#27: Death in Central Park

It started as a typical summer night at an Upper East Side bar. By morning, one teenager would be dead and another would be under arrest.

The case would become a media sensation, sparking fierce debates about wealth, privilege, and justice. It would expose the dark underbelly of Manhattan's prep school scene. And it would introduce a controversial legal defense that would divide a city and change the conversation about violence forever.

But what actually happened between the bar and the crime scene? The truth is far more complex than the headlines suggest.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Before we begin. Do you have a theory about this
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might be featured in a future episode. I'm Harper Finley
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(00:27):
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(00:49):
supporter makes a real difference. Now let's get into today's case.
At six fifteen on the morning of August twenty sixth,
nineteen eighty six, a bicyclist peddling through Central Park made
a discovery that would stop him in his tracks. Beneath
a tall elm tree behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
in an area known to locals as a quiet, secluded spot,

(01:12):
lay the body of a young woman She was partially clothed,
with garments bunched around her neck and waist. Her face
bore visible bruising, garish red marks encircled her throat. The
bicyclist raced to a payphone and dialed nine one one.
Within minutes, police officers arrived at the scene. As they
approached the body, they noticed something unusual. Several people had

(01:35):
gathered along a nearby stone wall watching the commotion. Among
them sat a young man who seemed strangely reluctant to leave.
When a jogger asked him what was happening, he murmured
that he thought they'd found a body. She noticed something
distinctive about his appearance. His face was covered in strange,
vertical scratches. The young man would linger at the scene

(01:57):
even as police began their investigation. He would watch as
officers cordoned off the area. He would still be there
as detectives arrived and began their work. What began as
a missing person inquiry would rapidly transform into one of
the most explosive criminal cases in New York City history.
The investigation would expose a world of privilege and excess

(02:19):
of teenage drinking, in drug use, in Manhattan's wealthiest neighborhoods.
It would ignite fierce debates about class, religion, gender, and justice.
It would spawn headlines that screamed across tabloid covers for months,
and at the center of it all would be two
teenagers from elite Manhattan families whose paths crossed on a
summer night, with devastating consequences. Jennifer Levin was born in

(03:12):
nineteen sixty eight to Stephen Levin and Ellen Domini's, both
from Jewish families. Her father came from a lineage in
the shoe business, but had initially tried his hand at
acting before finding his true calling in Manhattan real estate.
Jennifer had an older sister named Danielle. The family's first
home was a small ranch house in Merrick, a suburban

(03:33):
town on Long Island. Those who knew Jennifer as a
child described her as a live wire, bursting with personality.
In contrast, her sister, Danielle, was considered the beauty of
the family. Jennifer was extroverted and determined from an early age,
constantly trying to insert herself into the games her older
sister played with friends. At four years old, she would

(03:55):
parade around in her mother's high heels, strutting and singing.
Some mothers in the neighborhood found her hyperactive. Her father
believed sugar overstimulated her and suggested she be given diet
soda instead of sugary drinks. When Jennifer was five, her
parents separated. Her father moved to Manhattan, while Jennifer, her mother,

(04:16):
and sister relocated to Los Angeles around the time Jennifer
turned six. They lived on an estate once rumored to
have belonged to Rudolph Valentino, a property now filled with
other single parent families. Jennifer attended public school in California,
remaining an irrepressible child who craved attention. During this period,

(04:37):
her father's real estate business flourished. He visited three to
four times a year, and the girls would travel to
New York for Christmas and summer vacations. When Jennifer was eight,
her father married Arlene Vorhust. Jennifer admired her new stepmother's
glamorous appearance, but also harbored resentment toward her. Neither Jennifer

(04:58):
nor her sister attended their father's lif wedding. Through her
mother's connections in the film industry. Jennifer attended Hollywood parties
and met celebrities like Chevy Chase, but life in California
wasn't always glamorous. On one occasion, her mother's friends were
too stoned to take her to Disneyland as they had promised.
In the fall of nineteen seventy nine, eleven year old

(05:20):
Jennifer moved back to Long Island with her mother, settling
in Manorhaven, part of Port Washington. Unhappy about being a
new student, she took a proactive approach to making friends,
introducing herself and handing out her phone number. She started
junior high at John Philip Susa's school, where she initially
felt like an outsider, but soon became part of the

(05:42):
most powerful clique. Despite her social success, her teachers noticed
she seemed unhappy, her schoolwork was poor, and she eventually
fell out with her clique. Jennifer confided in a friend
that other girls were spreading stories about her. In early
nineteen eighty two, she transferred to Weber Junior High for
her final semester. There, she made many new friends and

(06:05):
became known for her playful antics and attempts to make
people laugh. Her social circle consisted mainly of girls from
her school and a few older high school boys. She
and her friends would hang out, and occasionally they would
cut class to smoke marijuana in someone's basement. Jennifer's first
time trying it left her feeling confused and upset. During

(06:27):
this period, she was self conscious about her appearance, her
freckled skin, her height, and her figure. She would stoop
or wear baggy clothes to hide her body. Even so,
some boys found her appealing, and she dated two of
the most popular ones. In the summer of nineteen eighty two,
Jennifer abruptly moved from her mother's home into her father

(06:48):
and stepmother's large, renovated loft in Soho, Manhattan. She later
told friends she felt her mother had not provided her
with enough guidance and security for high school. Her parents
enrolled her at the Baldwin School, a private school on
the West Side known for assisting students with learning disabilities.

(07:08):
Jennifer had struggled academically in Port Washington. At fourteen, Jennifer blossomed.
She grew more poised and no longer tried to hide
her figure, instead opting for skin tight jeans, fearing she
would look too suburban. She adopted a punk haircut. At Baldwin,
she met Brock Pernies, a student from York Prep who

(07:28):
was captivated by her dramatic good looks. They began dating
regularly after he took her to a Billy Idol concert.
Jennifer and her new city friends started frequenting the disco
Studio fifty four, which was popular with high schoolers. At first,
she was on the so called B list, waiting in
line to get in, but she was aware of the
more glamorous A list world within the club. Her father

(07:52):
set strict rules for her night life, but she was
considered an honest kid who always called if her plans changed.
In the spring of nineteen eighty four, nearing her sixteenth birthday,
Jennifer became obsessed with the rock star Billy Idol, writing
his name and her friend's journals and fantasizing about him
with her friend Joan Hughey. She was also writing awkward,

(08:14):
rhyming poems about love. Around her sixteenth birthday, she became
preoccupied with losing her virginity, believing it was a necessary
step toward experiencing true love and gaining social acceptance. She
carefully planned the experience with a boy she felt she
was in love with, not Brock. Though she was exultant afterward,
her happiness was short lived. Just days later, she saw

(08:38):
the boy with another girl and sobbed with jealousy, storming
and screaming at him. After this, she resumed her on
and off relationship with Brock, while also seeing other boys.
During the summer of nineteen eighty four, Jennifer worked in
Southampton and befriended Lelia Van Baker, a wealthy girl who
moved in the elite Upper east Side social circles. Jennifer

(09:00):
was enchanted by this world of a list parties and
celebrity acquaintances. Laliah promised to introduce her to everyone, including
Robert Chambers, whom she described as the best looking in
the bunch. By the fall, Laalia had kept her promise,
and Jennifer began attending private parties at Studio fifty four.
In early nineteen eighty five, Jennifer was part of a

(09:21):
trio with Lalia and another friend, Kitty Shown that frequented
downtown clubs like Area and West Side bars. She became
known for her trendy, eye catching style, often wearing mini skirts,
ripped jeans, and a cross necklace in the style of Madonna.
Despite the compliments she received, she remained insecure about her body,

(09:43):
believing she needed to be thin to be accepted by
the preppy guise from the east Side. It was during
this time that Brock introduced her to Dorian's Red Hand,
an upper east Side bar. Initially uncomfortable feeling like a wannabe,
she eventually grew to light the bar and it became
a regular spot for them. In the summer of nineteen
eighty five, while again in Southampton, Jennifer had a glorious

(10:06):
affair with a boy who she said was the first
to truly awaken her sexually. During this romance, her friends
noted she seemed infinitely more sure of herself. She also
began keeping a diary. The relationship ended with the summer,
leaving her feeling betrayed and disheartened. During her senior year
of high school, from fall nineteen eighty five to spring

(10:28):
nineteen eighty six, Jennifer became more experimental, occasionally using drugs
like cocaine, ecstasy, and LSD. She told friends that she
had multiple sexual partners to help assuage the pain of
her summer breakup. It made her feel beautiful and wanted,
at least for a moment. She frequently fought with her
father and stepmother over typical teenage issues, and complained to

(10:52):
friends that her mother was more of a pal than
a parent. Her romantic life was turbulent. Her relationship with
Brock continued its cycle of breaking up and reconciling, and
friends described her as a specialist in rejection who developed
crushes on unsuitable boys. One night at Dorian's, she saw
Robert Chambers for the first time since Lelia had mentioned him,

(11:15):
finding him gorgeous. She was intrigued when a friend told
her he'd had this real hard life and was rumored
to be a thief. Jennifer thought this made him sound
like a fascinating rascal. At a Valentine's Day party in
nineteen eighty six, she begged the hostess to invite him.
She was ecstatic when he came and thought he was
really nice, though he was so intoxicated he later did

(11:38):
not remember meeting her. In June nineteen eighty six, Jennifer
graduated from high school, having been voted best looking by
her class. At her graduation ceremony, she did a little
dance on stage and flashed a victory sign. That night,
after celebrating with classmates, she went to Dorian's. There, Robert

(11:58):
Chambers told her friend Betsy that he thought Jennifer was
the best looking girl in the world and asked to
meet her outside. Jennifer's heart leapt, and after speaking with him,
she came back inside glowing. By the second week of
July nineteen eighty six, she and Robert had begun a
sexual relationship after their first date at his mother's apartment.

(12:18):
She excitedly told friends he was great, gentle, and agreeable,
and that he constantly complimented her beauty. She was having
a wonderful summer, working as a hostess at Flute's in
the South Street Seaport and saving money for Chamberlayne Junior
College in Boston, which she planned to attend in the fall.
In mid July, after returning from an orientation weekend at

(12:42):
the college, she found terribly flattering messages from Robert on
her answering machine. They slept together again soon after, and
Jennifer was overheard on the phone describing him as a
fantastic lover. Just before leaving for a trip to California,
she slept with him a third time and took old
Lelly van Baker. He was the best person she had

(13:03):
ever slept with in her entire life. Quick break ads
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(13:24):
a month. Links in the show notes and we're back.
Thanks for sticking through that. Let's get back to it.
Robert Emmett Chambers was the first and only child of
Phyllis Shanley and Bob Chambers, born one year after their
marriage in nineteen sixty five. His mother, Phyllis, was an

(13:47):
Irish immigrant who had grown up in poverty on a
farm in County Littrim and came to the United States
with aspirations for a better life for herself and her
future children. His father, Bob, came from an Irish wh
English family that had been in America for generations. Bob
had been raised comfortably and sent to private schools. As
an infant. Robert was described as beautiful, docile, and mild tempered.

(14:13):
The family initially lived in Queen's First in Woodside and
later in Jackson Heights. Phyllis worked as a private duty
nurse for wealthy Upper East Side families, including a brief
stint for the Kennedys. Through this work, she became determined
to provide her son with the privileges of that world.
At age four, Robert was enrolled in the prestigious Saint

(14:33):
David's School Nursery in Manhattan, a Catholic school attended by
children of prominent families. Though his babysitter worried that attending
a Manhattan school made him an isolate in his Queen's neighborhood,
Robert did not complain. He was known for being charming, polite,
and keeping things to himself, including pain. Around this time,

(14:55):
his father's drinking began to grow heavier. Robert told a
teacher at Saint David's that his mother hit him with
a strap when he was bad. In nineteen seventy four,
when Robert was eight, the family moved to a high
rise apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan, just blocks from
the armory, where he was enrolled in the Knickerbocker Grays,
a military drill group nicknamed the Social Register's private Little Army.

(15:19):
He became an exemplary cadet, learning to handle a sword
and fire a rifle. He also became an altar boy
at Saint Thomas More Church. While initially timid in the city,
he soon became popular, though a classmate, Billy Marky, suspected
him of stealing money from a piggy bank during a
birthday party. Around the age of ten, Robert and his

(15:40):
friends were already drinking liquor and smoking marijuana. His mother
took immense pride in his achievements, which included winning a
public speaking contest, earning marksmanship medals, and being part of
the Gray's elite honor Guard. Her own social standing grew
as well. She became an extraordinary fundraiser for the g
and in nineteen seventy nine was elected the organization's president.

