Spelade
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In this Dateline classic, Josh Mankiewicz takes an in-depth look into the case and trial of Jodi Arias, the 32-year-old Arizona woman who admitted to killing her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander. Originally aired on NBC on May 10, 2013.
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In one of his most memorable classic episodes, Josh Mankiewicz tells the story Eric Glisson, who was wrongly convicted of the 1995 murder of a Bronx cab driver. From behind bars, and with the help of those who believed in him, he was able to prove his innocence after serving 18 years of his life in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Eric opens up to Dateline about his life after his release.
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This episode we’ll probe the Tenerife disaster on 27 March 1977 which remains the most deadly aviation accident in history.
583 people died when two Boeing 747s collided on the Canary Island of Tenerife - one operated by KLM and the other by Pan Am.
This led to a major aviation safety initiative the known as Cockpit Resource Management or CRM which is now part of pilot training where combined crew input is encouraged and the captain can be questioned. It also led to other changes in communication methodology between planes waiting to take off and the tower as well as setting English as the language of aviation.
The problem with CRM is that it comes up against different cultures in the world, where the decisions by the strong man in charge are generally not contradicted. This is thought to be behind the accident in Pakistan during Covid-19 lockdown in May 2020 where authorities say not only was CRM ignored by the senior pilot, he also apparently tried to land an Airbus at 240 knots – well over its recommended landing speed.
Back to Tenerife 1977 – an incident which still shocks those who hear the details for the first time.
There were no survivors from the KLM aircraft and only 61 of the 396 passengers and crew on the Pan Am aircraft survived.
Pilot error was the primary cause, as the KLM captain began his take-off run without obtaining air traffic control clearance in extremely dense fog. But as you’ll hear, there is more to this story.
The conversation between PanAm, KLM and the ATC was peppered with confusing messages.
Other contributing factors were a terrorist incident at Gran Canaria Airport on a separate island that had caused many flights to be diverted to Los Rodeos, a small airport on the island of Tenerife not well equipped to handle aircraft of such size arriving together.
This increased the stress on the Air Traffic Controller and mistakes were bound to be made.
The Canary Islands are infamous among pilots for the extreme wind and weather conditions that spring up on this archipelago off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was to play a major role in this catastrophe. -
Joseph Colombo was a mid-ranking Mafioso in one of New York’s Five Families. But when Colombo decided to break one of the mob’s most important rules, his career began to skyrocket. The FBI took notice and Colombo, once again, made a daring move.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
Best Fiends
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; "Fog" and "Lucerna" by Sergey Cheremisinov; "Dark Alleys" and "Scenery" by Kai Engel; "Bankrupt" by Jahzzar; "Battalion" by krackatoa; “Waltz (Tchaikovsky Op. 40),” "On The Ground," "Deadly Roulette," and "Impact Moderato" by Kevin MacLeod.
Sound Effects from freesound.org | Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
Prior to Prohibition, two separate Mafia families emerged in New England, one based in Boston, Massachusetts and the other based in Providence, Rhode Island. By 1932, both families combined and became a force to be reckoned with. Over time, the New England crime family would soon become synonymous with one cunning and ruthless leader, Raymond Patriarca. But one concealed microphone by the FBI would reveal all of Patriarca’s secrets.
Special thanks to Gary Jenkins of the true crime podcast Gangland Wire; Joe Broadmeadow, Author and Founder of JEBWizard Publishing; and Tim White, Investigative Reporter and Co-Author of “The Last Good Heist.”
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music featured in this episode: “Gray” and “Smoke” by Rafael Archangel; “Misery” by Damiano Baldoni; “Lucerna,” and “She Wolf In My Heart” by Sergey Cheremisinov; “Dark Alleys” and “Snowfall” by Kai Engel; “Bankrupt” by Jahzzar; “On the Ground,” “Rollin’ at 5,” and “Waltz (Tchaikovsky Op. 40)” by Kevin MacLeod.
Sound Effects from freesound.org | Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
In the 1980s, one man became the face of the Mafia. The most famous gangster since Al Capone. Through murder, deception, and pure luck, John Gotti worked his way up the mob ladder.
But Gotti was best known for flaunting his status, enticing the media, and attracting the attention of the press – the press that gave him the name "The Teflon Don." This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron and Casper.
