TSP #115 - RJ and the Dorkus: Who Is Helping Former SC Legislator RJ May In His Child Sex Crime Case?

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell weren’t surprised to learn last week that former South Carolina Rep. RJ May has asked to be his own lawyer. May — who faces 10 federal charges of distributing child sexual abuse materials — is that kind of guy. Just ask his father, whose post-arrest advice to May was “Humility, Robert John. You’ve got to have humility in all this.”  But is RJ May truly representing himself? Or is he getting behind-the-scenes help from friends?  On today’s episode, Mandy and Liz share RJ May’s texts and phone calls from Edgefield County Detention Center, and piece together why they think RJ fired his public defense team in favor of his own skills … as a non-lawyer.  Are the same people who stood by RJ after the raid on his house still standing by him now? PLUS!!!  Inspired by shocking actual events... Murdaugh: Death in the Family Premieres October 15th on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+!!! And We Are HERE FOR IT! You thought you knew the story. Now, step inside the family. Murdaugh Murders Podcast and True Sunlight creator Mandy Matney is an Executive Producer for this eight-episode Hulu limited series—honoring victims while unfolding the emotional truth behind the headlines. We’re sharing the new trailer for Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family at the top of the episode!! 🎥So much to cover, so let’s dive in! 🥽🦈 Episode References Please consider supporting Amy Lacy's GoFundMe ❤️ Trailer for Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family is here!! 🎥 Give Murdaugh: Death in the Family a follow on Instagram and TikTok ⬅️ “Our View: S.C. Freedom Caucus isn’t ‘conservative’” - Charleston City Paper, May 24, 2024 📰 SC House Bill 3868 History of Legislative Actions ⚖️ SC Freedom Caucus Press Release on New Leadership - Aug 21, 2024 📰 “Ex-SC Rep. RJ May to represent himself in federal trial over child sexual abuse material” - WIS10, Sept 4, 2025 📰 Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Learn more about Premium Membership at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunashark.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get bonus episodes like our Premium Dives, Corruption Watchlist, Girl Talk, and Soundbites that help you Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight Here's a link to some of our favorite things: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4cJ0eVn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *** ALERT: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[e-mail]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! *** For current & accurate updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunashark.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/mandy_matney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   |   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/elizfarrell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bsky.app/profile/elizfarrell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TrueSunlight.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/TrueSunlightPodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices