Introducing - Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands

Twenty-two-year-old Elma Sands is found murdered in a Manhattan well on January 2nd, 1800. Her lover, wealthy and well-connected Levi Weeks, is accused of the barbaric offense. Weeks brings in the nation’s best legal defense team – none other than Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr – to clear his name while a pandemic-stricken New York City buzzes with scandal. This six-episode true story unfolds over the unbelievable two-day trial that laid the sexist roots of today’s justice system. Through flashbacks & testimony recreated in modernized language and narrated by Allison Flom, Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands investigates history’s chronic erasure of women and highlights the toils of Catherine Ring, a 27-year-old Quaker woman who took on the nation’s best legal team to preserve her cousin Elma’s name. Starring & Executive Produced by Allison Williams ("Get Out", "Girls") as Catherine Ring, Tony Goldwyn ("Scandal," "Ghost") as Alexander Hamilton, Barry Scheck (Innocence Project Founder) as Aaron Burr, and Jason Flom (Wrongful Conviction) as Judge John Lansing.

Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands is released weekly, starting next Wednesday, October 18th, wherever you get your podcasts. Or, to hear all six episodes right now, ad-free, subscribe to Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts.

Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're number one.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
How do you find a defendant? A brand new historical
true crime podcast. Her name was Julie Elma that everyone
called her Alma. Elma Sands was twenty two when she
was murdered in New York City.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
It's a shame.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Your entire case rests on a twenty seven year.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Old woman called It's a shame your case rests on
proximity to money and power Hamilton.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Her body was found discarded in the Manhattan Well on
the second of January eighteen hundred for.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
The brutal beating and felonious murder of Julie Helma Sands.
The prisoner, Levi Waits fleets not guilty.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Even with defense lawyers Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr on
the case. This is probably the most famous trial you've
never heard of. I'm Alison Flohm, and this is erased
the murder of Elma Sans. Everybody liked her.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
She was a sweet, happy, virtuous girl until she met
that man and right there.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Filling in the gaps from the court records, I've reconstructed
the story with actors. I love to share it with you.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Can we make this simpler? I don't need anything simplified,
mister Hamilton, thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Maybe you can figure out why. Two hundred and twenty
three years later, we have a justice system built on
Elma's story, but nobody knows her name. Gentlemen of the jury,
the real attorneys will take it from here. Is it possible?
So we're standing by for your answer when you lay
suffering a sudden, violent, brutal death. Starring and executive produced

(01:37):
by Alison Williams, I hope you'll think of me with
Tony Goldwyn as Alexander Hamilton. Don't be so sad, Catherine,
it doesn't suit you, and Barry Sheck as Aaron Burr.
The law is whatever we say. It is written and
created by me, Alison Flap Elma was found dead in
the well. How did you know? From Lava for Good Podcasts,

(02:02):
Thank you for your service, gentlemen. Erased the Murder of
Elma sans starting on October eighteenth on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, and to
hear every episode right now with no ads, subscribe to
Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts