December 2, 2025 • 20 mins
Reid Carter covers three celebrity legal battles making headlines. Michael Jordan arrived at federal court Monday as his antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR began - leaked communications reveal executives called Hall of Fame owners "stupid rednecks" who should be "flogged." Luigi Mangione watched surveillance footage of himself killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as his defense fights to suppress the gun and manifesto that could seal his fate. Danny Masterson filed 183-page petition claiming his lawyer only contacted two of twenty witnesses - says "That '70s Show" star deserves retrial after being sentenced to thirty years for rape.
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Join our new FB groups page here. Take the poll!
Join the Celebrity Trials community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Celebrity Trials Podcast" on either platform.
You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Reid Carter's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.
But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.
We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Reid's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Callaroga Shark Media, Good morning, I'm reed Carter. Tuesday, December two,
twenty twenty five. Three celebrity legal battles moving through the
system today. Let me tell you where we are. Charlotte,
North Carolina. Michael Jordan walked into federal court yesterday for
(00:24):
a trial that could dismantle NASCAR. His racing team, twenty
three to eleven, is suing the France Family Empire under
antitrust law. Claims NASCAR is a monopoly that squeezes teams dry,
while executives mock Hall of Fame owners as stupid rednecks
who should be taken out back and flogged. Discovery documents
exposed everyone's dirty laundry. Jordan was asked if he could
(00:48):
believe the case made it to trial. His response, nope.
Manhattan Luigi Mangione sat stoically in court as prosecutors played
surveillance footage of him gunning down United health Care CEO
Brian Thompson on a December sidewalk, then the McDonald's footage
his arrest five days later. His defense wants the gun
(01:09):
and his manifesto thrown out. Says police searched his backpack
without a warrant. This hearing could determine whether the alleged
assassin faces a murder trial with all the evidence or
a prosecution missing its most damaging pieces. And California Danny
Masterson filed a one hundred eighty three page petition claiming
(01:29):
his trial lawyer botched his rape case. Says counsel spoke
to only two of twenty potential witnesses, failed to counter
prosecution claims about scientology, intimidation, that seventies show star is
serving thirty years to life wants a new trial where
the jury can hear his side. I'm Red Carter today,
(01:50):
a basketball legend versus America's biggest racing series, a suspected
assassin watching his own kill tape, and a convicted rapist
blaming his lawyer. This is celebrity trials. Michael Jordan walked
into the Western District of North Carolina Courthouse in Charlotte
(02:11):
yesterday morning, sixty two years old, six time NBA champion,
billionaire North Carolina native who led the tar Heels to
a national championship, once owned the Charlotte Hornets. Now he's
trying to burn NASCAR to the ground. Jordan owns twenty
three to eleven racing alongside Denny Hamlin, who just watched
another Cup Series championship slip through his fingers less than
(02:33):
a month ago. They're joined by front Row Motorsports, owned
by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins. Together, these two teams are accusing
NASCAR of operating an illegal monopoly that violates federal antitrust law.
The France family has run NASCAR for seventy six years.
Founded it, built, it controls, It owns most of the tracks,
(02:54):
sets the rules, distributes the revenue, decides who gets a
charter and who doesn't. What's a charter. It's NASCAR's version
of a franchise, guarantees your car a spot in every race,
guarantees a payout from the weekly purse. Without a charter,
you're an open team. Maybe you make the field on
qualifying speed, maybe you don't, and even if you do,
(03:16):
your purse is a fraction of what chartered teams receive.
Fifteen teams were negotiating new charter agreements with NASCAR for
over two years. Nobody was happy with the final terms,
but thirteen teams signed anyway. Twenty three to eleven in
front Row refused. They wanted permanent charters not renewable ones
NASCAR can revoke. They wanted a larger percentage of revenues.
(03:40):
They wanted a voice in governance. NASCAR said no, so
Jordan and Jenkins filed suit. Here's what the lawsuit alleges.
NASCAR has exclusivity clauses that prevent teams from competing in
rival series. NASCAR owns most of the tracks on the
Cup schedule, giving them control over where races happen. NASCAR
(04:00):
sets all rules and regulations unilaterally. Teams have no choice
but to accept whatever NASCAR offers because there's no alternative.
That's a monopoly. The pre trial discovery process has been brutal.