(16:05):
She was a stern mother who would criticize and humiliate
Robert in public when he disappointed her. Robert, in turn,
told a friend that he felt ground down by the
pressure of his mother's expectations. During this period, his father's
drinking problem worsened, and he spent many evenings in neighborhood bars.
In the fall of nineteen seventy nine, Robert began his

(16:27):
freshman year at the prestigious Choate Boarding school in Connecticut,
a move that made him proud. That same fall, a
dramatic family intervention regarding his father's drinking led to Bob
Chambers abruptly leaving the family apartment. The event deeply upset Robert.
He later claimed that the desire to blot out this
painful memory led him to start using cocaine. At Choate,

(16:51):
he began staying up late, cutting classes, and his room
became a clubhouse. In the spring of nineteen eighty one,
Choate asked him not to return for the fire following
semester due to his poor academic performance and missing work.
After spending the summer on a Chot sponsored trip to Spain,
where he was known for his cool air and popularity

(17:12):
with girls, Robert began his sophomore year at the Browning
School on Manhattan's East Side. In the fall of nineteen
eighty one. He fell in with a wealthy, sophisticated group
of prep school students who partied, heavily, used drugs, and
traveled by limousine. It was during this time that he
began stealing from friends, rifling through coat pockets and drawers

(17:34):
at parties. In early nineteen eighty two, he was expelled
from Browning after being caught with a stolen teacher's pocketbook,
he showed a blank, emotionless quality when confronted. His mother,
recognizing he had a drug problem, sent him to a
rehabilitation clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Upon his return in
February nineteen eighty two, he enrolled at York Preparatory School.

(17:57):
He became a star player on the soccer team, but
his academic effort remained inconsistent. After rehab, he immediately returned
to drinking and drugs, favoring a spot in Central Park
behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His troubles continued to escalate.
He threatened brock Purnas with two strangers to collect one

(18:17):
hundred dollars debt over a pair of stolen skis he
had sold him. He struggled through his senior year at York,
with the head master forcing him to stay for detention
to complete his work. At his graduation in the spring
of nineteen eighty four, he was handed an empty diploma
case and had to attend summer school to finish his coursework.

(18:38):
After finally graduating, Robert worked briefly on a yacht during
the summer of nineteen eighty four, but was fired after
the owner suspected him of stealing champagne and liquor. That fall,
he enrolled at Boston University's School of Basic Studies, but
continued to party, drink, and use cocaine. By December, Boston
University asked him to leave after drugs were fled in

(19:00):
his room and he had used a roommate's stolen credit card.
Upon his return to New York, his mother banished him
to a dreary basement apartment, telling him he had to
find a job and pay his own way. However, she
relented in early January nineteen eighty five after he caught
the flu, letting him move back into his bedroom and
helping him search for a job. In the summer of

(19:24):
nineteen eighty five, he reconnected with David Filall, a young
man he knew from his York prep days who had
just been released from prison for stealing. Robert boasted to
fill Yall about his own burglaries and credit card scams,
and the two hit it off. They began committing burglaries together,
including a penthouse on Park Avenue and another on East

(19:46):
seventy second Street, stealing thousands of dollars worth of valuables
to support their drug habits. Robert even bragged about the
exploits to a new girlfriend, who thought he was suave
like carry Grant and to catch a thief. December nineteen
eighty five, police questioned him about the burglaries after finding
a Hunter College registration receipt with his name on it

(20:07):
near one of the crime scenes. He denied involvement and
blamed Filia. Robert's criminal activities continued into nineteen eighty six.
In March, after being caught using a stolen credit card
on a shopping spree, he was again confronted. To avoid
criminal charges, his parents agreed to send him back to rehab,
this time to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. He completed

(20:31):
the program and returned to New York in late April
nineteen eighty six. He refused his mother's suggestion that he
live in a half way house, promising he could stay
clean while living at home and attending narcotics anonymous meetings. However,
he soon began going out to bars and discos again,
and was seen asking for drugs at the Palladium, telling

(20:51):
a friend he had been dry for seven weeks. In June,
following Jennifer Levin's high school graduation, she went to Dorian's
Red Hand, a bar they both frequented. There, Robert told
her friend Betsy Shankin that he thought Jennifer was the
best looking girl in the world and asked to meet
her outside. Jennifer's heart leapt, and after speaking with him,

(21:14):
she came back inside glowing. By the second week of
July nineteen eighty six, Robert and Jennifer had begun a
sexual relationship. For their first date, they went to his
mother's apartment, where he was described as gentle and agreeable
and repeatedly complimented her on her beauty. Around six point

(21:46):
fifteen on the morning of August twenty sixth, nineteen eighty six,
an early morning bicyclist named pat Riley was riding through
Central Park when he made a disturbing discovery. Beneath a
tall elm tree behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art spot
a body sprawled on the ground. The woman was naked
except for clothes bunched around her neck and waist and

(22:06):
a jean jacket across one arm. Riley raised to a
payphone and called nine one one. Around six twenty one,
Sergeant Anthony Mikelak and police officer James mc creery received
a woman down call and headed to the scene. As
they arrived, they noticed several people watching from a stone wall,
including a young man who was sitting down. Maclac approached

(22:28):
the body and observed garish red bruises on the neck,
Concluding she had been strangled. He checked for a pulse
beneath her heart and found none. He declared it a
crime scene, requested detectives, and covered the body with brown
wrapping paper for privacy. Meanwhile, a jogger named Susan Bird
approached the young man sitting on the stone wall and

(22:51):
asked what was happening. The man, who had strange vertical
scratches on his face, murmured that he thought they'd found
a body. When the Bird asked why he hadn't checked
on the person, he replied that the cops would chase
him away. At seven forty five, detective Mickey Macine arrived
at the Central Park precinct and was told he had

(23:11):
caught his first homicide case. He quickly changed into his
homicide clothes and sped to the crime scene behind the museum.
The Night Watch detective unit briefed the Central Park detectives
that morning initially speculating that the woman was killed by
the driver of a brown car and dumped in the park.
Mac and Tee examined the body, noting she had been

(23:33):
strangled and likely assaulted. Her face was dirty, one eye
was swollen, and there were what looked like bite marks
around her nipples. He believed she resisted her attacker and
was likely raped. He observed that an earring was missing
from her pierced ear. MacEntee and his partner, Joe Kennedy
searched for the missing earring forty five feet north of

(23:55):
the body, under a crab apple tree. They found a
pair of soiled white panties, a lipstick case, a black
hair bow, and an area where the ground appeared disturbed,
suggesting a struggle had occurred there. The crime scene unit
initially dismissed these findings, having already collected a pair of
blue panties near the tire tracks. Convinced the white panties

(24:17):
were the correct ones, MacEntee collected them himself. Detectives searched
the pockets of the victim's jean jacket and found a
wallet containing identification but no money, except for half of
a dollar bill. The victim was identified as Jennifer Don Levin,
age eighteen, from Soho. Around ten o'clock that morning, doctor

(24:38):
Maria Landy from the Medical Examiner's office arrived. She examined
the body, noting abrasions on the chin, neck, cheeks, and forehead,
a contusion above the left eye, and pinpoint hemorrhages in
the linings of her eyelids which indicated strangulation. Around the
same time, Alexandra Legata, after getting her learner's permit, found

(24:58):
the key to her apartment still under the door mat
and grew concerned about Jennifer. She called Jennifer's number and
spoke to a distraught Steve Levin. Shortly after, she called
Robert Chambers, who claimed Jennifer left him at Dorian's to
see her boyfriend Brock. Late that morning, two detectives arrived
at Steve Levin's real estate office and informed him of

(25:21):
his daughter's death, showing him polaroid pictures for identification. They
then accompanied him to the family's loft to look through
Jennifer's room for leeds. Meanwhile, detectives visited Alexandra Legata's apartment.
She told them what she knew and gave them Jennifer's diary.
They instructed her not to call any more of Jennifer's friends.

