FRAMED: An Investigative Story

Epizode

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  Bonus Episode 4 with Jason Usry from Santa Maybe A Criminal 27.08.2026 43min

  Jason Usry joins me to discuss the commutation hearing from 2010 as well as the evidence that works against Temujin Kensu ever having his sentence commuted or his conviction reversed.  Website: FramedPod.com Instagram: @FramedPod YouTube:  Framed: An Investigative Story - YouTube
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  Three Sides To Every Story 24.08.2026 36min

  The anguish over the lost habeas petition wasn't the only difficulty that Temujin Kensu and his supporters would face in the fall of 2010. A month before the decision, he stood before the Michigan State Parole Board, hoping to have his sentence commuted and ultimately win his freedom. But as the board peppered him with questions designed to assess his readiness for release, Kensu seemed to be his own worst enemy. And when multiple witnesses stepped forward to strenuously oppose his freedom, the weight of their testimony once again crushed his hopes of walking beyond the prison walls. Despite this considerable and rather alarming oppositional testimony, many influential advocacy organizations and powerful supporters remained steadfast in their belief in Kensu's innocence, sustaining their efforts in the hope of reversing what they considered his wrongful conviction. But were his advocates engaging in a righteous battle to correct a grave injustice, or were they instead unwitting pawns in a masterfully orchestrated deception? Framedpod.com
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  Hope, Heartbreak, and Happiness 17.08.2026 30min

  As we learned in the last episode, Temujin Kensu – formerly Fred Freeman, was now serving life without the possibility of parole in the Michigan prison system. Having been convicted of the crime of first-degree murder in the shotgun death of college student Scott Macklem, the jury had recommended the maximum penalty allowable in the state of Michigan. But true to his rebellious nature, Kensu would not settle silently into life behind bars. Kensu began educating himself in - among other subjects - legal matters. He had also garnered support and assistance from some enormously powerful organizations and individuals who believed him to be innocent of the crime for which he had been sentenced to life in prison. Would his efforts - and those of his many supporters - be rewarded, or would he be constantly frustrated in his attempts to win his freedom? Framedpod.com
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  Bonus Episode 3 with Robin from The Trail Went Cold 13.08.2026 55min

  Robin from The Trail Went Cold joins me to discuss how the defense attacked the prosecution's theory, their witnesses as well as how the public perceives a defendant with skeletons in their closet.
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  The Jury's Decision 10.08.2026 37min

  On May 15, 1987, twelve jurors were charged with determining the guilt or innocence of Frederick Freeman in the first-degree murder of Scott A. Macklem. The State's theory relied upon the jury believing that Freeman, 23, was a violent, manipulative, self-proclaimed ninja warrior who was consumed by jealousy and rage. With an unrelenting need to control his former girlfriend by any means necessary, the prosecution maintained, Fred deliberately ambushed and executed his unsuspecting victim as he arrived on the campus. The State had presented 30 witnesses – several of them eyewitnesses who placed Freeman near the scene – to support their theory. However, the defense countered that this was pure fantasy, and that Freeman was actually 436 miles away in Escanaba at the time of the murder – and they were able to provide a series of equally credible eyewitnesses to prove it. After nearly three weeks of harrowing, emotional testimony on both sides, it was now up to the jury to reach a conclusion – would Freeman walk out of the courtroom as a truly free man, or would he spend the remainder of his life in prison? Framedpod.com
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  In Defense Of A Ninja 03.08.2026 43min

  Over the last few weeks, a St. Clair jury had been introduced to a variety of alleged eyewitnesses to the crime, and listened to damaging - but sometimes conflicting - accounts of the events of the morning of November 5th, 1986. Additionally, they had heard key testimony as to the defendant's character – primarily from the victim's fiancée, Crystal Merrill, who had briefly dated Fred. Her scathing portrayal of Freeman as a manipulative and abusive individual – who, according to her testimony, claimed to be a Ninja warrior in a secret organization. The prosecution's case also featured the testimony of Phillip Joplin, a career criminal who contended that Freeman had nonchalantly confessed to the murder to him while the two were being held for a couple of hours in the same cell. But now it was the defense's turn, and they had strong eyewitnesses of their own to present. Could a parade of purportedly unbiased individuals – several who, frankly, didn't even particularly care for Fred Freeman – counteract the impact of the prosecution's case? Website & Socials: Framedpod.com | @FramedPod
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  Bonus Episode 2 with Brett from The Prosecutors 30.07.2026 49min

  Brett from The Prosecutors podcast discusses the prosecution of Frederick Freeman, conflicts of interest, admission of evidence, and witnesses. Web and Socials:      FramedPod.com    |   @FramedPod
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  The Prosecutor's Story 27.07.2026 46min

