What does it mean to be a victim, or a villain? What happens when the line between the two starts to blur? On 7th July 2010, Kelly Harnett says her abusive boyfriend murdered a man right in front of her. So how did she end up in prison for it? Anna Sinfield - the journalist behind the global number 1 podcast, The Girlfriends, returns with her toughest story yet. This series isn’t a whodunnit. It’s not even really about what happened. It’s about how a woman who was a victim of domestic violence became a villain in the eyes of the law. Found guilty of murder and locked up for over a decade; Kelly Harnett taught herself the law. And as she battled to overturn her conviction, she became a beacon of hope, fighting for the freedom of the abused women locked up alongside her.
Listen here and subscribe to The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Transcript
When I got to the station, they asked me what
I knew about the murderer in the park, and do
you mind telling me how your shoelace got around the
victim's neck.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
This is Kelly Harnett. Fifteen years ago, she was arrested
for murder, a murder she says she didn't commit.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I'm one hundred percent innocent.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Kelly says it was her violent ex boyfriend who committed
the murder.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I saw him put the shoelace around the man's neck,
So now I really she really is going to kill.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
This man, and that she is just another victim.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It was like Kelly was his possession. I think she
was afraid to walk away from him. I'm scared to death.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
But police don't believe Kelly. So she goes to trial.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
All of this way, are you going to go home?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
But unfortunately that's not what happened.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
She says she had been found guilty.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Like how how is that possible?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
That's what I'm hoping to find out. I'm Anisonfield and
this is the girlfriend's gelhouse lawyer. This show isn't about
who'd done it. It's not even really about what happened.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Whether you think I'm guilty or not. It has no meaning.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
It's about how it happened, about how a woman who
was a victim of the most horrific domestic abuse became
a villain in the eyes of the law and served
twelve years in prison. As the journalist and producer behind
The Girlfriends, I've interviewed so many women throughout my career,
but Kelly Hannett is the most complicated one I've ever met.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
All of your stories.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Seen of shocking and like they're almost.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Sometimes hard to believe.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
It's hard to believe that.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yes, there's been a lot of insane stories.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I agree, Kelly's story is the toughest I've ever reported.
It's going to challenge your understanding of what it means
to be a victim.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
You have to think of the domestic violence aspect and
not the truth finding aspect.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
I'm trying to figure out, how the hell am I
going to get out of this one?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Well, I live to see the next minute.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Who's the victim?
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I think everybody's the victim. Yeah, like they're all the victim.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
This story will even challenge your understanding of justice itself.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
This is the justice system in God we trust, No
you know there is no god there.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
What do you want my blood? That's what everyone would
have preferred, a dead girl in the park.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
But don't worry, girlfriends, because along the way, I'm going
to introduce you to an incredible cast of women.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Our sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
We called ourselves the Showties.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You shore it, women who've been through hell and back again.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I said, were you a victim of domestic violence? And
she was like, yeah, my father was drunk and trying
to kill me. I ended up killing him. He came
up behind me and put me in a Oh man,
it was an awful chocoal.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Next thing I know, I was being arrested for a
murder and a first degree Women who have somehow managed
to find strength in each other.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
As terrible as an experience is, in order to survive it,
We're going to find lightness and everything.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
And in the center of all of this is Kelly Hannett,
in her many complicated multitudes, a woman who went to
prison on a murder conviction.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I said, what do you want me to do? I
was found guilty. She goes ah guilty smelty, who.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Ended up finding that the law would be the greatest
love of her life.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I said, how many people have gotten other incarcerated individuals
out of here.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
He goes, like, you mean other inmates.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Nobody's ever done that. I said, I'm going to be
the first one to do that.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Is Kelly fought back not just for her own freedom,
but for her girlfriends too.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
She said, Kelly, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't
be walking out of these doors. Know they say they're
supposed to have your faith in God, but I had
nothing but faith in her.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I think I have a mission from God.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
I think I was put here to save souls by
getting people out of prison.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
You're a very unique person, Kelly.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
I take that as a compliment. It's a compliment. It
is a compliment for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
The girlfriends gel House Lawyer with me Annasonfield. Listen on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
I just hope listeners can open up their hearts and
give me the chance because I've faced too much injustice already.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Please please just be fair with me.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.