Episodes

What happens when a media narrative, cognitive bias, a legal structure, and a single prosecutor all fail in the same direction at the same time? In this episode, forensic psychologist Melissa Deadrich breaks down the Meredith Kercher case — not as a celebrity true crime story, but as a case study in how systems collapse together and real people absorb the damage. Topics covered: How a nickname became one of the most powerful framing devices in modern true crime Attribution error and confirmation...

Before diving into specific criminal cases, host Melissa Deadrich sets the stage by turning the lens on the true crime genre itself — examining why we're so drawn to these stories, how media framing shapes what we believe, and what biases we bring to every case we consume. In this episode: Why true crime has become a cultural phenomenon — not just something we watch, but something we actively participate in The psychological roots of our fascination: threat detection, morbid curiosity, and the n...

Welcome to Mind. Motive. Media. What shapes the story of a criminal case? The evidence? The courtroom? Or the media? In this trailer, host Melissa Deadrich — a forensic psychology graduate — introduces the show's core premise: that every criminal case generates two stories, and the gap between them is where the most important questions live. Mind. Motive. Media. examines the psychology behind true crime coverage, the legal distinctions that get lost in the narrative, and the cases that deserve a...