt Ruling Tied to Greg Parker’s Legal Defense
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland discuss the extraordinary $171,500 in attorneys' fees and costs assessed against Mandy for contempt of court.
Judge R. Keith Kelly has ordered journalist Mandy Matney to pay $171,500 in attorney's fees and a $5,000 fine — for missing a deposition she sat for just days later.
Ahem… Where Is GREGG ROMAN!?!?!?
On a raw, unfiltered episode, the team breaks down a ruling that Eric — in 38 years of practicing law — says he has never seen anything close to.
What does it mean when a non-party journalist gets hit with fees that exceed most annual salaries? What due process rights seemed to be bypassed in this circus? And why does Eric believe the appellate court may actually look at this with fresh eyes?
Jokes on J. Edgar Picklejuice (Mark Moore), Officer Swimsuit Patrol (Deborah B. Barbier), and Jim Whaaanister (Bannister), because Mandy isn't staying quiet and the Beach v. Parker trial is still scheduled for August 10, 2026.
Support Our Legal Defense GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-journalist-mandy-matney-fight-176500-contempt-order
Or support our reporting: https://lunashark.supercast.com/donations/new
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Lawyers & Judges: Send legal suggestions or offers for Pro Hac / Pro Bono representation to [email protected]
Episode References
COJ 107 with Amanda Knox 🎧
COJ 123 with Darryl Burton 🎧
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. LUNASHARK Premium is LIVE on Patreon starting July 15th too!
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
*The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes do not constitute legal advice. Listeners desiring legal advice for any particular legal matter are urged to consult an attorney of their choosing who can provide legal advice based upon a full understanding of the facts and circumstances of their claim. The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes also do not express the views or opinions of Bland Richter, LLP, or its attorneys.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 July 2026, 10:23 am - 49 minutes 42 secondsCOJ #186 - Contempt, Proposed Orders, So Many Motions, and the Fight That Appears to Never End
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland break down where the four-month contempt saga stands now that proposed orders are submitted and the decision rests with the judge.
They unpack the bright spots: the deposition happened, it didn't delay the case, and how Greg Parker's team somehow claimed they needed two days for a deposition that was mostly Jim Bannister asking Mandy about things Liz allegedly said… And then they barely used any of Mandy and Liz deposition testimony in their own summary judgment motions to dismiss the case.
The crew also digs into the latest venue change supplement — which now targets Cherokee County and tries to frame Mandy's pink-clad supporters as jury-tainting intimidation.
The Beach family and Team Parker are at the Beaufort County Courthouse this week hearing motions:
- Parker motion for changing venue
- Parker motion to elect Tinsley as attorney or witness
- Potentially a new Parker 'motion' for gag order on selected media
- Parker motion to exclude Vicky Ward + Gregg Roman as witnesses
- Parker motion for summary judgement (to dismiss)
- Defendants Greco/D'Cruz motion for summary judgement (to dismiss)
- Defendants from Private Investigator Services Group (PISG) Motion for Rule to Show Cause (RTSC) for Gregg Roman's deposition 'dodging'
- PISG motion for summary judgement
- Defendants motion to quash Plaintiff subpoena of Spartanburg PD and AC Hotel Spartanburg
- Beach motion for RTSC on Truist Bank
- Beach motion for RTSC on Parker and counsel (alleged discovery abuse)
Plus, some Taylor Swift wedding news that has Mandy eating crow on her disbelief that Madison Square Garden rumors turned out to be true.