(25:43):
That afternoon, after lunch with a friend, Phyllis Chambers was
at home when detectives arrived asking for Robert Junior. They
told her they were investigating a missing girl and believed
Robert may have been with her. Detectives al Genova and
his partner questioned Robert at his apartment. He appeared in
sweatpants and a T shirt with scratches emblazoned on his face.

(26:06):
He admitted to knowing Jennifer and agreed to go to
the precinct to help with the investigation. Before leaving, he
called Joe Perry and told her it had been a
bad day and it was going to get a lot worse.
At the precinct, Detective Macine led Robert into an interrogation room,
read him his Miranda rights, and began questioning him. Robert

(26:27):
claimed he last saw Jennifer in the vestibule of Dorians
and that his cat scratched his face while his hand
was injured by a sanding machine. Around four o'clock that afternoon,
Jennifer's grandfather and uncle formally identified her body at the Morgue.
Late in the afternoon, Detectives John Lafferty and Lieutenant John

(26:47):
Doyle took over the questioning, attempting an avuncular approach. Despite
their efforts, Robert stuck to his story that he was
not with Jennifer after leaving the bar and that his
cat caused his injuries. At five o'clock, the police held
a press conference, telling reporters that Jennifer Levin was last
seen leaving an east Side bar, leading to speculation of

(27:09):
a mister goodbar killing. Around seven o'clock that evening, after
hours of questioning, Detective Lafferty informed Robert that Jennifer was dead.
Robert cried out, oh no, and covered his eyes, asking
how she died. At eight o'clock, Detective Mike Sheehan, who
knew Robert's father from a neighborhood bar, began questioning Robert.

(27:31):
After building rapport, she and confronted him with statements from
Jennifer's friends. Robert admitted he did leave the bar with her.
Shortly after nine o'clock, Detective Martin Gill continued the interrogation.
Confronted with conflicting witness statements, Robert changed his story again,
admitting Jennifer gave him the scratches during an argument on

(27:51):
the street. When pressed further, he confessed they went into
Central Park together. Robert told Gill his final version of events.
He claimed that Jennifer tied his arms with her panties,
sat on his chest, and hurt him during aggressive sex.
He said he instinctively put his arm around her neck
to pull her off, and she went back over his shoulder,

(28:13):
accidentally dying. That evening, Assistant District Attorney Steve Siroco arrived
at the precinct. After being briefed, he arranged for a
videotaped statement. After hours of interrogation, during which Robert Chambers's

(28:38):
story changed multiple times, he finally confessed to killing Jennifer Levin,
but claimed it was an accident. At this point, Assistant
District Attorney Steve was called to the precinct. Sirocco, an
ex marine with a confrontational style, was convinced from the
start that Robert was a calculated liar for three main reasons.

(28:59):
He had initially told Jennifer's friends he was not with her.
His first alibi was overly detailed, including the names of
TV shows he claimed to have watched, suggesting he had
researched it and the story he was now telling of
an accidental death during aggressive sex made no sense given
the physical evidence on Jennifer's body. Believing a trial was likely,

(29:20):
Siroco wanted Robert's confession recorded on videotape. His strategy was
to first let Robert tell his story in a relaxed
guide to guy manner, and then take his run and
become confrontational to expose the lies for a future jury.
After getting the necessary clearance, Saco called the DA's videotape
unit to the precinct. When he first saw Robert, Saco

(29:43):
was surprised by his demeanor. He wasn't crying or wringing
his hands, but just looked blank. As the camera began rolling,
Robert sat across a desk from Siroco, Detective Mike Sheehan,
and Detective Mickey Macine. He groomed himself by pushing back
his hair and began to tell his story. He claimed
that in the park, Jennifer became enraged when he told

(30:05):
her he didn't want to see her anymore. He stated
that she freaked out, got up and knelt in front
of him and scratched his face, showing the marks on
his cheek to the camera. He said he told her
this is crazy and tried to leave, but she calmed down,
gave him a massage, and said he looked cute, but
he'd look cute or tied up. According to Robert's videotaped account,

(30:28):
Jennifer then tied his hands behind his back with her panties,
pushed him to the ground, and sat on his chest
with her back toward him. He narrated that she started
to take off his pants, started to play with him,
and started jerking him off. While saying this, he demonstrated
for the camera by rubbing his right hand up and
down along an imaginary penis. He emphasized that it was

(30:51):
not gentle, stating she was doing it really hard and
it really hurt him. He claimed his pleas for her
to stop were met with a strange lad like more
like a cackle or something. He continued, stating that she
sat on his face, dug her nails into his chest,
and then squeezed his testicles. The pain, he said, was NonStop.

(31:12):
He declared, stiffly and with stilted Victorian vocabulary, that she
was having her way with him without his consent. With
his hands behind his back. Robert explained that the pain
became unbearable. He just could not take it. He said.
He managed to get his left hand free, sat up
a little, and just grabbed at her. In that single motion,

(31:33):
he claimed, she flipped over his shoulder and landed twisted
against a tree. He said he stood there for five
to ten minutes, believing she was just trying to scare him.
He explained his inaction by saying he was in shock,
not because she might be dead, but that this girl
that he knew did what she did to him. Frustrated
that Robert's story remained unchanged, Siroco began his confrontational run.

(31:57):
He started by highlighting the physical disparity, asking how tall
Robert was six'. Four robert corrected him to six x
three and Claimed, jennifer though, smaller was strong and would freak.
Out soiroco then questioned him about their previous sexual. Encounters
asking about birth, Control robert said it never even entered
their minds at. All soroco asked whether their sex had

(32:20):
been out of the. Ordinary robert described their prior encounters
as just regular, sex with one exception on a roof
When jennifer took pictures of him while he was naked and,
asleep which he found. Odd siroco then attempted to establish a,
motive Suggesting robert was already angry At jennifer for her
part in the public argument with his Girlfriend Joe perry

(32:42):
and for scratching. Him robert, agreed but then reverted to his,
story claiming she became apologetic and sweet before tying him,
up Foiling siroco's attempt to build a coherent motive for.
Rage siroco challenged the plausibility Of robert becoming sexually aroused
while in. Pain When sarako asked dubiously if he became,

(33:03):
Erect robert seemed to take it as an affront to
his masculinity and defensively replied that he was in too
much pain and wasn't even thinking about. It saraco then
slid crime scene photos across the. Desk robert, recoiled covering
his eyes and saying, please he really didn't want to.
See saraco, persisted describing the severe markings on her neck

(33:26):
and asking how he could account for. Them, robert after
a hasty, glance demonstrated with his arm how she landed
against the, tree mimicking her open glazed eyes for the. Camera,
Finally siroco directly attacked the, story saying it just didn't
make any sense to. Him he suggested that something Triggered,
robert which led to the most heated exchange of the.