Both sides had their dirty laundry exposed in documents that
were never meant to see daylight. Let me paint you
the picture of what NASCAR executives think of their own
(04:22):
Hall of Fame owners. Commissioner Steve Phelps and other NASCAR
leaders were discussing Richard Childress, Hall of Fame team owner,
built his organization from nothing, won six Cup championships with
Dale Earnhardt thirty years of racing excellence. Here's what NASCAR
executives said about him in private communications dinosaur, idiot, stupid, redneck,
(04:47):
said Childress owes his entire fortune to NASCAR and needed
to be taken out back and flogged. Another NASCAR executive
alleged that fans of the sport can't read. Multiple series
leaders discussed killing Tony Stewart's summer short track series SRX
because NASCAR drivers were participating, threatened to have it eliminated
because it competed for attention. This is what the people
(05:10):
running NASCAR think about their own fans and legends. Stupid,
illiterate need to be flogged. But the other side isn't
clean either. The president of twenty three eleven was found
to have said NASCAR Chairman Jim Franz had to die
in order to receive favorable charter terms. Hamlin admitted his
dislike for the France family in written communications. One of
(05:32):
Jordan's advisers said Hamlin wasn't a good business man, and
Jordan himself joked that he loses more money in a
casino than he pays. One of his drivers. Denny Hamlin,
posted on social media this weekend that the gloves will
be off during this two week trial. Said fans have
been brainwashed with NASCAR's talking points for decades. Said lies
(05:54):
are overstarting Monday morning. It's time for the truth. It's
time for change. Strong words from a driver who's never
won a championship despite coming close repeatedly. Maybe this lawsuit
is his legacy play. Maybe he genuinely believes NASCAR is corrupt.
Maybe both. Here's the financial reality exposed by discovery. NASCAR
(06:16):
made over one hundred million dollars in twenty twenty four.
Teams claim the revenue model is not viable. They're spending
more to compete than their receiving in charter payments. Without changes,
team owners argue they can't sustain operations. NASCAR's defense is straightforward.
They haven't violated antitrust law. Everything they've done is normal
(06:37):
business practice. The twenty twenty five charter agreement actually increased payouts.
Teams have the option to compete as open teams if
they don't like charter terms. No one is forcing anyone
to race NASCAR. Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske, the two
most powerful team owners in the United States, filed motions
asking not to testify if they must be deposed. They
(06:58):
want questioning limited to charter only. Both submitted declarations supporting
NASCAR's charter system. They don't want it dismantled. But here's
what NASCAR doesn't highlight. Even the owners who signed the
agreement and submitted declarations admitted the twenty twenty five terms
still fell short of what teams were seeking. They signed
(07:19):
because the alternative was worse, not because they were satisfied.
Judge Kenneth Bell is presiding. If Jordan and Jenkins win,
the jury determines damages, Bell can adjust the figure, even
triple it under antitrust law, then Bell would be charged
with unraveling any monopoly. The jury finds. What could that mean?
(07:39):
Orders for the France family to sell the sport, sell
the tracks they own, dismantle the charter system, make charters permanent.
Anything is possible. If NASCAR wins twenty three to eleven,
and front Row probably don't survive beyond twenty twenty six,
their six charters get sold to other interested parties. The
last charge sold went for forty five million dollars. NASCAR
(08:03):
says private equity firms are already circling. Jordan was asked
Monday if he could believe this case made it to trial.
One word nope, Neither can NASCAR Phelps has said publicly
that the series tried hard to settle. Nobody wanted this
airing in public. The communications, the contempt, the financial details,
all of it now on the record for two weeks
(08:25):
of testimony. Michael Jordan versus the France Family, a basketball
legend trying to reshape motorsports, a seventy six year old
racing empire fighting for survival, and dirty laundry from both
sides hanging in a Charlotte courtroom. Make it make sense.
We'll be right back with Luigi Mangione watching footage of
himself allegedly killing United Healthcare's CEO and Danny Masterson's one
(08:49):
hundred and eighty three page claimed that his lawyer threw
his case. Welcome back to celebrity trials. I'm reed Carter,
Manhattan Supreme Court, Monday morning. Luigi Mangioni, twenty seven years old,
(09:14):
walked into the court room in shackles, gray suit, buttoned
down shirt with a checkered pattern. Court officers removed his
handcuffs so he could take notes. Then prosecutors played the footage.