  Frederick Freeman was sitting in St. Clair County Jail pending his April 1987 trial. He was facing first-degree murder charges in the death of St. Clair Community College student Scott Macklem, a member of a prominent Croswell, MI family. The motive for the killing seemed improbably thin; Port Huron police asserted that Freeman had shot the young man out of jealousy, based on his brief, two-month relationship with Macklem's fiancée, Crystal Merrill. The real hurdle was the fact that Freeman was seen 436 miles away right about the time of the shooting. Combined with the fact that no credible evidence of Fred's guilt could be found, the case should have been quite difficult to prove. However, the prosecution had a novel approach to presenting their case, and a truly imaginative theory of how a cash-strapped, 23-year-old who sometimes landed on the wrong side of the law could have accomplished what seemed to be impossible... Framedpod.com
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  Capturing A Shadow 20.07.2026 41min

  The shocking murder of St. Clair Community College student Scott Macklem cried out for justice, and the State of Michigan was determined to hold someone accountable for the crime – even in the face of a seemingly airtight alibi. But considering the methods and theories used to achieve that goal, we must question whether justice can possibly be served when a case relies heavily on conjecture, supposition, wild theories, faulty hypnosis, and unreliable witnesses. To understand the present, we must disassemble the past and learn how we arrived where we are today… Framedpod.com
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  Bonus Episode 1 with Julia Cowley from The Consult 16.07.2026 1h 6min

  Julia Cowley of The Consult podcast joins me to discuss the first two episodes of this season. With her significant training and experience with the FBI, Julia talks about the evidence and the behaviors exhibited by the perpetrator as well as by the prime suspect in the case. Website: Framedpod.com Social media: @FramedPod
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  Enter The Ninja 13.07.2026 34min

  In the previous episode, we learned of the brutal November 5, 1986, murder of well-regarded St. Clair Community College student Scott Macklem. The Port Huron Police Department, who began their investigation moments after their arrival at the campus parking lot, interviewed several people present at the crime scene that morning. Evidence was scant, and pressure to solve the crime was enormous, as the victim was the son of a beloved and politically influential local family. 1986 was also an election year, further adding to the burden of obtaining justice. Additionally, Scott left behind a young fiancée who was pregnant with the couple's first child. The stakes could not be higher, and law enforcement was determined that the young man's killer would swiftly be brought to justice. Framedpod.com
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  The Murder Of Scott Macklem 13.07.2026 36min

  When a shotgun blast rang out on a frigid November morning on the campus of St. Clair Community College in Port Huron, MI, students within earshot assumed it was a firecracker or a car backfiring, or perhaps even a tire had blown out. But the truth was that a young college student named Scott Macklem had been pitilessly executed. Police settled quickly on a single suspect; a brash young man who was leading a somewhat alternative lifestyle. Framedpod.com
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  12 - Addendum - Missing Pieces 20.01.2023 38min

  In season two of Framed, we attempted to piece together exactly what happened in the Buddhist Temple Massacre at Wat Promkunaram. The end result of our research efforts produced, what we hope, is the clearest picture of what happened to the nine victims of Arizona's deadliest mass shooting. In spite of our efforts, there were still a few questions we were unable to answer in Season 2. So, the Framed Team kept digging, looking for those missing puzzle pieces. And, what we found has the potential to change the narrative that surrounds this case. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  11 - Where There's Smoke – Part 2 06.01.2021 1h 35min

  The Framed Team has assembled the pieces to this jigsaw puzzle in a way that no one ever has, to reveal a picture no one's ever seen. To the question, what exactly happened inside the Wat Promkunaram temple on a warm summer night in 1991… we have an answer, and we think we can prove it See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  10 - Where There's Smoke – Part 1 06.01.2021 52min

  The Framed Team has assembled the pieces to this jigsaw puzzle in a way that no one ever has, to reveal a picture no one's ever seen. To the question, what exactly happened inside the Wat Promkunaram temple on a warm summer night in 1991… we have an answer, and we think we can prove it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  9 - Veredictum 06.01.2021 1h 6min

  The rules that govern what evidence is admissible and what is inadmissible can be complicated. Often times our common sense understanding of what a relevant fact is doesn't line up with what the law allows jurors to hear. The gap between the two views can be vast. In this case, the evidence the jury used to reach their verdict was remarkably different than the evidence we've covered so far. On this episode of Framed, we're going to explore why. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  8 - Snitches 06.01.2021 57min

  The task force interviewed every single person that spent time with their three juvenile suspects. Literally hundreds of inmates were interviewed and, by our count, at least forty of them provided relevant information to the task force. We aren't going to go over every single statement from every single snitch, but we will go through enough of them to help you see the bigger picture. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  7 - House on the Hill 06.01.2021 46min

  On this episode of Framed, we're going to focus on our material fact witnesses. The girlfriends, and ex-girlfriends. The close confidants, the classmates, the acquaintances, and the rivals. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  6 - After Midnight 06.01.2021 51min

  On this episode we're going to focus on those individuals who fall somewhere between witnesses and suspects; a group often referred to by law enforcement as "persons-of-interest." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  5 - No Witnesses 06.01.2021 1h 9min

  "It's time to give it up. I want you to start telling me what happened on August 9th, what your involvement was, and who all was there at the Temple. Let's just get this out and get it over with." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.