Breakdown

Breakdown

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's award-winning podcast "Breakdown," tells deeply human stories about the Georgia justice system. Season 11 explores how a young military couple found themselves at the center of something neither expected. Something terrible. Something… criminal.

Episodes

May 23, 2020 59 mins
In this special episode of Breakdown, AJC reporter Joshua Sharpe decided to take a close look at a 35-year-old double murder case. An African-American couple was shot and killed inside Rising Daughter Baptist Church in Camden County, Ga. Dennis Perry was convicted of the killings and has been in prison for 20 years for them. What Sharpe found out is stunning. And we’re going to let him tell you about it, from beginning to end. In t...
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In their 20s and in love, Georgia military couple Ashley and Albert Debelbot are overjoyed to welcome their baby girl, McKenzy. After a 15-hour labor, she arrives. The couple take her home and settle in for the night only to be awakened by a disturbing sound. Ashley and Albert then make a startling discovery…kicking off a series of events that will turn into a living nightmare. Season 11 of Breakdown premieres July 21st. Learn more...
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July 11, 2025 32 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast looks at the elections of two of the most prominent players in the racketeering conspiracy case against former President Donald Trump. District Attorney Fani Willis faces a challenge in the Democratic primary and Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is being challenged in a non-partisan race to be decided on May 21.  Episode 41 – “Goodbye For Now” – also t...
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July 11, 2025 23 mins
The latest episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast focuses on a First Amendment challenge by former President Donald Trump’s lead attorney. Lawyer Steve Sadow argues at a hearing that Trump should not be prosecuted for core political speech. Fulton County prosecutor Donald Wakeford counters that the former president is not being prosecuted just for what he said, but for engaging in a pattern of criminal cond...
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July 11, 2025 32 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast focuses on the presidential immunity arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. How the nation’s highest court decides the issue – whether former President Donald Trump has absolute immunity from prosecution – directly impacts the election interference case brought against him in Fulton County. Episode 39 – “The Case is Submitted” – of Breakdown’s Season ...
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July 11, 2025 21 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast explores the ramifications of the Georgia Court of Appeals decision to hear the defense’s challenge to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case. About six weeks after being asked to decide the issue, the appeals court said it would take it up. This almost certainly means yet another lengthy delay to the election interference ...
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July 11, 2025 44 mins
The lawyer who filed the motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sits for an interview for Breakdown. Attorney Ashleigh Merchant explains her motivations for filing the motion and gives her reactions to Willis’ surprise testimony at the evidentiary hearing. Episode 36 – “Merchant Speaks Out” – is the most recent installment of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakd...
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July 11, 2025 31 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast answers several questions from listeners. A possible trial date, the ongoing appeal and a potential replacement for former special prosecutor Nathan Wade are among the topics of discussion. Episode 37 – “Your Burning Questions” – of Breakdown’s Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – also considers the presidential immunity claims being pursued in Washingt...
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Breakdown’s last episode covered the highlights of the closing arguments made by the defense and prosecution as to why Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should or should not be removed from the election interference case. In Episode 34 – “The Cases for Keeping or Disqualifying” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast lets two legal experts – Norm Eisen and Andrew Fleischman -- give their own closings as to ...
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July 11, 2025 23 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast covers Judge Scott McAfee’s decision as to whether District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the election interference case. McAfee, in a 23-page order, didn’t decide the issue. Instead, the judge left it up to the district attorney to decide which course to take. And McAfee had a harsh assessment of Willis’ and special prosecutor Nathan...
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The barricades around the Fulton County courthouse are up. Intersections are blocked off and officials in Atlanta have been warned to get ready. For more than a year, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and its award-winning podcast Breakdown closely followed the special grand jury that accumulated evidence against former president Donald Trump and his allies for what happened in Georgia follow the 2020 election. Breakdown will turn a...
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July 11, 2025 42 mins
The first episode of the new season of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast will catch listeners up on how Fulton County prosecutors have accumulated evidence against Donald Trump and his allies. ‘How We Got Here’ of Breakdown’s Season 10 – ‘The Trump Indictment’ – also looks ahead as to what kind of indictment a seated grand jury could hand up in the days ahead. It is widely expected that District Attorney Fani Wil...
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July 11, 2025 23 mins
At the end of a very long day, a Fulton County grand jury returned a 97-page, 41-count indictment against former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies.   Episode 2 – “The Enterprise” – of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast takes a look at the sweeping racketeering indictment and who is charged.   Some of the defendants are extremely well known, such as a former mayor of ...
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July 11, 2025 35 mins
The third episode of this season’s Breakdown podcast by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution examines the chaotic aftermath of the sweeping racketeering indictment against former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants.   AJC journalists Bill Rankin, Tamar Hallerman, and Shannon McCaffrey explore one attempt — and at least two others that are expected — to move the case from Fulton Superior Court to the U.S. District Court just...
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July 11, 2025 42 mins
The fourth episode of this season’s Breakdown podcast by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recounts a busy week where lawyers met with prosecutors to get bonds for their clients, including a $200,000 bond for former President Donald Trump. “Show Time at Rice Street” of Breakdown’s Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – also covers one of the 19 defendants charged in the racketeering case after another surrendering at the Fulton Count...
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July 11, 2025 29 mins
The latest episode of Breakdown from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recaps former President Donald Trump’s historic surrender at the Fulton County jail. “Trump Surrenders” of Breakdown’s Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – also recounts a flurry of breaking news in just the past few days: the spectacle of Rudy Giuliani’s surrender, Trump gets a new lawyer, a speedy trial demand is made and District Attorney Fani Willis proposes...
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July 11, 2025 38 mins
The sixth episode of Breakdown’s current season by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recaps former chief of staff Mark Meadows’ attempt to transfer the sweeping racketeering case to U.S. District Court in Atlanta.   During a daylong hearing, Meadows was the first witness called to the stand. He testified for four hours, including a lengthy cross-examination by special Fulton County prosecutor Anna Cross.   “Meadows’ Gambit” of Break...
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July 11, 2025 36 mins
The latest episode of Breakdown’s current season by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contains an exclusive interview with the lawyers for Kenneth Chesebro, one of the 19 defendants charged in the Fulton County racketeering case. Atlanta attorneys Scott Grubman and Manny Arora make state their case as to why they believe charges should not have been brought against their client. Chesebro, a lawyer, has been described as the archite...
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July 11, 2025 39 mins
The eighth episode of Breakdown’s current season by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution digs into the long-awaited report from Fulton County's special purpose grand jury, which spent eight months investigating Donald Trump and his allies.   Learn about the 39 people who the the special grand jurors recommended face criminal charges - including one current and two former U.S. senators - and why some of them ultimately didn't end up in ...
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July 11, 2025 28 mins
The latest Breakdown episode examines a federal judge’s ruling denying former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ bid to remove his case to U.S. District Court in Atlanta. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones released his 49-page order late Friday afternoon, and his findings could be bad news for former President Donald Trump, whose lawyers have said they will also seek to move his case out of Fulton County Superior Court. “Meadows...
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