(33:48):
Taping robert responded angrily that she molested him in the.
Park saraco baited, him asking how could she molest? Him
was he telling him she was trying to rape him
in the? Park come, on Rob. Robert robert replied indignantly
that he was hurt from. Her soroco said that if
he were there telling him this, Story robert would be. Laughing,

(34:09):
robert on the verge of, rage asked if it made
no sense that somebody could put your hands behind your
back and push you down and then get on top
of your. Chest soroco replied Exactly robert was exactly. Right
despite the, Provocation robert did not explode and stuck to his.
Story soiroco ended the taping by giving a summary for

(34:30):
the benefit of a future, jury stating his belief That
robert had lost his temper and intended to Kill. Jennifer
robert's final words on the tape were a chilling assessment
of the girl he had. Killed he said he liked
her very, much that she was a very nice. Person
she was just too. Pushy immediately after the taping, Concluded

(34:50):
Detective mac And tee formally told him he was under.
Arrest the videotape became a central piece of. Evidence soroco
was ultimately removed from the, case partly due to his
aggressive and opinionated comments on the. Tape an edited, version
with some Of siroco's most inflammatory remarks, removed was later
played for the jury at the. Trial Jack, littman the defense,

(35:13):
attorney initially tried to have the tape, suppressed but later
came to believe the edited version was helpful to the
defense as it Showed robert sticking to his story and
never erupting into, rage appearing at best as a, frightened candid.
Teenager after the, Taping Detective mac And tee formally Placed
robert under. Arrest around two o'clock in the morning On

(35:36):
august twenty, Seventh robert was taken on the walk for the.
Press as he was moved from the precinct to a
van for transport To Central, booking newspeople shouted questions at
him and he endured a barrage of flashing camera. Lights

(36:15):
quick break ads keep the show, running but if you
want to skip, them the ad free versions On patreon
for just three bucks a month links in the show
notes and we're. Back thanks for sticking through. That let's
get back to. It the morning After robert's, arrest a

(36:44):
friend of The chambers family contacted prominent defense Attorney Jack.
Littman after speaking With Bob chambers over the, Phone littman
drove to pick him up in His cadillac De ville
and interviewed him in the. Car by nine point, thirty
having also met With Phyllis, Chambers litman had agreed to
take the. Case he then sped downtown to The Criminal Courts,

(37:04):
building Where robert was being transferred to a detention. Cell
amidst a throng of reporters AND tv, Vans littmann introduced
himself to his new, client cautioning him to try to
be calm and not talk to. Anyone, later in a detention,
Cell litman had his first detailed conversation With, robert who
maintained the same story he had given the. Police at

(37:26):
The Medical examiner's, Office Detective mickey MacEntee waited for the
autopsy to. Begin Maria alandi commenced her examination by Washing
jennifer's body and sealing her clothes in plastic. Bags the
internal examination revealed hemorrhages In jennifer's tongue and, temples which
suggested she had been punched in the mouth and on
the sides of her. Head Doctor alandi concluded That jennifer

(37:49):
had been not just, strangled but beaten as. Well the
autopsy also confirmed That jennifer had not been, raped as
there was no trace of seamen found that at. Night
littmann argued At robert's arraignment that his client should be,
released Claiming jennifer's death was an accident resulting from rough.
SEX a prosecutor countered that far more than one blow

(38:12):
was landed and mentioned reports of bruises and bite marks
on the. Body the judge Ordered robert back to jail
pending a grand jury. Investigation robert's friends from the prep
school scene attended the, hearing and he gave them a
thumbs up. Sign the following, morning headlines In The New
York post And Daily news Screamed jenny killed in wild

(38:33):
sex and sex got rough A, Furious Jack littman contacted
A post, editor insisting he had never used the words
rough or, wild and was told the headline writer took
a bit of literary. LICENSE a wake was held For
jennifer at A West side. Chapel the coffin was open
from the waist, up and though she was dressed in
a mint green, cardigan bruises were visible through the mortician's

(38:56):
make up on her. Face the sight of her swollen
eye convinced her, Friend margaret Trey hill That robert's story
of an accidental chokehold could not be. True in the
days and weeks Following Jennifer levin's, death the case began
to Mesmerize New York. City it quickly became front page
and top of the hour, news with the media dubbing
it The Preppy. Murder the public was fascinated because the

(39:20):
tragedy involved what observers called flaming youth and better, yet
flaming rich. Youth the story of two young people who
had all the advantages of youth and, money only to
lose everything in a single night struck a powerful chord
with the. Public the narrative reinforced several popular beliefs that
having a good time is, dangerous that young people are

(39:42):
incapable of handling liquor and, sex that the rich are
no better off than any one, else as evidenced by
the tragedy that befell the. Pair within a week Of jennifer's,
death the case was a principal topic of conversation at breakfast,
tables on coffee, breaks and at dinner parties throughout The
this public obsession was fueled by the, media which sent

(40:04):
out battalions of reporters to uncover any information about the
teenagers and their social. Circle their, lifestyle including their, drinking drug, use,
promiscuity and, extravagance was explored as if they were a new,
tribe an anthropological. Phenomenon the case ultimately became one of
the most widely covered murder stories In New york's. History

(40:26):
the rough sex, defense introduced By Jack, littman immediately shaped
the public. Narrative this narrative quickly took hold among the,
public and many people seemed to Blame jennifer for her own.
Death at An East hampton party Over Labor day, weekend
guests speculated that she was wild or into s and.
M when one guest expressed skepticism About robert's. Story another

(40:48):
authoritatively insisted the bruises On jennifer's body were a result
of rough, sex expressing a mix of condemnation and envy
for the perceived depravity of kids. Today the rumors and
victim blaming became so prevalent that some journalists pushed. Back
newsday Columnist Murray kempton wrote a piece indicting the police
for Leaking robert's, story suggesting they did so because they

(41:12):
were male chauvinists entrapped in our too common assumption that these,
days no girl is. Virtuous John, Cotter metropolitan editor At
New York, newsday saw the story as a good one
from the start because the victim was a white, girl
and the death of a white girl always sells. Papers
he viewed the story's real power not in the victim's specific,

