Trace of Doubt

By: Samantha Weinberg

Narrated by: Samantha Weinberg

Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In the summer of 1985, a brilliant young British DNA scientist Helena Greenwood is found murdered in her front garden in a quiet suburb in California. The police believe they know the killer’s identity but there’s no evidence against him, and the only thing linking him to the crime is the fact he’d been charged with sexually assaulting Helena just a few months previously. Fifteen years later the case is reopened and after a breakthrough in DNA evidence, David Paul Frediani is re-investigated, convicted and sentenced to life in prison. It was almost as if Helena was pointing to her killer from beyond the grave, using the very scientific technology she had spent her life working on. Author Samantha Weinberg has been fascinated by this case, writing an award-winning book about the tragic sequence of events. She’s spent time with the man convicted of the murder and was utterly convinced of his guilt. But, in 2018, she received a letter from a jailhouse lawyer, a fellow inmate of Frediani that would blow the case apart. Together, they reopen the investigation, embarking on a shocking journey to discover the truth - in the process uncovering systematic failings and abuses in the American criminal justice system.

Content Warning: This series contains strong language and graphic descriptions of violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised. If you have been affected by any of the themes in this series, please find below links to organisations that can help you:

sexualabusesupport.campaign.gov.uk/#support

rapecrisis.org.uk

www.thesurvivorstrust.org

www.rainn.org

Episode 1: DEAD WALKING TALKING

In August 1985, Dr Helena Greenwood’s body is found in the front garden of her cottage in southern California. The police believe they know who killed her, a handsome financial advisor named David Paul Frediani. But there is nothing to tie him to the murder scene. The case is filed: unsolved.

Episode 2: POETIC JUSTICE

There have been extraordinary breakthroughs in DNA science. Fifteen years after the murder, the sheriff’s cold case team reopens the investigation, and, using DNA, they catch their killer. Samantha Weinberg becomes fascinated by the case. She returns to San Diego for Frediani’s trial.

Episode 3: SEEDS OF DOUBT

Samantha visits Frediani in prison, where he is serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. He insists he didn’t kill Helena Greenwood, and that he was framed. Buried deep in the investigation files, she finds a letter which suggests his conviction may be unsafe.

Episode 4: THE JAILHOUSE LAWYER

In 2018, Samantha is contacted by Dustin, a jailhouse lawyer, who has himself been in prison for 45 years. He is helping Frediani, and says that, using the letter Samantha found, he thinks he can get Frediani’s case reopened. Dustin and Samantha launch parallel investigations.

Episode 5: THE PUNCHBOWL

Samantha returns to San Diego. She learns about suspect practices at the sheriff’s department crime lab, and delves into the case of Jane Dorotik, who was convicted of murder at around the same time as Frediani, and who has just been exonerated, because of mistakes at the same lab. Does it help to understand Frediani’s case?

Episode 6: THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

Samantha and Dustin pick through the case files and each find bits of evidence that don’t add up. Doubt about Frediani’s conviction keeps growing. Dustin is trying to get him a new trial.

Episode 7: BROKEN DOWN

Samantha visits Frediani in prison. He’s ill, but still protesting his innocence and excited about Dustin’s work. The cops open the old files for her, and some of her questions are answered. But two witnesses throw a new light on what happened.

Episode 8: CALLING TIME

Frediani’s health is failing. He is waiting to hear about his new trial. But Samantha has some tricky questions for him. Dustin has positive news. Samantha pays her respects at Helena’s grave, in the New Forest. And comes to a surprising conclusion.

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The background music is way too distracting.

It’s obvious he was guilty - the story was unbalanced with way too much focus on empathy for the rapist/murderer.

Complicated and troubling story

Even though I disagree with the author’s final assessment of the situation, I understand the complexities and the issues within the system that make it a very difficult call. Listening to the audiotapes of the accused, I feel certain that the author was correct on the first book she wrote. But I really appreciate her willingness to self-reflect and consider the flawed system that makes this very thing an issue.

Doubt

This was a very interesting story. Not my normal genre but really worth listening to. Growing and gaining I sight to human nature and how it changes as we mature and our thought process changes, I find depending on where we are in life.

Tenacious Journalist

I liked the author’s authenticity, her tenacity and ability to convey that the story was believable, and that she wasn’t going to give up until she had done her best to get it told right!

Interesting subject

I liked the authors determination to get to the truth and at the same time pointing out flaws in our criminal justice system.

I like how live it was.

I absolutely loved listening to this book. I love how there was live clips. I do wish I had an update on Dustin and if David did get a retrial. Other than that absolutely amazing. Heartbreaking what happened to Helena. I just pray the right person was convicted and no body is free that shouldn’t be.

Good story, lacks closure

Liked the story and the journey. Wish there was closure but we don’t always get that I guess.

Very thought-provoking! 

This story took me through the whole gamut of thoughts and feelings. Truly exemplifies the imperfection of our justice system, as well as our own internal judgment system. What a journey this takes you on!

Very well done!

Very interesting. It really makes you think about the Justice system. "science is only as good as the people doing it"

Nicely Done

This was nicely done. I was conflicted with his guilt. . Then I wasn’t. Now I don’t know what I am.