December fourth, twenty twenty four, six forty five am, Midtown, Manhattan,
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson walking to the Hilton Hotel
(09:36):
Annual Investor Conference scheduled for later that morning. Surveillance camera
captured what happened next. A masked figure approached from behind,
raised a handgun, shot Thompson in the back. Thompson fell.
The shooter fled on a bicycle. Mangioni watched stoically pressed
a finger to his lips, thumbed to his chin, making
(09:58):
a fist around the pen in his right hand. Then
prosecutors played the McDonald's footage five days after the killing Altoona, Pennsylvania,
about two hundred thirty miles west of Manhattan. The video
showed two police officers approaching mangione as he ate breakfast.
He was wearing a beanie and a medical face mask.
A manager had called nine one one because customers thought
(10:20):
he looked like the suspect from the New York shooting.
She'd searched online for photos. Could only see his eyebrows,
but something matched. During the nine to one one call playback,
Mangioni gripped his pen tighter. This pre trial hearing could
last more than a week. Defense lawyers say Manhattan prosecutors
indicated they could call more than two dozen witnesses. The
(10:42):
stakes are enormous. If Mangioni's defense succeeds in suppressing key evidence,
his state murder trial becomes much harder for prosecutors. Here's
what his lawyers want thrown out. The nine millimeter handgun
found in his backpack a notebook prosecutors say contains his manifesto,
his statements to police before he was read his rights.
(11:03):
The notebook is devastating if admitted. Prosecutors say, Mangioni wrote
about his intent to whack a health insurance executive, praise
the unibomber, mused about rebelling against the deadly greed fueled
health insurance cartel, wrote that killing an industry executive conveys
a greedy bastard that had it coming. Mangion's defense argues
(11:26):
the search was unconstitutional. Police opened his backpack without a warrant,
no emergency justified it. He was already in handcuffs. The
backpack was on a table six feet away. Armed officers
separated him from the bag. Body camera footage captured an
officer saying she was checking to make sure there wasn't
a bomb in the bag. Defense lawyers call that an
(11:48):
excuse designed to cover up an illegal warrantless search. Federal
prosecutors fighting a similar suppression motion in that case argue
police were justified in searching the backpack for dangerous items,
that Mangione's statements were voluntary, made before formal arrest. The
law here is complicated when police interact with suspects before
(12:10):
reading miranda rights. When searches happen without warrants, courts have
carved out exceptions. Prosecutors will argue safety justified the search.
Defense will argue handcuffs eliminated any threat. If the gun
gets suppressed, prosecutors lose the alleged murder weapon. If the
notebook gets suppressed, they lose motive evidence. If his statements
(12:32):
get suppressed, they lose his false identification as Mark Rosario,
the same name prosecutors say he used to check into
a Manhattan hostile before the killing. Mangioni has pleaded not
guilty to nine state charges, including murder and stalking. Also
pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Federal prosecutors are seeking
the death penalty. State charges carry life in prison. Neither
(12:56):
trial has been scheduled yet. Next hearing in the federal
case is January ninth, and throughout Monday's proceedings, Mangioni's fan
club watched from the back of the courtroom rows of
supporters wearing green. One woman's T shirt read without a warrant,
it's not a search, it's a violation. Another held a
Luigi video game character doll had a smaller figurine clipped
(13:20):
to her purse. Mangione frequently cast his eyes toward them,
scanning the room taking in the adoration. Last month, Judge
Gregory Carrow threw out a terrorism charge, found insufficient evidence
that the allegations met the state definition of terrorism. Win
for the defense. Mangioni's federal lawyers have argued those charges
(13:41):
should be dismissed entirely, claim the Trump administration made him
a pawn to further its political agenda. Attorney General Pam
Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in April,
calling it part of President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime.
Last month, the federal judge warned Bondi that the Justice
(14:02):
Department would face sanctions if it violated Mangione's right to
a fair trial, suggested DOJ employees may have already done
so Brian Thompson was fifty years old, father of two
from Minnesota, walking to work, shot in the back, no warning,
no trial, no defense. Luigi Manjoni watched footage of that
(14:25):
killing Monday, surrounded by giggling admirers in green shirts, taking
notes like he was studying for an exam. The hearing
continues today Tomorrow, possibly through Thursday, the one year anniversary
of Thompson's death. Danny Masterson wants out of prison, and
(14:50):
he's blaming his lawyer. Monday, Masterson's new attorney filed a
one hundred and eighty three page petition with California's Second
District Court of Appeal claims his trial lawyer failed to
properly represent him. Says the result was a violation of
constitutional rights that put an innocent man behind bars. Masterson,
(15:11):
forty nine years old, is serving thirty years to life
at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, convicted in
twenty twenty three of raping two women at his Los
Angeles home in two thousand and three, won't be eligible
for parole for more than twenty years. The petition argues
that trial lawyer Philip Cohen spoke to only two of
more than twenty potential witnesses who could have testified in
(15:34):
Masterson's defense, wrote off the great majority of them without
any personal contact, despite their prior statements to police and investigators.
According to the filing, these witnesses included people who would
have testified that the women spoke favorably about their sexual
relationships with Masterson, psychological and pharmacological experts who would have
explained how alcohol and drugs affect memory. Here's the backstory.
(15:58):
Masterson's original lead attorney was Sean Holly. She'd amassed what
the petition calls a mountain of exculpatory evidence, but Los
Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlene Olmeedo declined to delay Masterson's
first trial to accommodate Holly's representation of former Dodger's pitcher
Trevor Bauer in his own sexual misconduct case. Cohen took
(16:21):
over as lead attorney. The first trial ended in mistrial.
Jury couldn't reach consensus on any of the three rape counts.
Second trial, same charges, new jury guilty on two counts,
deadlocked on the third. The petition claims Cohen never presented
the evidence Holly had gathered the jury heard only half
(16:42):
the story the prosecution side. Scientology was a major factor
at trial. Masterson is a member of the Church of Scientology,
the two victims are former members. Prosecutors argued the church
discourages and sometimes threatens members who report high profile scientologists
to police. According to the petition, legal counsel for the
(17:02):
Church of Scientology recommended Cohen call a scientologist witness to
rebut that claim Cohen never did. Instead questioned why Scientology
was being made a focal point at all. The petition
also argues Judge Olmato demonstrated bias against Scientology allowed an
unconstitutional intrusion into church doctrine misinterpreted scripture. Eric Mulhaup, the
(17:26):
attorney who filed the petition, said in a statement, the
unfairness of the second Masterson trial was the result of
prosecutorial misconduct, judicial bias, and the failure of defense counsel
to present exculpatory evidence. Danny deserves a new trial where
the jury can hear his side as well. This habeas
(17:46):
corpus petition is separate from Masterson's main appeal to the
same court, which is still pending. Cohen did not immediately
respond to requests for comment, neither did attorneys for the victims. Meanwhile,
Masterson's ex wife, Biju Phillips, has moved on filed for
divorce months after his sentencing. Recently filed to legally change
(18:07):
their eleven year old daughter's last name from Masterson to
Phillips started dating businessman Jamie Masser last year. Sources tell
tabloids that Masterson was appalled by the name change, hates
how she rarely, if ever comes to visit any more.
Says he hates how he's been portrayed and abandoned by
the family and friends he fully expected to stand by him.
(18:31):
Masterson starred in That seventies show from nineteen ninety eight
to two thousand and six with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis,
and Tofer Grace. Reunited with Kutcher on the Netflix comedy
The Ranch in twenty sixteen. Was written off the show
when the LAPD investigation became public the following year. Here's
(18:52):
the reality of ineffective assistance of council claims. They rarely succeed.
Courts give trial attorneys wide latitude in strictrategic decisions. Not
calling a witness is an automatically constitutional error. Defense attorneys
make judgment calls about who helps and who hurts, But
one hundred eighty three pages is a lot of alleged failures.
(19:13):
Two out of twenty witnesses contacted is a low number.
If Masterson can prove Cohen ignored clear exculpatory evidence for
no viable tactical reason, he might get a hearing, or
he might not. Most habeas petitions fail. Most convicted defendants
blame their lawyers. Most appeals are denied. Masterson has over
(19:34):
twenty years before he's eligible for parole, plenty of time
to file motions, plenty of time to blame everyone but himself.
Two women testified he raped them. A jury believed them.
That's why Danny Masterson is in prison. That's celebrity trials
for Tuesday, December second, twenty twenty five. Michael Jordan's NASCAR
(19:55):
antitrust trial began in Charlotte. Discovery exposed executives call calling
Hall of Fame owners stupid rednecks who should be flogged.
Jordan was asked if he believed the case made it
to trial. His answer, nope. Luigi Mangioni watched surveillance footage
of himself allegedly killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Defense
(20:17):
fighting to suppress the gun and manifesto. Hearing continues through
the week, possibly through Thursday's one year anniversary of the killing.
