Serial Serial

The Last 12 Weeks - Ep. 1

Jun 18, 2026 · 41m

Summary

In this episode of *The Last 12 Weeks*, journalist Maurice Schama follows defense attorney Greg Warchuk as he races to stop the execution of David Wood, a Texas serial killer. Warchuk argues that Wood’s conviction relied on fabricated jailhouse informant testimony and untested DNA evidence. The team attempts to persuade the new El Paso District Attorney to intervene, but faces rejection and skepticism from local media, highlighting the immense difficulty of overturning a decades-old death penalty case.

Topics discussed

Introduction: The Fix and mob-style regime George Hall's confession and the jailhouse informant scandal Maurice Schechter joins Greg Warchuk's defense team Sponsor: The New York Times The Desert Killer case: Investigation and evidence Meeting with incoming DA James Montoya Pitching the case to journalist Stephanie Valle The lost interview and Stephanie's new job Final weeks before execution and credits
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