(41:33):
identity but in what it said about kids and bars
and late, hours a narrative that would resonate with and
worry middle class parents about their own. Children for, editors
the case was significant because it sold papers more effectively
than major international news such as a gas eruption In
cameroon that killed a thousand. People the focus was on

(41:55):
stacking the, wood gathering, details and getting pictures that could
bring your, heart like a photo of the dead girl
alive at a party within the teenager's own social. Circle
the reaction quickly became. Polarized soon after the, Arrest robert's
supporters began to rally around, him and standing up For
robert took the form of putting Down jennifer. Hostile rumors

(42:18):
circulated that she was, wild, exhibitionistic and, provocative with some
regulars At dorian's even suggesting that the bite marks on
her body were from sexual play with other. Boys the
involvement of several Prominent catholic priests in Securing robert's bail
led to a significant public. Controversy Archbishop theodore McCarrick's letter

(42:40):
of support For robert was a key factor in the
judge's decision to grant. Bail in response to an angry
letter from The levin family in public, Backlash John cardinal
O'Connor wrote an open letter expressing his worry that mercy
toward A catholic boy could be perceived as callousness toward
A jewish, girl and that The catholic astas establishment will

(43:00):
be seen as rallying around its. Own he also worried
that Some catholics might Dismiss jewish resentment as. Paranoia this
letter intended to calm the, waters instead stirred them, up
leading to radio station call ins Claiming jewish girls are
whorees and reporters arguing over whether the cardinal had inflamed religious.
Tensions On september, tenth a grand jury Indicted Robert chambers

(43:26):
on two counts of, murder one for intentional murder and
the other for murder committed under circumstances evincing a depraved
indifference to human. Life On september twenty, fourth a bail
hearing was held Before Judge HOWARD. E. Bell littmann submitted
a lengthy bail application, motion along with forty character reference
letters From robert's, friends family, friends former, teachers and. Priests

(43:51):
one particularly influential letter came From THEODORE. E, macerrick The
archbishop Of, newark who wrote That robert possessed a true
respect for his. Neighbor Judge bell stated he gave consideration
to letters from a person of such. Stature On september twenty,
ninth Over Prosecutor Linda fairstein's Objections Judge bell Granted Robert,

(44:11):
baale setting it at one hundred and fifty thousand. Dollars
he Made Monseigneur, Leonard robert's second grade religion, teacher responsible
for his court. Appearances Phyllis chambers Told Jack, dorian the
owner Of Dorian's Red, hand that she did not have
enough money for the. Bail, dorian remembering his own brief
unpleasant time in jail years, earlier decided to help by

(44:34):
putting up his six hundred thousand Dollar East side town
house as partial. Collateral Monsignor wylders also contributed twenty one
thousand dollars of his personal. Savings robert was subsequently released from.
Jail On october, Fifteenth Manhattan District Attorney ROBERT. M morgenthau
held a press conference to announce that his office had

(44:55):
won a burglary indictment Against Robert. Chambers David, filah who
was already under indictment for attempted, murder was named As
robert's co. Defendant morgenthau explained that the media attention on
The leven killing had made some people more willing to
cooperate in the burglary. Investigation On october twenty, First littmann

(45:17):
wrote a formal request To Prosecutor Linda fairstein for property
necessary for the, defense Including jennifer's, journal which had been
rumored to contain a sex diary with a list of
her lovers and ratings of their. Prowess the public reaction
shifted again When Jack lippmann Subpoened jennifer's, journal which the
press immediately dubbed a sex. Diary while the idea was,

(45:40):
Titillating litman's move garnered him extraordinarily bad. Publicity he was
portrayed as a blackguard out to Drag jennifer's reputation through the,
mud and was even given And Now You Know Why
People Hate lawyers award by The American lawyer. Magazine this
backlash was seen as a milestone for the victim's rights,
movement which had previously Protested littmann's tactic of tainting the

(46:03):
reputation of another female murder, Victim Bonnie garland in a
nineteen seventy eight. Trial the diary controversy led to public,
demonstrations with people carrying signs reading justice For jennifer and
No more blamed the victim. Tactics on the morning Of january,

(46:38):
fourth nineteen eighty. Eight the trial of The People Versus
Robert chambers began on a snowy. Day the courthouse was,
chaotic with spectators jostling for seats and a large press
contingent straining against. Barricades When robert arrived with his parents
and Lawyer Jack, littman flashbulbs illuminated the. Corridor inside the,
courtroom The leven And chambers families were seated in separate

(47:00):
rows just a few feet apart without acknowledging one. Another,
robert seated between his, lawyers jounced his leg nervously Until
Judge Howard ebell. Entered Prosecutor Linda fairstein began her opening
statement by asking the jury to Keep Jennifer levin in
your mind's. Eye she promised to prove That robert beat
and Dragged, jennifer with photographs of her body serving as silent.

(47:23):
Witness she concluded by stating there was no, sex only,
violence only. Death defense Attorney Jack littman focused his opening
on the principle of reasonable, doubt telling the jury That
Robert chambers does not have to prove his, innocence they
have to prove his. Guilt his strategy was not to
present a large number of his own, witnesses but to

(47:47):
fracture and fragment the prosecution's story through cross. Examination on
the second, Day littmann objected to the introduction of large
blow up photographs Of jennifer's, body calling them lurid and.
Inflammatory Judge bell overruled, him and the jury saw the
huge reproductions of her face and. Body fairstein was, pleased

(48:09):
believing the photos would speak louder and more eloquently of
murder than. Testimony littmann then adopted a counter strategy of
repeatedly showing the photos to the, jury even providing magnifying
glasses in an attempt to diminish their power through. Overexposure
fairstein presented police witnesses from the night watch and crime scene. Units,
However littmann's cross examinations repeatedly highlighted flaws in the initial.

