Wickedly Judged

What if the system meant to protect us is the one that fails us the most? Wickedly Judged is a true crime podcast exposing wrongful convictions, broken justice, and the people whose lives are forever changed by the system. Hosted by Rebecca, the show dives deep into real cases and the human stories behind them — the families, the loved ones, and the empty seats that are never forgotten. Inspired by her husband’s wrongful conviction, Rebecca brings truth, heart, and fearless advocacy to every episode. This is more than a podcast — it’s a mission, a voice for the unheard, and a fight for justice reform.

Wickedly Judged is a society podcast hosted by Rebecca Watkins, with 60 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Rebecca Watkins hosts Wickedly Judged, a society show with 60 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #59

  DNA Excluded Him. He Still Spent 16 Years in Prison| Jeff Deskovic

  Oct 1, 202658 min

  Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. DNA Excluded Him. He Still Spent 16 Years in Prison | Jeff Deskovic DNA evidence excluded Jeffrey Deskovic before trial, yet he was convicted as a teenager and spent 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. In this episode of Wickedly Judged, Rebecca talks with Jeff about becoming a suspect at 16, the interrogation that led to his false confession, and how a confession outweighed DNA evidence that excluded him. At 17, Jeff was convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life in an adult maximum-security prison. Jeff shares how faith, studying the law, and learning about other exonerations helped him keep fighting through years of failed appeals. Eventually, the Innocence Project took his case. DNA testing produced a database match identifying the actual perpetrator and helped secure Jeff’s freedom. Jeff then turned his experience into advocacy. He became an attorney and founded the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, using part of his compensation to help others fighting wrongful convictions. IN THIS EPISODE: • Jeff’s interrogation & false confession • DNA evidence that excluded him • Being convicted at 17 • Surviving 16 years in prison • The DNA match that led to his exoneration • Becoming an attorney & advocate • Starting the Deskovic Foundation • Seeking help for wrongful-conviction cases • Why legal guidance matters with new evidence • Non-DNA innocence cases • Post-conviction barriers & reform • Jeff’s support for Pete Wlasiuk • Podcasts, documentaries & public advocacy • Accountability & preventing wrongful convictions • What Jeff would tell his 16-year-old self CONNECT WITH JEFF: Foundation: https://www.deskovicfoundation.org/ Donate: https://www.deskovicfoundation.org/donate Jeff Deskovic: https://www.Deskovic.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Deskovic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.deskovic Foundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejeffreydeskovicfoundation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deskovicfoundation/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreydeskovic/ Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org/cases/jeffrey-deskovic/ WICKEDLY JUDGED: Episodes, advocacy & merchandise: https://www.wickedlyjudged.com/ Subscribe to Wickedly Judged and share this episode to help amplify the stories of people fighting wrongful convictions. Join the conversation: What change discussed in this episode could make the biggest difference in preventing wrongful convictions? Content Note: Discussion of sexual violence, murder, wrongful imprisonment & suicidal thoughts. Discussion of disputed cases or evidence reflects the speakers’ accounts and perspectives.

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  Episode #58

  The Judge's Oath Podcast Guest interview

  Sep 24, 20261h 30m

  Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. Rebecca Watkins, founder of Wickedly Judged and president of the Wickedly Judged Justice Activation Project, joins Cheryl Kelmar on The Judge’s Oath Podcast to share the personal fight that sparked her advocacy. Rebecca discusses her husband’s conviction—which she maintains is wrongful—and the years spent reviewing records, seeking answers, and fighting to have his case heard. She explains how that experience grew into a podcast and an organization supporting other families facing similar struggles. Together, Rebecca and Cheryl discuss: • Their questions about the Tyler Robinson case and media coverage surrounding the killing of Charlie Kirk. • The influence of social media on public opinion and fair trials. • Plea-deal pressure, costly legal representation, and barriers to appeals. • Access to case files, missing records, and concerns about withheld evidence. • Judicial accountability and independent review of innocence claims. • Better resources for public defenders, prison education, and rehabilitation. Rebecca also shares how faith sustains her, her plans for advocacy education, and her book project, Wickedly Judged: Buried Evidence. Learn more, get involved, or support the work: https://www.wickedlyjudged.com Original interview: The Judge’s Oath Podcast, Episode 006, hosted by Cheryl Kelmar and published by PodCast by Kelmar Publishing LLC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm3Aat-WLTQ This episode includes personal experiences, opinions, and disputed allegations expressed by the speakers.

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  Episode #57

  Heather Wlasiuk: The Woman Behind the Fight for Pete

  Sep 17, 202615 min

  Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. Heather Wlasiuk: The Woman Behind the Fight for Pete In this special episode of Wickedly Judged , we sit down with Heather Wlasiuk for a conversation focused on her perspective, her advocacy, and what it means to stand beside someone while fighting a conviction that has already spanned more than two decades. Throughout our coverage of the Peter Wlasiuk case , we have examined a complicated legal history: three trials, two overturned convictions, disputed evidence, questions surrounding Patricia Wlasiuk's diary, and a third conviction that continues to keep Pete incarcerated. But court opinions and evidence only tell part of the story. Behind every wrongful-conviction claim are families and loved ones who live with the consequences of the criminal justice system every single day. In this interview, the focus turns to Heather . We hear from the woman who continues to advocate for Pete, stand beside him, and push for people to look beyond the conviction and examine the questions surrounding his case. Heather shares her perspective on the fight for Pete, what she has experienced while advocating for him, and why she refuses to allow his case to simply be forgotten. This conversation also highlights something that can easily get lost when discussing trials, appeals, evidence, and court decisions: the human cost of incarceration extends far beyond the person sitting in the prison cell. Families serve this time too. They make the phone calls. They research the case. They attend visits. They advocate. They answer questions. They face criticism. And sometimes, they spend years trying to convince someone—anyone—to take another look. Pete's case has already been through three trials and two reversals . For Heather, however, those numbers represent something much more personal. They represent years of fighting, waiting, hoping, and refusing to give up. At Wickedly Judged , we believe it is important to hear directly from the people living these cases—not only attorneys, investigators, and experts, but the families standing beside those who maintain their innocence. This is Heather's opportunity to tell that side of the story. Listen to her perspective. Examine the case. Ask the questions. Then decide for yourself. The Peter Wlasiuk case continues. And so does Heather's fight for answers.

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  Episode #56

  Pete & Heather Wlasiuk: Questions Remain — Part 4

  Sep 10, 202648 min

  Pete & Heather Wlasiuk: Questions Remain — Part 4 Was justice served in the Peter Wlasiuk case—or are we still missing part of the truth? In Part 4 of our continuing interview with Pete and Heather Wlasiuk , we go deeper into a case that has now been questioned and litigated for more than two decades. Patricia Wlasiuk died in April 2002 after Pete's truck entered Guilford Lake in New York. Prosecutors ultimately alleged that Pete killed Patricia and staged the scene to look like an accident. Pete has maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration. But the history of this case is anything but simple. Pete has been tried three times for the same murder . His first conviction was reversed after the appellate court concluded that the cumulative effect of numerous errors deprived him of a fair trial. His second conviction was also reversed, this time after the court found that Pete had received ineffective assistance of counsel. During the second trial, Patricia's diary became particularly significant. Information from diary entries previously ruled inadmissible appeared in a police evidence log given to the jury. When jurors asked whether they could consider those entries as evidence, defense counsel failed to request a limiting instruction. The appellate decision records that less than ten minutes later, the jury reached its verdict. Jurors subsequently reported that the diary entries caused some of them to change their votes to guilty. Pete was tried a third time in 2012 and again convicted of second-degree murder. That conviction was later affirmed. In Part 4 Pete and Heather continue discussing: The evidence and circumstances they believe deserve another examination Pete's perspective from inside the case Questions surrounding the investigation and prosecution The significance of errors identified during his previous trials The continuing effort to challenge Pete's conviction What it means to fight for innocence after decades of incarceration Heather's advocacy and determination to keep Pete's case from being forgotten The human cost behind years of appeals, court decisions, and legal battles Three trials. Two convictions overturned. More than two decades of incarceration. And questions that Pete and Heather say still have not been answered. At Wickedly Judged , we believe a verdict should never prevent us from examining the evidence, the investigation, and the process that produced it. Listen to Pete and Heather. Look at the documented history of this case. Ask the difficult questions. Then decide for yourself. Was justice served in the Peter Wlasiuk case—or are we still missing part of the truth?

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  Episode #55

  Pete & Heather Wlasiuk: The Fight for the Truth Continues — Part 3

  Sep 3, 202629 min

  Pete & Heather Wlasiuk: The Fight for the Truth Continues — Part 3 In Part 3 of our conversation with Pete and Heather Wlasiuk , we continue digging into the questions surrounding Pete's conviction and what they believe has been overlooked, misunderstood, or misrepresented throughout the case. Patricia Wlasiuk died in April 2002 after a vehicle entered Guilford Lake in New York. Prosecutors alleged that Pete murdered Patricia and staged the scene to appear accidental. Pete has maintained his innocence for more than two decades. This case has already resulted in three trials and two overturned convictions , but Pete and Heather's fight did not end with the third verdict. In this episode, the conversation moves beyond simply asking what happened that night. We look at how the case was investigated, how evidence was interpreted, what was presented to juries, and the enormous difficulty of challenging a conviction once the criminal justice system has decided who it believes is responsible. Pete and Heather also discuss the human side of this fight—the years that cannot be returned, the effect incarceration has had on their family, and what it takes to continue advocating when the legal battle has lasted for decades. In This Episode We discuss: Pete's perspective on the investigation and prosecution Evidence and circumstances Pete believes support his innocence Questions surrounding the state's theory of the case The way evidence and investigative conclusions were presented The continuing significance of Pete's previous overturned convictions The challenges of fighting a conviction from inside prison Heather's advocacy and determination to keep Pete's case visible The personal cost of more than two decades of incarceration Why Pete and Heather continue fighting for another examination of the case Three trials. Two overturned convictions. More than twenty years behind bars. For Pete and Heather, this case is not simply part of the past. It is a fight that continues every day. At Wickedly Judged , we believe cases like Pete's deserve more than a surface-level examination. We look at the evidence, the inconsistencies, the court record, and the questions that remain after the verdict. We aren't asking you to blindly accept anyone's version of events. Listen. Examine the evidence. Ask the questions. Then decide for yourself. Was justice truly served in the Peter Wlasiuk case—or are there still answers waiting to be uncovered?

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