And Danny Masterson filed one hundred eighty three pages claiming
his lawyer failed him. Says counsel spoke to only two
of twenty witnesses. Wants a new trial. Currently serving thirty
years for rape. I'm reed, Carter tomorrow. Updates on all
(20:40):
three cases, plus whatever else breaks. This is celebrity trials.
Callaroga Shark Media, Good morning, I'm reed Carter. Tuesday, December two,
twenty twenty five. Three celebrity legal battles moving through the
system today. Let me tell you where we are. Charlotte,
North Carolina. Michael Jordan walked into federal court yesterday for
(00:24):
a trial that could dismantle NASCAR. His racing team, twenty
three to eleven, is suing the France Family Empire under
antitrust law. Claims NASCAR is a monopoly that squeezes teams dry,
while executives mock Hall of Fame owners as stupid rednecks
who should be taken out back and flogged. Discovery documents
exposed everyone's dirty laundry. Jordan was asked if he could
(00:48):
believe the case made it to trial. His response, nope.
Manhattan Luigi Mangione sat stoically in court as prosecutors played
surveillance footage of him gunning down United health Care CEO
Brian Thompson on a December sidewalk, then the McDonald's footage
his arrest five days later. His defense wants the gun
(01:09):
and his manifesto thrown out. Says police searched his backpack
without a warrant. This hearing could determine whether the alleged
assassin faces a murder trial with all the evidence or
a prosecution missing its most damaging pieces. And California Danny
Masterson filed a one hundred eighty three page petition claiming
(01:29):
his trial lawyer botched his rape case. Says counsel spoke
to only two of twenty potential witnesses, failed to counter
prosecution claims about scientology, intimidation, that seventies show star is
serving thirty years to life wants a new trial where
the jury can hear his side. I'm Red Carter today,
(01:50):
a basketball legend versus America's biggest racing series, a suspected
assassin watching his own kill tape, and a convicted rapist
blaming his lawyer. This is celebrity trials. Michael Jordan walked
into the Western District of North Carolina Courthouse in Charlotte
(02:11):
yesterday morning, sixty two years old, six time NBA champion,
billionaire North Carolina native who led the tar Heels to
a national championship, once owned the Charlotte Hornets. Now he's
trying to burn NASCAR to the ground. Jordan owns twenty
three to eleven racing alongside Denny Hamlin, who just watched
another Cup Series championship slip through his fingers less than
(02:33):
a month ago. They're joined by front Row Motorsports, owned
by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins. Together, these two teams are accusing
NASCAR of operating an illegal monopoly that violates federal antitrust law.
The France family has run NASCAR for seventy six years.
Founded it, built, it controls, It owns most of the tracks,
(02:54):
sets the rules, distributes the revenue, decides who gets a
charter and who doesn't. What's a charter. It's NASCAR's version
of a franchise, guarantees your car a spot in every race,
guarantees a payout from the weekly purse. Without a charter,
you're an open team. Maybe you make the field on
qualifying speed, maybe you don't, and even if you do,
(03:16):
your purse is a fraction of what chartered teams receive.
Fifteen teams were negotiating new charter agreements with NASCAR for
over two years. Nobody was happy with the final terms,
but thirteen teams signed anyway. Twenty three to eleven in
front Row refused. They wanted permanent charters not renewable ones
NASCAR can revoke. They wanted a larger percentage of revenues.
(03:40):
They wanted a voice in governance. NASCAR said no, so
Jordan and Jenkins filed suit. Here's what the lawsuit alleges.
NASCAR has exclusivity clauses that prevent teams from competing in
rival series. NASCAR owns most of the tracks on the
Cup schedule, giving them control over where races happen. NASCAR
(04:00):
sets all rules and regulations unilaterally. Teams have no choice
but to accept whatever NASCAR offers because there's no alternative.
That's a monopoly. The pre trial discovery process has been brutal.