(48:33):
Investigation he pointed out that detectives failed to photograph the
alleged ground disturbance where a struggle supposedly, occurred did not
Photograph jennifer's panties in the, park and even allowed a
police vehicle to drive over the crime, scene leaving tire
Tracks the police testimony left some jurors, unimpressed with one

(48:53):
thinking of them As keystone cops and another calling them.
Bunglers jennifer's friends testified during the. Trial Betsy shankin took the,
stand and under cross examination By, littman she was questioned
about whether she told Police jennifer wanted to spend the
night With robert and was taking diet pills that. Evening
Alexandra legata testified About jennifer's actions At. Dorian's on cross,

(49:18):
Examination littmann got her to admit That jennifer wanted to
stay at the bar Because robert was, there That jennifer
had told Her robert was good sexually and that she
didn't like him as a. Person littmann believed this portrayed
a classic role, reversal Where jennifer was Objectifying. Robert edwena
testified that she did not Observe jennifer, drinking But littmann

(49:41):
confronted her with a police report in which she had
stated she Believed jennifer was definitely. Drunk Detective Mickey MacEntee,
testified But Judge bell had ruled That robert's initial lies
to the, police blaming the cat and claiming he wasn't
in the park were. Inadmissible mcintee was, frush believing the
lies are the meat and potatoes of this. Thing an

(50:04):
edited version Of robert's videotape confession was played for the.
Jury Steve, levin watching it for the first, time later
told reporters it was a pack of. Lies the jurors
had mixed. Reactions some found it rang, true while one
female juror Believed robert spoke with pained. Sincerity that Night
robert went out. Partying Detective Mike sheh had, testified and

(50:26):
during a tense cross, Examination littmann tried to discredit his
observation that there was dirt On jennifer's face by showing
crime scene photos where none was. Visible she had insisted
he saw, dirt which visibly Frustrated. Littman Doctor Maria, allendy
the medical, examiner testified that pressure would have been applied
To jennifer's neck for at least twenty to thirty, seconds

(50:49):
or possibly even, longer perhaps more than a. Minute, littmann
in cross, examination got her to admit that she had
told the grand jury it could have been as little
as fifteen. Seconds Doctor Alan, garber The jogger testified for the,
prosecution now stating that he saw a white man on
top of a lifeless person shaking. Them this contradicted his

(51:10):
initial report to, police where he described the activity as
rocking or. Humping littmann's cross examination focused on this, change
Forcing garber to admit he first described it as sexual
and only changed his story later claiming he minimized what
he saw out of fear because his wife was. Pregnant
the jurors had strongly divided opinions on his. Credibility Doctor Werner,

(51:34):
spitz the prosecution's final key, witness testified That jennifer was
likely strangled with her own blouse twisted into a noose
for at least thirty seconds and possibly several. Minutes his
stubborn and vituperative demeanor under cross examination caused several jurors
to dislike him and his. Testimony fairstein rested her. Case

(51:55):
litmann called a surprisingly small number of. Witnesses one of
his first Was Steve's, sirocco the original ada on the.
Case litmann Used siroco's testimony to imply the police investigation was,
flawed pointing out That siroco was never even told That
jennifer's pandies had been found far from her body on
the night of the. Arrest littmann called a hand, surgeon

(52:16):
who testified That robert's hand injury was consistent with his
being pinned on the. Ground littmann's main, expert Doctor Ronald,
cornblum testified That jennifer's bruises could have been from, falling
her death could have been caused by an arm choke
hold lasting only five to fifteen, seconds and the scratches
she inflicted On robert could have been from playful sexual.

(52:39):
Activity After cornblum's, Testimony littmann abruptly rested his, case Taking
faerstein by. Surprise litmann's summation lasted four. Hours he argued
that after ten, weeks the prosecution still had no clear
theory of the. Case he attacked the flawed police evidence
and directed the jury back To robert's videotape, statement asking

(53:01):
if that was the kind of story you make up
to get out of. Something faerstein's, summation also four hours,
long began and ended with emotional, appeals urging the jury
to Remember jennifer by looking at the photos of her
alive and then Dead she Attacked robert's story as, illogical
asking where was his other arm tied to The woolworth.

(53:21):
Building she suggested a motive rage from impotence caused by.
Alcohol On march, Seventeenth Saint Patrick's, Day Judge bell instructed
the jury on the possible charges two counts of, murder
manslaughter in the first, degree manslaughter in the second, degree
and criminally negligent. Homicide the first vote was. Taken three

(53:43):
jurors voted to Convict robert of intentional, murder while the
others were. Opposed the jury spent the next several days
in heated. Debate they re read testimony and re examined,
evidence Including jennifer's. Clothes they even re enacted the crime
in the jury, room with one juror sitting on another's
chest to test the defense's claim That robert could have

(54:03):
Flipped jennifer off. Him the experiment was. Inconclusive the jurors
became deeply divided and, argumentative with shouting matches. Erupting on
the ninth day of, deliberations the vote for intentional murder
had shifted to seven in, favor but the jury remained.
Deadlocked Jur Guy gravenson sent a private note to the

(54:24):
judge said he was physically ill from the stress and
tried to, leave Screaming i'm getting out of. Here, Fore
Woman Deborah kavanaugh sent a hysterical note to the, judge
saying she planned to leave the country that. Evening the
jury was on the verge of. Collapse On march twenty,
fifth nineteen eighty, eight on the ninth day of, deliberations

(54:45):
with the jury deadlocked and falling, Apart littmann And fairstein
negotiated a plea bargain In Judge bell's. Chambers the, Deal
robert would plead guilty to manslaughter in the first. Degree in,
exchange he would receive a reduced sentence of five to fifteen,
years and the prosecution would drop the pending burglary charge
and agree not to prosecute him for any other criminal,

(55:08):
acts including the alleged theft from his, neighbor Missus. Murphy
in a hushed court room that, Afternoon robert formally entered his.
Plea when asked by the judge if he intended to
cause serious physical injury To, jennifer he initially, equivocated saying
that looking back on, everything he would have to say,
yes but in his heart he did not mean for

(55:29):
anything to. Happen ferristein objected, loudly shouting that she wanted
the judge to ask him about his mind and his,
hands not his. Heart Judge bell rephrased the, question And
robert answered, yes your, honor while continuing to shake his
head from side to. Side the trial ended On april,
fifteenth nineteen eighty. Eight Robert chambers stood Before Judge bell

(55:52):
and was formally sentenced to five to fifteen years in.
Prison quick break ads keep the show, running but if

(56:15):
you want to skip, them the ad free versions On
patreon for just three bucks a. Month links in the
show notes and we're. Back thanks for sticking through. That
let's get back to. It In may nineteen eighty, eight
just weeks After Robert chambers had pleaded guilty to manslaughter

(56:38):
and been sentenced to five to fifteen years in, prison
a disturbing videotape surface that would reignite public outrage over the.
Case the home video had been recorded at a slumber
party in An Upper East side apartment just weeks Before
chambers's trial began In, january while he was out on.
Bail it Showed, chambers then twenty one years, old frolicking

(57:00):
with four scantly clad young, women including his girl, friend
nineteen year Old Shawn. Coval on the, Tape chambers was
seen alternately wearing, jeans A t, shirt a, sweater and a.
Wig at various, points he appeared to be smoking marijuana
and holding what looked like a vial of. Cocaine but
it was two particular moments on the tape that would

