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| S-Town subject faces trial: 'Sometimes I regret speaking into that microphone' | S-Town subject faces trial: 'Sometimes I regret speaking into that microphone' |
| (11 days later) | |
| The wildly popular S-Town podcast entranced listeners and ignited controversy earlier this year with its mesmerising portrayal of the residents of small-town Alabama. But for one man featured in the story of John B McLemore, it has had a more serious impact. | The wildly popular S-Town podcast entranced listeners and ignited controversy earlier this year with its mesmerising portrayal of the residents of small-town Alabama. But for one man featured in the story of John B McLemore, it has had a more serious impact. |
| Tyler Goodson – a neighbor and close friend to the antique watch repairer whose life and death were the focus of the show – is set to face trial on Monday for burglary, his arrest having featured on the podcast when McLemore’s cousins accused him of stealing from their relative’s property. | Tyler Goodson – a neighbor and close friend to the antique watch repairer whose life and death were the focus of the show – is set to face trial on Monday for burglary, his arrest having featured on the podcast when McLemore’s cousins accused him of stealing from their relative’s property. |
| The prosecutor in Goodson’s case doubled the number of charges against him after listening to the podcast, and tried to use some of his quotes in the show to keep him locked in jail when he was out on bond. | The prosecutor in Goodson’s case doubled the number of charges against him after listening to the podcast, and tried to use some of his quotes in the show to keep him locked in jail when he was out on bond. |
| “It’s caused a lot of stress in my life, and my life’s been pretty stressful as it is,” Goodson told WVTM-13, a central Alabama news station, earlier this year. “Hasn’t really helped much. Sometimes I regret ever speaking into that microphone because I was probably upset, or wasn’t thinking clearly.” | “It’s caused a lot of stress in my life, and my life’s been pretty stressful as it is,” Goodson told WVTM-13, a central Alabama news station, earlier this year. “Hasn’t really helped much. Sometimes I regret ever speaking into that microphone because I was probably upset, or wasn’t thinking clearly.” |
| He added: “I’m no criminal. I’m not the thief. But we’ll see what happens.” | He added: “I’m no criminal. I’m not the thief. But we’ll see what happens.” |
| S-Town was a podcast series released in March this year created by producers from the celebrated public radio show This American Life. The seven-episode series begins with host Brian Reed traveling to Woodstock, Alabama, to investigate a supposed murder on a tip from the colorful and eccentric McLemore, who refers to Woodstock throughout as “Shit-town”. | S-Town was a podcast series released in March this year created by producers from the celebrated public radio show This American Life. The seven-episode series begins with host Brian Reed traveling to Woodstock, Alabama, to investigate a supposed murder on a tip from the colorful and eccentric McLemore, who refers to Woodstock throughout as “Shit-town”. |
| Reed soon finds that there was no murder, and the series gradually transmutes into an audio biography of the life of McLemore and a novelistic portrait of Woodstock and surrounding Bibb County. | Reed soon finds that there was no murder, and the series gradually transmutes into an audio biography of the life of McLemore and a novelistic portrait of Woodstock and surrounding Bibb County. |
| The series was downloaded millions of times, led to debates over journalistic ethics, and thrust Woodstock into the national spotlight, with reporters from around the world descending on the small Alabama town. When the Guardian visited in April, locals’ only objection to Reed’s portrayal seemed to be his habit of confusing Woodstock with the nearby towns of Centreville and Bessemer. | The series was downloaded millions of times, led to debates over journalistic ethics, and thrust Woodstock into the national spotlight, with reporters from around the world descending on the small Alabama town. When the Guardian visited in April, locals’ only objection to Reed’s portrayal seemed to be his habit of confusing Woodstock with the nearby towns of Centreville and Bessemer. |
| The podcast series remains ranked at No 15 on Apple’s top podcast charts at the time of publishing. | The podcast series remains ranked at No 15 on Apple’s top podcast charts at the time of publishing. |
| Reed documents the bitter dispute between Goodson and McLemore’s cousin Reta Lawrence following McLemore’s suicide. Goodson is accused of stealing property from the watchmaker’s house after his death. | Reed documents the bitter dispute between Goodson and McLemore’s cousin Reta Lawrence following McLemore’s suicide. Goodson is accused of stealing property from the watchmaker’s house after his death. |
| Goodson does not dispute the fact that he took items from McLemore’s property, including two school buses, an 18-wheeler trailer, and a number of tools, despite police telling him not to enter the property, but he says that McLemore would have wanted him to have them. McLemore can be heard on S-Town saying that he intended to leave something for 26-year old Goodson and his family. | Goodson does not dispute the fact that he took items from McLemore’s property, including two school buses, an 18-wheeler trailer, and a number of tools, despite police telling him not to enter the property, but he says that McLemore would have wanted him to have them. McLemore can be heard on S-Town saying that he intended to leave something for 26-year old Goodson and his family. |
| Reed was not available for comment on the case. | Reed was not available for comment on the case. |
| The relationship between McLemore and Goodson is a core theme of the show. The younger man had worked on McLemore’s property and helped take care of McLemore’s mother, Mary Grace. | The relationship between McLemore and Goodson is a core theme of the show. The younger man had worked on McLemore’s property and helped take care of McLemore’s mother, Mary Grace. |
| McLemore did not leave a will and his mother, who had dementia, was taken into custody by his next of kin, Lawrence. | McLemore did not leave a will and his mother, who had dementia, was taken into custody by his next of kin, Lawrence. |
| Bryan Jones, the prosecutor, told the Tuscaloosa News of Goodson: “In the podcast, he basically admits to the trespass and the burglaries and the thefts.” | Bryan Jones, the prosecutor, told the Tuscaloosa News of Goodson: “In the podcast, he basically admits to the trespass and the burglaries and the thefts.” |
| After his arrest in 2015, Goodson was freed on bond, but after another arrest for shooting his brother’s dog in April this year, Jones invoked the podcast in an unsuccessful attempt to have Goodson thrown back in jail. He cited a clip in which Goodson tells Reed he wanted to cut the finger off a man who had allegedly stolen from him. Goodson has yet to stand trial in that case. | After his arrest in 2015, Goodson was freed on bond, but after another arrest for shooting his brother’s dog in April this year, Jones invoked the podcast in an unsuccessful attempt to have Goodson thrown back in jail. He cited a clip in which Goodson tells Reed he wanted to cut the finger off a man who had allegedly stolen from him. Goodson has yet to stand trial in that case. |
| The Tuscaloosa News reported that Goodson’s attorneys, JD Terry and Cedrick Coleman, tried to have the trial moved to a neighboring county as the jury in Bibb County would likely be influenced by the podcast, but the judge refused. | The Tuscaloosa News reported that Goodson’s attorneys, JD Terry and Cedrick Coleman, tried to have the trial moved to a neighboring county as the jury in Bibb County would likely be influenced by the podcast, but the judge refused. |
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