Violation
4.9/5
Critic Rating
Imagine you're accused of something horrific. You swear you didn't do it, but someone says they witnessed it: your own brother. Sophia Johnson was newly married with a baby on the way when she became the prime suspect in her mother-in-law's brutal murder. WBUR's Amory Sivertson reexamines a case unsolved, a family torn apart, and the woman who wasn't believed.
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Lauren Passell • Podcast The Newsletter • Apr 24, 2023
"...what could have just been a podcast about that ends up being a rumination on the parole board process, what it is, what it’s like from everyone’s perspective, from the victim to the victim’s families to the board members to the people trying to make the system more fair to the person whose life hinges upon the decision of the board and their family, too. I don’t know any show that has done such a fine focus on parole boards, and using this heartbreaking story is a great way in. This will have you frustrated, sad, conflicted, and at the edge of your seat."
Score: 4.8
Nicholas Quah • Vulture • Apr 6, 2023
" Violation takes quite a bit of time getting to the heart of its project. ... and nods toward why it’s attained a sheen of sensationalism But it becomes rapidly apparent that Violation is interested in a specific aspect of the story, which is the unusual complications surrounding Jacob Wideman’s possibility for parole."