Both sides had their dirty laundry exposed in documents that
were never meant to see daylight. Let me paint you
the picture of what NASCAR executives think of their own
(04:22):
Hall of Fame owners. Commissioner Steve Phelps and other NASCAR
leaders were discussing Richard Childress, Hall of Fame team owner,
built his organization from nothing, won six Cup championships with
Dale Earnhardt thirty years of racing excellence. Here's what NASCAR
executives said about him in private communications dinosaur, idiot, stupid, redneck,
(04:47):
said Childress owes his entire fortune to NASCAR and needed
to be taken out back and flogged. Another NASCAR executive
alleged that fans of the sport can't read. Multiple series
leaders discussed killing Tony Stewart's summer short track series SRX
because NASCAR drivers were participating, threatened to have it eliminated
because it competed for attention. This is what the people
(05:10):
running NASCAR think about their own fans and legends. Stupid,
illiterate need to be flogged. But the other side isn't
clean either. The president of twenty three eleven was found
to have said NASCAR Chairman Jim Franz had to die
in order to receive favorable charter terms. Hamlin admitted his
dislike for the France family in written communications. One of
(05:32):
Jordan's advisers said Hamlin wasn't a good business man, and
Jordan himself joked that he loses more money in a
casino than he pays. One of his drivers. Denny Hamlin,
posted on social media this weekend that the gloves will
be off during this two week trial. Said fans have
been brainwashed with NASCAR's talking points for decades. Said lies
(05:54):
are overstarting Monday morning. It's time for the truth. It's
time for change. Strong words from a driver who's never
won a championship despite coming close repeatedly. Maybe this lawsuit
is his legacy play. Maybe he genuinely believes NASCAR is corrupt.
Maybe both. Here's the financial reality exposed by discovery. NASCAR
(06:16):
made over one hundred million dollars in twenty twenty four.
Teams claim the revenue model is not viable. They're spending
more to compete than their receiving in charter payments. Without changes,
team owners argue they can't sustain operations. NASCAR's defense is straightforward.
They haven't violated antitrust law. Everything they've done is normal
(06:37):
business practice. The twenty twenty five charter agreement actually increased payouts.
Teams have the option to compete as open teams if
they don't like charter terms. No one is forcing anyone
to race NASCAR. Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske, the two
most powerful team owners in the United States, filed motions
asking not to testify if they must be deposed. They
(06:58):
want questioning limited to charter only. Both submitted declarations supporting
NASCAR's charter system. They don't want it dismantled. But here's
what NASCAR doesn't highlight. Even the owners who signed the
agreement and submitted declarations admitted the twenty twenty five terms
still fell short of what teams were seeking. They signed
(07:19):
because the alternative was worse, not because they were satisfied.
Judge Kenneth Bell is presiding. If Jordan and Jenkins win,
the jury determines damages, Bell can adjust the figure, even
triple it under antitrust law, then Bell would be charged
with unraveling any monopoly. The jury finds. What could that mean?
(07:39):
Orders for the France family to sell the sport, sell
the tracks they own, dismantle the charter system, make charters permanent.
Anything is possible. If NASCAR wins twenty three to eleven,
and front Row probably don't survive beyond twenty twenty six,
their six charters get sold to other interested parties. The
last charge sold went for forty five million dollars. NASCAR
(08:03):
says private equity firms are already circling. Jordan was asked
Monday if he could believe this case made it to trial.
One word nope, Neither can NASCAR Phelps has said publicly
that the series tried hard to settle. Nobody wanted this
airing in public. The communications, the contempt, the financial details,
all of it now on the record for two weeks
(08:25):
of testimony. Michael Jordan versus the France Family, a basketball
legend trying to reshape motorsports, a seventy six year old
racing empire fighting for survival, and dirty laundry from both
sides hanging in a Charlotte courtroom. Make it make sense.
We'll be right back with Luigi Mangione watching footage of
himself allegedly killing United Healthcare's CEO and Danny Masterson's one
(08:49):
hundred and eighty three page claimed that his lawyer threw
his case. Welcome back to celebrity trials. I'm reed Carter,
Manhattan Supreme Court, Monday morning. Luigi Mangioni, twenty seven years old,
(09:14):
walked into the court room in shackles, gray suit, buttoned
down shirt with a checkered pattern. Court officers removed his
handcuffs so he could take notes. Then prosecutors played the footage.
December fourth, twenty twenty four, six forty five am, Midtown, Manhattan,
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson walking to the Hilton Hotel
(09:36):
Annual Investor Conference scheduled for later that morning. Surveillance camera
captured what happened next. A masked figure approached from behind,
raised a handgun, shot Thompson in the back. Thompson fell.
The shooter fled on a bicycle. Mangioni watched stoically pressed
a finger to his lips, thumbed to his chin, making
(09:58):
a fist around the pen in his right hand. Then
prosecutors played the McDonald's footage five days after the killing Altoona, Pennsylvania,
about two hundred thirty miles west of Manhattan. The video
showed two police officers approaching mangione as he ate breakfast.