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Three investigators try to put together the murder of Andrei Katz with the car thievery that the DeMeo crew has been doing for years without notice. And once the cops are on the case, it spells trouble for DeMeo. With rats running rampant and family members turning informant, even DeMeo's earning power can't save him.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
Best Fiends
Feals CBD
Parcast's Villains
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is “Life” and ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Unification on Multiplicity” by Ad Serpentae; “Backed Vibes Clean,” “Unanswered Questions,” “Night on the Docks” and “I Knew a Guy” by Kevin MacLeod; “Imminence,” “Dark Alleys,” and “River” by Kai Engel; and “Lucerna” and “Book of Mirrors,” by Sergey Cheremisinov.
Sound Effects from freesound.org by kfosse13, willybilly1984, theshaggyfreak, Leoctiurs, Ellary, Pastabra, Dynamicell, kernschall, wertstahl, and InspectorJ. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
From car thief to the operator of the Murder Machine, Roy DeMeo and his crew were possibly responsible for more than 200 murders in the 1970s. DeMeo made so much money for the Mafia that they would look the other way when it came to drugs, prostitution, and cruelty - but others on his crew were more disposable.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
Zip Recruiter
Upstart
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is "Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Imminence” by Kai Engel; "Dances and Dames," and “I Knew a Guy," by Kevin MacLeod.; “Smoke” by Rafael Archangel; “Saturn (Lessons Learnt)” by Ars Sonor; “Unification on Multiplicity” by Ad Serpentae; “Book of Mirrors,” and “Lucerna” by Sergey Cheremisinov; and “Burnt to a Crisp” by Daniel Birch;
Sound Effects from freesound.org by Ellary, Eelke, Pastabra, pauliep83, ximian, manychefsbroth, Huggy13ear, Nkzdra, Robinhood76, iainmccurdy, and CGEffex. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
Valachi took the stand and revealed some of the strangest Cosa Nostra secrets - but the Mafia wouldn't stand idly by while their rules were broken. And when he had served his purpose, even the FBI couldn't keep him safe forever.
Our Sponsors this episode are:
Upstart
Manscaped (code: MAFIA)
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Gagool,” “Acid Jazz,” “Heart of the Beast,” “Dances and Dames,” and “Mourning Song,” by Kevin MacLeod; “The One Great Step” by the Victor Dance Orchestra; “Angst” by Xenojam; “Golden Eye” by Daniel Birch and Ben Pegley; and “Thoughts About Future” by Parvus Decree.
Sound Effects from freesound.org by Kyster, Incarnadine, and lawnjelly. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
Joe Valachi had been in the Mafia for years, but hadn't risen much in the ranks. But when he was facing a life sentence, there was one group of people who thought he was high enough - for information. The FBI saw in Valachi a chance to learn the mob's structure; and Valachi saw a chance to get out of jail.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
LightStream
Best Fiends
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is “Life” and ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Thoughts About Future” by Parvus Decree; “Gagool,” “Night on the Docks,” “Mourning Song,” “Walking Along,” “I Knew a Guy,” and “Heart of the Beast” by Kevin MacLeod.
Sound Effects from freesound.org by tim.kahn, Pedaling-Prince, edwar64896, cemagar, pauliep83, and Omar-Alvarado. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
A more detailed introduction
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Following the retirement of Filippo Buccola in 1952, Raymond Patriarca was promoted to boss of the New England crime family. He became a dominant force in all illicit, political, and labor union activities.
After years of trying to infiltrate the New England crime family, the FBI finally succeeded when Joe Barboza, a hitman for Patriarca, became an informant. Raymond Patriarca would be imprisoned in 1969, but his greatest heist was yet to come.
Special thanks to Gary Jenkins of the true crime podcast Gangland Wire; Joe Broadmeadow, Author and Founder of JEBWizard Publishing; Tim White, Investigative Reporter and Co-Author of “The Last Good Heist,” and former Rhode Island State Police Superintendent, Brendan P. Doherty.
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music featured in this episode: “Deep Space” by Almusic34; “Misery” by Damiano Baldoni; “Computations” by Scott Buckley; “Gates” and “Old All” by Sergey Cheremisinov; “January” and “Snowfall” by Kai Engel; “Bankrupt” by Jahzzar; “How the Night Came" by Showdown; “Angst” by Xenojam.
Sound Effects from freesound.org | Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
In the mid-1990s, renowned Irish mobster Whitey Bulger was in hiding from local Massachusetts police, the FBI, and US Marshals. In this episode, we'll hear what was going on behind the scenes with those he trusted most, how Bulger got around undetected, the unexpected way he was finally caught, and the aftermath.
This episode is sponsored by:
IPVanish
Babbel (promo code: MAFIA)
Special thanks to Phyllis Karas, Geoff Schumacher and the Mob Museum.
Music by Damiano Baldoni, Sergey Cheremisinov, and Kai Engel. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
In the mid-90s, South Boston based Irish mobster, James "Whitey" Bulger would go on the run after being tipped off about an indictment coming his way. After transforming the local criminal scene in the place he grew up through gambling, drugs, and murder, his run from law enforcement would last for the next 16 years, with Bulger eventually earning himself a spot at #1 of the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list.
This episode is sponsored by:
Best Fiends
Green Chef (promo code: 90mafia)
BetterHelp
Special thanks to Phyllis Karas, Geoff Schumacher and the Mob Museum.
Music by Damiano Baldoni, Sergey Cheremisinov, and Kai Engel. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
After gaining fortune and notoriety, Rothstein moved from bootlegging to drug smuggling to labor racketeering. With his connections and friendly demeanor, Rothstein was able to get out of any situation, and taught the likes of Charles Luciano, Meyer Lanksy, and Dutch Schultz to do the same. But a gambler is a gambler, and at some point there are some debts you can't get out of.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
Best Fiends
The Bouqs Company
Upstart
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Rolling at 5,” “Backed Vibes Clean,” “On the Cool Side,” “Night on the Docks,” “On the Ground,” “Deadly Roulette,” “I Knew a Guy,” by Kevin MacLeod; “daedalus” and “Snowfall” by Kai Engel; and “Wastelands” and “Breath of Death Part 1,” by Sergey Cheremisinov.
Sound Effects from freesound.org by Audionautics, konakaboom, pastabra, ceberation, bennychico11, and bmoreno. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
Before the Mafia existed, at the turn of the century, there was Arnold Rothstein, known as The Brain. Rothstein would teach an entire generation of gangsters how to organize, act like gentlemen, and interact with the upper crust. And Rothstein himself, well-connected, could get away with almost anything - including fixing the World Series.
Our Sponsors for this episode are:
LightStream
Audible (text MAFIA to 500-500)
Pessimists Archive Podcast
Mafia's theme is "Spellbound Hell" by Damiano Baldoni. Music in this episode is ”Misery" by Damiano Baldoni; “Rolling at 5,” “Night on the Docks,” “On the Cool Side,” “Dances and Dames,” “On the Ground,” “Acid Jazz,” “Walking Alone,” “Faster Does It,” “Deadly Roulette,” by Kevin MacLeod; “Breath of Death Part 1,” and “Wastelands” by Sergey Cheremisinov; and “daedalus” and “Junction” by Kai Engel.
Sound Effects from freesound.org by Ellary, stereodivo, shelf-employed, AshFox, and InspectorJ. Additional sound effects from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. -
In the 1970s, penetrating the mob hierarchy was considered too difficult and too dangerous. But when the infamous five families became involved in a series of car hijackings, veteran agent Joe Pistone of the FBI volunteered to go undercover. What he didn't know was that he would be undercover for six years.
In this episode, hear the story from Joe Pistone himself and all the tools and tricks to survival as he navigated the mob as the most successful mafia undercover agent of all time, under the guise of a diamond thief named Donnie Brasco. This episode is sponsored by ZipRecruiter.
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When last we met John Gotti, he had taken the media by storm, posing for the camera as a glamorous mafioso. Meanwhile, he had taken over the Gambino family by treacherous means: lying and murdering his way to the top.
In part 2, Gotti earns his nickname, "TheTeflon Don," beating every case brought up against him . . . until the FBI teamed up with a surveillance squad. Hear from squad leaders and historians tell the harrowing tale of danger, betrayal, and sharp detective work, and the mission that finally brought Gotti down.