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
“UPDATE: 7 shot at Coligny Beach on Hilton Head during July 4 fight” - WTOC, July 4, 2026 📰
TSA’s “No Ranch in Carry-on” Thread Post 🌐
“Billionaire Pays to Harass Journalist Mandy Matney? Is This an Abuse of the Legal System?” - Kassidy O’Connell, June 27, 2026 🎞️
Crowd the Courthouse 3.0 - Support Renee Beach and Beach Family 📅
Liz’s “School time: who posted the filing first” Facebook post 🌐
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
*The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes do not constitute legal advice. Listeners desiring legal advice for any particular legal matter are urged to consult an attorney of their choosing who can provide legal advice based upon a full understanding of the facts and circumstances of their claim. The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes also do not express the views or opinions of Bland Richter, LLP, or its attorneys.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7 July 2026, 10:19 am - 1 hour 3 minutesCOJ #185 - Contempt & Contraband: What's New & Old In Murdaugh 2.0
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland analyze everything that went down when Mandy (and Eric) took the stand last week during the absurd contempt proceedings.
Why did Parker's team show up with four partner-level attorneys, two binders, and zero affidavit? And why was Debbie Barbier demanding Luna Shark's private financials in open court — before any finding of contempt?
Then... the Murdaugh retrial gets a no-nonsense new judge. Judge Debra McCaslin sets an April 5 trial date, shuts down the laptop request, and puts Dick Harpootlian on notice — continuances aren't on the menu.
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
Mandy’s reaction to her civil contempt hearing 🌐
Toyota of Florence, Inc. v. Lynch - Justia US Law ⚖️
What is Judicial Estoppel? - Westlaw ⚖️
Mandy’s greatest hits binder 🌐
Mandy visits the Murdaugh Murders exhibit at Alcatraz East Crime Museum 🌐
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
*The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes do not constitute legal advice. Listeners desiring legal advice for any particular legal matter are urged to consult an attorney of their choosing who can provide legal advice based upon a full understanding of the facts and circumstances of their claim. The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes also do not express the views or opinions of Bland Richter, LLP, or its attorneys.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 June 2026, 10:57 am - 1 hour 2 minutesCOJ #184 - Did Dick Harpootlian Lose His Political Power? Unpacking The Primary + Egg Lady Plays Victim In Netflix ‘Instadoc’
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland unpack a stunning South Carolina primary: Jermaine Johnson's grassroots gubernatorial win, Nancy Mace's fifth-place collapse, Lindsey Graham's surprising vulnerability, and the AG race that exposed how trial lawyers really profit. Is Dick Harpootlian's reign as ‘kingmaker’ finally over?
Then the team turns to the courts: the shocking not-guilty verdict in the Rick Chow shooting, Netflix's rushed new Murdaugh "Insta-doc" recasting the Egg Lady juror as a victim, and what the soon-to-be-released juror files might (or might not) reveal.
Plus, Judge Debbie McCaslin's appointment to the retrial raises fresh conflict questions, and attorney Desa Ballard's bizarre crusade against Mark Tinsley gets the scrutiny it deserves.
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
“Judge stops $75 million South Carolina payment to private law firms for SRS settlement negotiations” - The Augusta Chronicle, Sept 30, 2020 📰
“South Carolina jury finds store owner not guilty of murder in killing of Black teen” - CNN, updated June 1, 2026 📰
Netflix’s “Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted” 🎞️
Previous Episode: COJ 181 with Dr. Jermaine Johnson
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
*The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes do not constitute legal advice. Listeners desiring legal advice for any particular legal matter are urged to consult an attorney of their choosing who can provide legal advice based upon a full understanding of the facts and circumstances of their claim. The views expressed on the Cup of Justice episodes also do not express the views or opinions of Bland Richter, LLP, or its attorneys.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 June 2026, 8:59 am - 1 hour 1 minuteCOJ #183 - No 'Reasonable Woman': When Surviving Is the Crime With Author Justine van der Leun
What happens when a woman survives the violence done to her — and the state punishes her for it?
This week, Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell sit down with award-winning investigative journalist Justine van der Leun to talk about her new book, Unreasonable Women: Three Stories of Violence, Imprisonment, and Extraordinary Survival.
Over seven years, Justine mailed surveys to more than ten thousand incarcerated women and uncovered a pattern she calls “criminalized survival”: women who fought back against abusers, then watched the same system that failed to protect them work overtime to lock them away.