He was wearing a beanie and a medical face mask.
A manager had called nine one one because customers thought
(10:20):
he looked like the suspect from the New York shooting.
She'd searched online for photos. Could only see his eyebrows,
but something matched. During the nine to one one call playback,
Mangioni gripped his pen tighter. This pre trial hearing could
last more than a week. Defense lawyers say Manhattan prosecutors
indicated they could call more than two dozen witnesses. The
(10:42):
stakes are enormous. If Mangioni's defense succeeds in suppressing key evidence,
his state murder trial becomes much harder for prosecutors. Here's
what his lawyers want thrown out. The nine millimeter handgun
found in his backpack a notebook prosecutors say contains his manifesto,
his statements to police before he was read his rights.
(11:03):
The notebook is devastating if admitted. Prosecutors say, Mangioni wrote
about his intent to whack a health insurance executive, praise
the unibomber, mused about rebelling against the deadly greed fueled
health insurance cartel, wrote that killing an industry executive conveys
a greedy bastard that had it coming. Mangion's defense argues
(11:26):
the search was unconstitutional. Police opened his backpack without a warrant,
no emergency justified it. He was already in handcuffs. The
backpack was on a table six feet away. Armed officers
separated him from the bag. Body camera footage captured an
officer saying she was checking to make sure there wasn't
a bomb in the bag. Defense lawyers call that an
(11:48):
excuse designed to cover up an illegal warrantless search. Federal
prosecutors fighting a similar suppression motion in that case argue
police were justified in searching the backpack for dangerous items,
that Mangione's statements were voluntary, made before formal arrest. The
law here is complicated when police interact with suspects before
(12:10):
reading miranda rights. When searches happen without warrants, courts have
carved out exceptions. Prosecutors will argue safety justified the search.
Defense will argue handcuffs eliminated any threat. If the gun
gets suppressed, prosecutors lose the alleged murder weapon. If the
notebook gets suppressed, they lose motive evidence. If his statements
(12:32):
get suppressed, they lose his false identification as Mark Rosario,
the same name prosecutors say he used to check into
a Manhattan hostile before the killing. Mangioni has pleaded not
guilty to nine state charges, including murder and stalking. Also
pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Federal prosecutors are seeking
the death penalty. State charges carry life in prison. Neither
(12:56):
trial has been scheduled yet. Next hearing in the federal
case is January ninth, and throughout Monday's proceedings, Mangioni's fan
club watched from the back of the courtroom rows of
supporters wearing green. One woman's T shirt read without a warrant,
it's not a search, it's a violation. Another held a
Luigi video game character doll had a smaller figurine clipped
(13:20):
to her purse. Mangione frequently cast his eyes toward them,
scanning the room taking in the adoration. Last month, Judge
Gregory Carrow threw out a terrorism charge, found insufficient evidence
that the allegations met the state definition of terrorism. Win
for the defense. Mangioni's federal lawyers have argued those charges
(13:41):
should be dismissed entirely, claim the Trump administration made him
a pawn to further its political agenda. Attorney General Pam
Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in April,
calling it part of President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime.
Last month, the federal judge warned Bondi that the Justice
(14:02):
Department would face sanctions if it violated Mangione's right to
a fair trial, suggested DOJ employees may have already done
so Brian Thompson was fifty years old, father of two
from Minnesota, walking to work, shot in the back, no warning,
no trial, no defense. Luigi Manjoni watched footage of that
(14:25):
killing Monday, surrounded by giggling admirers in green shirts, taking
notes like he was studying for an exam. The hearing
continues today Tomorrow, possibly through Thursday, the one year anniversary
of Thompson's death. Danny Masterson wants out of prison, and
(14:50):
he's blaming his lawyer. Monday, Masterson's new attorney filed a
one hundred and eighty three page petition with California's Second
District Court of Appeal claims his trial lawyer failed to
properly represent him. Says the result was a violation of
constitutional rights that put an innocent man behind bars. Masterson,
(15:11):
forty nine years old, is serving thirty years to life
at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, convicted in
twenty twenty three of raping two women at his Los
Angeles home in two thousand and three, won't be eligible
for parole for more than twenty years. The petition argues
that trial lawyer Philip Cohen spoke to only two of
more than twenty potential witnesses who could have testified in
(15:34):
Masterson's defense, wrote off the great majority of them without
any personal contact, despite their prior statements to police and investigators.
