Episode 27: Legal Pop Culture Roundup: Conflicts of Interest, Celebrity Cases, and Autism Awareness

04/24/25 • 30 min

In the latest episode of The Lawmas Podcast, hosts Lauren and Lacey began with a discussion about handling conflicts of interest in legal representation. They explored the ethical requirements and their personal approaches, noting the differences between criminal and civil law contexts.

Lauren and Lacey then provided several legal updates on high-profile cases. They discussed the Menendez brothers' recent approval for a re-sentencing hearing after serving more than 30 years in prison, with Lacey mentioning how Kim Kardashian had wished for their release on her birthday episode. Lauren explained the "Slayer statute," which prevents the brothers from inheriting their parents' wealth.

The conversation shifted to Kanye West's ongoing controversies, including recent personal revelations and disputes with Kim Kardashian over their children. Both hosts expressed concern about how these public statements might affect the children involved, with Lauren suggesting that supervised visitation might be appropriate given the circumstances.

The hosts also touched on Kim Kardashian's efforts to recover her family Bible from OJ Simpson's estate through probate proceedings, which prompted a brief personal anecdote from Lacey about her nieces' interest in family Bibles.

For Autism Awareness Month, the hosts discussed a recent criminal case where a judge rejected a prosecution's attempt to use autism as an explanation for violent behavior. This led to a deeper conversation about neurodiversity, misconceptions about autism, and Lacey's personal experience raising a child with Down syndrome.

Both hosts emphasized the importance of education, acceptance, and recognizing the value of all individuals regardless of neurological differences.
The episode concluded with the hosts inviting listeners to submit topic requests for future episodes via direct message or email, promising new series based on listener feedback.

#podcast #popculturecrime #thelawmaspodcast #lawmoms #kardashians #kanye #autismawareness

#podcast #popculturecrime #thelawmaspodcast #lawmoms #kardashians #kanye #autismawareness

Previous Episode

Episode 26: Guest Aimee J. Zmroczek: The Gary Bennett Exoneration Case

In this episode of The Lawmas Podcast, host Lacey welcomes guest attorney Aimee Zmroczek to discuss the exoneration of Gary Bennett, who was wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 18 years in prison before being acquitted in a retrial. Amy was part of the pro bono defense team that helped prove Gary's innocence.

Amy explains how she got involved in Gary Bennett's case through the South Carolina Defense Lawyers Association. She gives the details of the brutal murder of Marie, who worked at Taco Bell with Gary's wife, along with the critical timeline evidence that established Gary's alibi.

Physical evidence at the crime scene was mishandled by investigators. The co-defendant falsely implicated Gary to secure his own deal. Forensic evidence proving the killer was right-handed while Gary is left-handed Aimee discusses the jury's reaction to the co-defendant's testimony and outburst during cross-examination, along with the impact of 18 years of wrongful imprisonment on Gary's life and relationships.

Aimee also talks about Gary's life after exoneration. Lacey and Aimee discuss the importance of jury duty and critical evaluation of testimony from co-defendants or "snitches" who may be motivated to lie for their own benefit.

Aimee Zmroczek is a defense attorney in Columbia, SC, who worked pro bono on Gary Bennett's successful retrial and exoneration.

Questions or comments? Email [email protected]

#podcast #thelawmaspodcast #garybennett #aimeezmroczek #lawmoms #criminaldefensesouthcarolina

Next Episode

Episode 28: Tunnel Vision: How an Innocent Man Served 11 Years

In this episode of The Lawmas Podcast, hosts Lacey and Lauren explore a powerful story of potential wrongful conviction. Lacey shares the case of Thomas James, her former client whom she believes was wrongfully convicted of murder. Despite cell phone records showing Thomas was never at the crime scene, eyewitness descriptions that didn't match him, and minimal evidence beyond the testimony of a getaway driver named Kier Johnson, Thomas received a 32-year sentence while Kier got probation. Lacey discovered after the trial that Kier had previously falsely accused someone in another murder case—information that wasn't disclosed to the defense. Despite these revelations and efforts to secure post-conviction relief, Thomas remains incarcerated after 11 years.

Lauren offers insights about jury deliberation pressures and the challenges of overturning convictions. The hosts conclude their series on wrongful convictions with a plea for listeners to share Thomas's story, hoping to bring attention to his case. Next week, The Lawmas Podcast will begin a new series focusing on millennial experiences!

Questions for The Lawmas? Email us! [email protected]

#thelawmaspodcast #tunnelvision #wrongfullyconvicted #thomasjames #lawmoms