(57:21):
prove most. Shocking during a game of, Charades chambers acted
out a, strangulation putting himself in a choke. Hold, later
he picked up a small female. Doll looking directly into
the camera with a, smile he said in a falsetto,
voice my name is and twisted the doll's. Head he
then looked down and said in a serious, Voice, OOPS

(57:41):
i THINK i killed. It part of the videotape was
aired On Fox TELEVISION'S A Current affair on the evening
Of may twenty, third nineteen eighty, eight with a second
portion broadcast the following. Night the program had reportedly paid
one of the young women on the, Tape Melissa, buschell
ten thousand dollars for. It the Level veann family was
devastated by the. Tape the timing was particularly, painful as

(58:04):
it emerged just days before what would have Been jennifer's
birthday On may twenty. First jennifer's, Sister Danielle Levin roberts twenty,
three said that to have absolutely no regard for her
life was. Disgusting he's not even a, person she, Said
he's an. Animal she added that all she had to
say To Robert chambers was why don't you kick some

(58:25):
more dirt over her. Grave jennifer's, Father Stephen, levin refused
to watch the. Broadcast he said that although he was
shocked and devastated by news of the, tape it confirmed
what he already. Knew he's a low life drug addict
murderer and he should be in prison for the rest
of his. Life jennifer's, Grandfather Arnold, dominitz said the videotape

(58:48):
Of chambers twisting the doll's head was the most damaging
indictment of how he Killed. Jennifer he stated they were
not surprised at the revelation of the psychopathic character of this,
murderer but were shocked at how and what. Transpired he
expressed disappointment that someone didn't have the conscience to reveal
this at trial. Time in an interview with the television,

(59:11):
Station Sean coval said she thought her boyfriend was charming
and would serve his prison time with him if she.
Could it's his. Personality she, said he, Cares my mother loves.
Him when reached at Her Upper East side home after
the tape, Aired coval said she was upset about the
release of the, videotape but would not. Elaborate The State

(59:33):
Parole board indicated the videotape would not have much effect
on chambers possibility of being released after five. YEARS a
spokesman explained that while it might be representative of his
attitude as he was getting ready for, trial the board
deals with his attitude when he took his plea and
when he comes up for. Parole the videotape became yet

(59:54):
another chapter in a case that had already captivated and
divided the, city providing but many saw as a window
into chambers true character and his lack of remorse for
Taking Jennifer levin's. Life in nineteen ninety, seven while incarcerated

(01:00:15):
at Green Haven Correctional facility In, Stormville New, York chambers
sent an untitled essay he had written to prison Anthologist Jeff.
Evans the, piece subsequently Titled Christmas, present appeared in the
Book Undoing Time American prisoners in their Own. Words the
essay was an entry from one of his, journals which
he described as a record of the meaningless hope and

(01:00:37):
frightening losses of a PERSON i don't even. Know chambers
was released From auburn prison On february, fourteen two thousand,
three after having served the entirety of his prison term
due to his numerous. Infractions his release was a media,
circus with reporters staking out prime sections of the sidewalk
opposite the prison as early as thirteen hours before his

(01:00:59):
seven thirty mornings release. Time the same, Day DATELINE nbc Interviewed,
chambers who continued to claim that he Strangled levin accidentally
in an attempt to stop her from hurting him during rough.
Sex he also falsely denied that he had been disciplined in.
Prison Jack dorian settled With levin's parents on their claim

(01:01:20):
That dorian's, bar Where levin And chambers had been before
they went To Central park on the night of her,
death had served too much alcohol To, chambers a wrongful death,
lawsuit Which chambers did not, contest provided that he must
pay all lump sums he, receives including any income from
book or movie, deals plus ten percent of his future

(01:01:41):
income up to twenty five million dollars to The leven.
Family the family said all the money it receives From
chambers would go to victims rights. Organizations In july two thousand,
Five chambers pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug, charge and
On august twenty nine was given a reduced sentence of
nine days in jail and fined two hundred dollars for

(01:02:03):
a license. Violation the judge added ten days to the
time prosecutors And chambers's lawyer had agreed on because he
was an hour late for the. Hearing he would have
faced up to a year in jail if he had
been convicted after. Trial On october twenty, second two thousand,
Seven chambers was arrested, again this time in his own,
apartment and charged with three counts of selling a controlled

(01:02:26):
substance in the first, degree three counts of selling a
controlled substance in the second, degree and one count of resisting.
Arrest his longtime, Girlfriend Sean, covell was also arrested on
one count of selling a controlled substance in the second.
Degree according to, Reports chambers struggled with officers who tried

(01:02:47):
to handcuff him on the felony. Charges one detective suffered
a broken thumb in the. Fracas commenting on his new,
arrest Former Assistant District Attorney Linda, fairstein who had Prosecuted
chambers For levin's, death said it didn't surprise. Her she
had always believed his problem with drugs and alcohol would
get him in trouble. Again he had the opportunity in

(01:03:10):
prison to detox and take college courses to straighten out his,
life but that clearly was of no interest to. Him
he had learned nothing in the last twenty. Years chambers
And coval were charged with running a cocaine operation out
of the. Apartment the two had previously been given notices
for not paying rent and the phone had been. Disconnected

(01:03:32):
On august, eleventh two thousand, eight The Manhattan DA's office
announced That chambers had pleaded guilty to selling. Drugs On september,
second two thousand, eight he was sentenced to nineteen years
on the drug. Charge chambers was released From New York's
Shawangunk Correctional facility On july twenty, fifth twenty twenty, three

(01:03:52):
after serving fifteen years of his nineteen year. Sentence he
will be on parole until twenty twenty. Eight quick break
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bucks a. Month links in the show notes and we're.

(01:04:15):
Back thanks for sticking through, That let's get back to.
It Jennifer levin was eighteen years old when she died
In Central park On august twenty, sixth nineteen eighty. Six
she had just graduated from high, school having been voted
best looking by her. Class she was working as a

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hostess and saving money for college In, boston where she
planned to start in the. Fall she was excited about
her future and had told her friends about the wonderful
summer she was. Having those who knew her remembered her
as a live wire with, personality someone who was extroverted and.
Determined from a young. Age she loved, attention tried to

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make people laugh with her play, antics and was known
for her, trendy eye catching. Style despite her, insecurities she
had begun to blossom into a, confident young woman her
life was cut short by someone she trusted in a
place where she should have been. Safe the case became
a landmark moment in the victim's rights, movement sparking conversations

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about victim blaming and the treatment of women in the
criminal justice. System jennifer's family ensured that any money received
From chambers would go to victim's rights, organizations turning their
tragedy into support for others who had suffered similar. Losses
Jennifer levin's name remained synonymous with the fight for justice

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and the refusal to let victims be forgotten or blamed
for the violence committed against. Them n