Podcasts

Contributors: Vanessa Ahrens & Sophie Langa

Duration: 14:56

In the first episode of series 2, Vanessa and Sophie talk about some of the expectations future law students may have if they watch American movies and TV series. They reflect on their own experiences studying law and discuss topics such as internships and competitiveness among law students.

Looking at various aspects of two works – the film Legally Blonde and the TV crime series How to Get Away with Murder – the differences between the lives of German law students and those of fictional law students at US universities become very clear.

Contributors: Dalia Andegiorgis & Shachigaa Srirangan

Duration: 16:48

Many TV show producers have taken it upon themselves to highlight the prevalence of prejudice in the US justice system, particularly with regards to race. While some have succeeded in their efforts of raising awareness on this issue, others have failed to capture the reality of it.

In this podcast episode, Dalia and Shachigaa examine two shows -“Monster” (about Jeffrey Dahmer), and “When They See Us” (about the Central Park Five) – that aim to address the racial prejudice in those cases, and they explore the differences in their approaches. Spoiler alert: only one of these shows actually got it right.

Contributors: Johann Bauer & Pascal Kraus

Duration: 15:17

Police forces all around the world face claims of using excessive force. In the USA, this mainly concerns the use of guns, which is causing a lot of unnecessary deaths, whereas the police in Germany are often criticised for their handling of protests.

In this podcast episode, Johann and Pascal will investigate the different approaches taken in the USA, the UK, and Germany when it comes to the use of guns. They look at how the media is shaping public opinion, and what effect this has had on the police both in Germany and the USA.

Contributors: Katharina Pickl & Niklas Tausendpfund

Duration: 15:12

In this first episode, Katharina and Niklas talk about the media portrayal of high-profile cases looking specifically at the recent example of the defamation case Johnny Depp v Amber Heard. They discuss how the media response influences the reputation of the parties to the case and the lawyers involved, and what effects – both positive and negative – that has on them, the public and the trial itself.

Contributors: Maria Elisabeth Amdur & Baldur Böhm

Duration: 13:36

Maria and Baldur are both law students in the 9th and 10th semester. In this episode they look at the popular American legal drama series “Suits” considering possible crimes committed by the main characters:

• Mike Ross and the unlicensed practice of law
• Harvey Specter & Jessica Pearson and perjury
• Louis Litt and coercion
• Donna Paulsen and tampering with physical evidence

Following a short introduction to each character, the students refer to the relevant applicable sections in both the US and German criminal codes to see just how accurate the depictions are in the series and whether the characters would be guilty of crimes in Germany as well.

Contributors: Tim Reinhold & Maximilan Zech

Duration: 16:20

A whole new field of fact-finding is emerging from the combination of newly implemented technology and the prosecutor’s goal of obtaining a conviction. This field of fact-finding is called open source intelligence (OSINT). But what exacly does OSINT consist of? Are there any guidelines on how to build a case? Is OSINT consistent with admissibility rules in front of courts? In this episode, Tim and Max explore these questions in detail and present an overview of the topic.

Contributors: Dominic Deuber & Lisa-Marie Kalek

Duration: 14:21

In this episode, Lisa-Marie and Dominic will focus on the law as depicted in US films. In particular, they will talk about the 1996 movie A Time To Kill by Joel Schumacher, which is based on the 1989 novel by John Grisham. 

A constitutionally protected characteristic of criminal trials in the American judicial system, the lay jury plays a fundamental role in the movie, and the students discuss various aspects of its portrayal, as well as how accurate this is in terms of the law.

A word of warning: The podcast contains spoilers for the entire movie, so if you were planning to watch it, you may want to do so before listening to this episode.

Contributors: Linda Koch & Süeda Kanatli

Duration: 15:52

Many of us share significant parts of our lives on social media platforms and use them to connect with other people on a daily basis. However, social media should be enjoyed with caution. Anything we post can and most likely will be used against us if necessary.

Our data can be seen by everyone and anyone and the Internet does not forget, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that also criminal prosecutors use our social media content as evidence against us if we become involved in a crime or a criminal investigation. The question Linda and Süeda discuss in this episode is whether social media is a help or rather a hindrance for criminal prosecution.

Contributors: Karim Radoin & Jonathan Weikl

Duration: 14:57

Although the concept of fake news has existed since the 19th century, the consequences of the distribution of such untruths have became particularly apparent since the US elections in 2016. This has led to a need for governments and international organisations to address the legal concerns associated with the dissemination of so-called misinformation and disinformation.

In the final episode of this series, Karim and Jonathan analyse the legal situation in respect of fake news, looking in particular at the human rights situation and freedom of expression. They also present and critically assess attempts taken by the UK legislator to combat fake news, and, in light of the Ukraine War, evaluate the content of Russian fake news laws from a human rights perspective.