According to the filing, these witnesses included people who would
have testified that the women spoke favorably about their sexual
relationships with Masterson, psychological and pharmacological experts who would have
explained how alcohol and drugs affect memory. Here's the backstory.
(15:58):
Masterson's original lead attorney was Sean Holly. She'd amassed what
the petition calls a mountain of exculpatory evidence, but Los
Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlene Olmeedo declined to delay Masterson's
first trial to accommodate Holly's representation of former Dodger's pitcher
Trevor Bauer in his own sexual misconduct case. Cohen took
(16:21):
over as lead attorney. The first trial ended in mistrial.
Jury couldn't reach consensus on any of the three rape counts.
Second trial, same charges, new jury guilty on two counts,
deadlocked on the third. The petition claims Cohen never presented
the evidence Holly had gathered the jury heard only half
(16:42):
the story the prosecution side. Scientology was a major factor
at trial. Masterson is a member of the Church of Scientology,
the two victims are former members. Prosecutors argued the church
discourages and sometimes threatens members who report high profile scientologists
to police. According to the petition, legal counsel for the
(17:02):
Church of Scientology recommended Cohen call a scientologist witness to
rebut that claim Cohen never did. Instead questioned why Scientology
was being made a focal point at all. The petition
also argues Judge Olmato demonstrated bias against Scientology allowed an
unconstitutional intrusion into church doctrine misinterpreted scripture. Eric Mulhaup, the
(17:26):
attorney who filed the petition, said in a statement, the
unfairness of the second Masterson trial was the result of
prosecutorial misconduct, judicial bias, and the failure of defense counsel
to present exculpatory evidence. Danny deserves a new trial where
the jury can hear his side as well. This habeas
(17:46):
corpus petition is separate from Masterson's main appeal to the
same court, which is still pending. Cohen did not immediately
respond to requests for comment, neither did attorneys for the victims. Meanwhile,
Masterson's ex wife, Biju Phillips, has moved on filed for
divorce months after his sentencing. Recently filed to legally change
(18:07):
their eleven year old daughter's last name from Masterson to
Phillips started dating businessman Jamie Masser last year. Sources tell
tabloids that Masterson was appalled by the name change, hates
how she rarely, if ever comes to visit any more.
Says he hates how he's been portrayed and abandoned by
the family and friends he fully expected to stand by him.
(18:31):
Masterson starred in That seventies show from nineteen ninety eight
to two thousand and six with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis,
and Tofer Grace. Reunited with Kutcher on the Netflix comedy
The Ranch in twenty sixteen. Was written off the show
when the LAPD investigation became public the following year. Here's
(18:52):
the reality of ineffective assistance of council claims. They rarely succeed.
Courts give trial attorneys wide latitude in strictrategic decisions. Not
calling a witness is an automatically constitutional error. Defense attorneys
make judgment calls about who helps and who hurts, But
one hundred eighty three pages is a lot of alleged failures.
(19:13):
Two out of twenty witnesses contacted is a low number.
If Masterson can prove Cohen ignored clear exculpatory evidence for
no viable tactical reason, he might get a hearing, or
he might not. Most habeas petitions fail. Most convicted defendants
blame their lawyers. Most appeals are denied. Masterson has over
(19:34):
twenty years before he's eligible for parole, plenty of time
to file motions, plenty of time to blame everyone but himself.
Two women testified he raped them. A jury believed them.
That's why Danny Masterson is in prison. That's celebrity trials
for Tuesday, December second, twenty twenty five. Michael Jordan's NASCAR
(19:55):
antitrust trial began in Charlotte. Discovery exposed executives call calling
Hall of Fame owners stupid rednecks who should be flogged.
Jordan was asked if he believed the case made it
to trial. His answer, nope. Luigi Mangioni watched surveillance footage
of himself allegedly killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Defense
(20:17):
fighting to suppress the gun and manifesto. Hearing continues through
the week, possibly through Thursday's one year anniversary of the killing.
And Danny Masterson filed one hundred eighty three pages claiming
his lawyer failed him. Says counsel spoke to only two
of twenty witnesses. Wants a new trial. Currently serving thirty
years for rape. I'm reed, Carter tomorrow. Updates on all
(20:40):
three cases, plus whatever else breaks. This is celebrity trials.
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