Jerry Wayne Conner: In 1991, a jury found Jerry Wayne Conner guilt of killing two people in a convenience store in Gates County. He was sentenced to death by two different juries, but attorneys for Conner appealed to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals after it was revealed that one of the members on the second sentencing jury, Helene Knight, was a reporter who had covered the first trial. On Tuesday, the death penalty was reinstated by a 2-1 vote of the 4th Circuit. Host Melinda Penkava speaks with defense attorney Mark Kleinschmidt aboout the case, as well as Phil Meyer, professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (12:00)
“Midnight Assassin”: Host Melinda Penkava speaks with Patricia Bryan and Thomas Wolf, authors of “Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America’s Heartland” (Algonguin Books/2005). The husband-wife team from Chapel Hill tell the story of Margaret Hossack, an Iowa farm-wife who murdered her husband 105 years ago in Iowa. (20:00)
Poverty Letters: Host Melinda Penkava reads some of the listener letters from our series North Carolina Voices: Understanding Poverty.
Carolina Blues Festival: Host Melinda Penkava speaks with blues man John Dee Holman. Holman will perform at the 19th Annual Carolina Blues Festival on Saturday, May 7th in Greensboro.