Through the stories of Tanisha, Jema, and TC — and the framing case of Nikki Addimando — she exposes the “reasonable man” standard quietly stacked against every woman who ever had to defend herself.
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
Meet the Marvelous Justine van der Leun & find where to buy her new book “Unreasonable Women” 📖
Give Justine a follow on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok 🌐
Read more about Nikki Addimando’s Case & listen to Believe Her Podcast 🎧
“Not Another Victim - I’m an Empowered Survivor Defendant” - Marissa Alexander’s TedTalk 🎞️
“Woman face harsher punishments when it comes to self-defense laws” - APA, April 1, 2025 📰
“No Choice but to Do It” - Pulitzer Center, Dec 17, 2020 📰
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
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9 June 2026, 10:14 am - 1 hour 3 minutesCOJ #182 - Troll Theories & ‘Tinkering’: Behind The Murdaugh Conspiracy In The New Yorker
We’re starting today with Mandy’s first-ever ODC complaint against a Horry County attorney named Bert von Herrmann who chose to post about her courtroom testimony with a misogynistic, body-shaming Facebook post — then shared a non-apology blaming bots, copying devices, and the "misuse of podcasts."
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland unpack why this isn't just one creep online, but part of a coordinated effort to threaten, litigate and berate women journalists into silence.
And we’re back to the Murdaugh saga: a New Yorker piece peddling a far-fetched "troll theory" about whistleblower Christine Avery and booted juror Myra Crosby, plus Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin's new lawsuit against Becky Hill — which Eric argues is pure gamesmanship to soften Alex's image and weaponize discovery before the next trial.
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
Mandy’s Facebook Post about Bert Von Hermann’s Smear 🌐
SC Rules of Professional Conduct - Rule 4.4: Respect For Rights Of Third Persons and Rule 8.4: Misconduct ⚖️
David Paul Traywick Opinion - Definite Suspension - June 18, 2021 ⚖️
Incredible Woman Writers like Nellie Bly & Elizabeth Garver Jordan 🌐
“How a Small-Town Clerk’s Misdeeds Upturned the Murdaugh Verdict” - The New Yorker, May 26, 2026 📰
Murdaugh Juror Amie Williams’ book: “The Long Road to Justice: Unraveling Alex Murdaugh's Tangled Web”
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
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Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
**portions of this episode's production have been assisted by Ai models according to LUNASHARK's privacy and Ai Policies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 June 2026, 9:07 am - 54 minutes 39 secondsCOJ #181 - Dr. Jermaine Johnson on Cowards, Courage & Two Systems of Justice
Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell were honored to sit down with Dr. Jermaine Johnson — basketball player turned state representative for parts of Kershaw & Richland Counties, now a candidate for governor of South Carolina.
But this conversation isn’t really about a campaign or politics. It’s about our justice system, and the uncomfortable truth that South Carolina runs two of them: one for the powerful and well-connected, and one for everybody else.Jermaine has lived inside both. He talks candidly about being homeless as a teenager, about being a young father trapped in a family court system with no lawyer and no fair shot, and about the men he watched get jailed for child support they had already paid.
Dr. Johnson explains why South Carolina’s way of electing judges is broken, why a decades-old mug shot keeps resurfacing, and why courage is in such short supply under the State House dome. It’s an honest, hopeful, occasionally infuriating conversation about fixing what’s rigged.
Explore Dr. Jermaine Johnson's campaign for South Carolina governor 🗳️
facebook.com/DrJermaineJohnson
instagram.com/drjermainejohnson
☕ Cups Up! ⚖️
Episode References
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️
Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join with Promo Code "COJ25" for your first month free! https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE.
Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/
Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas
Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/cupofjustice/ | https://www.instagram.com/cojpod/
Mandy Matney on Instagram | Liz Farrell on Instagram | Eric Bland on Instagram
YouTube | TIKTOK
*** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! ***
**portions of this episode's production have been assisted by Ai models according to LUNASHARK's privacy and Ai Policies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
26 May 2026, 10:13 am - More Episodes? Get the App