It’s an issue that continues to be at the forefront of people’s thoughts, and criminal justice has been a hot topic in the Pacific Northwest, just as it has been all over the country.
Oregon Public Broadcasting examines criminal justice in the region and other overlooked stories with a new podcast series, “Hush.”
Available now on all podcast platforms:
Season one of “Hush” examines the case of Jesse Lee Johnson, a Black man who lived for 17 years on Oregon’s death row, convicted of a crime in which he claimed his innocence. On March 20,1998, police in Salem discovered the body of Harriet Thompson inside her apartment. Within a week, they arrested Johnson for murder. Johnson — who lived in Salem as a homeless drug user and who had a random encounter with Thompson — quickly became Salem police’s only suspect.
“Hush” investigates why the state of Oregon, for 25 years, perpetuated a narrative about Johnson and pursued a death sentence, despite evidence strongly pointing to his innocence. The podcast also connects Oregon’s anti-Black founding to how the state’s criminal justice system operates today.