“Soak Up the SUNday” – May 6, 2025

And like any other time that we try to sneak away from the studio, all heck broke loose as we had both Lee Gilley’s discovery hearing in Houston and Angie Solomon’s Probable Cause hearing in Franklin, TN… details on which can be found in True Sunlight #98 and #99 this week.  

Plus, Beth Braden discovered damning evidence in the Scott Spivey case which led to the firing of Officer Damon Vescovy.  And yesterday, we got the opportunity to share a conversation with Scott’s mother and sister in COJ #128 which published early this morning – you won’t want to miss the heartbreaking details as both women show a pesky strength and resilience that is entirely inspiring.

Do you know what else is awe inspiring? Julie Grant!!! I had the best time joining EB on Julie’s show Opening Statements last week chatting about the Hulu show and accepting an invitation from Julie to reach out if we were ever in Atlanta…

I didn’t know what to expect when I started out this journey in podcasting, justice reform and victim advocacy… but I definitely did not have Braves Game with Court TV’s Julie Grant (Thanks to 680 The Fan Radio!), dinner with Valyn Hall who plays Aunt Tiffany on The Righteous Gemstones, or developing such a bond with the actors playing Buster, Paul, Liz and yours truly from our very own Hulu production on my bingo card…

Encountering these talented people and getting to know them beyond their characters and on-air personalities has been wholly encouraging as we continue to shed light on new cases and pay respects to all the victims we met along the way.  

The actors, creative leaders, production designers, and all the cast and crew are more fabulous and talented than I could have ever imagined.  From the meticulous and deep research embedded in each actor’s costumes, to the precise factually based sets, to the content in the script, to the emotive responses each scene draws out when we’re watching on set — its  all just so good. And while I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I did know that Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr were the right co-creators to bring this show to life.

Yesterday, we were able to catch some special scenes that had David and I balling quietly (because quiet on the set!) as possible, but afterward we were able to embrace the actor playing Sandy Smith… and let’s just say the casting team deserve an award because her hugs are just as warm and emotion-filled as the real Sandy. Her name isn’t announced yet, but Pesky members will be able to find her and you’re going to flip with excitement!!

And we met a new friend on the studio lot this week who plays Stephen Smith and while the resemblance is certainly uncanny, your going to absolutely adore the character he embodies.  The world created for Stephen to interact with is not sugar-coated, but the lasting impression Sandy’s and Stephen’s portrayal will leave on audiences is sure to fire up advocates across the country as we continue to press for answers in his death.   And THAT IS A BIG DEAL.

And not to be outdone by the magnitude of this scripted series, David and the Real Sandy Smith are spearheading a big deal of our own with an event in the heart of Hampton, SC to bring additional awareness to Stephen’s yet-unsolved homicide… On July 12th, our Walking With Stephen event will commemorate 10 years since Stephen was discovered on a seldom-traveled road with catastrophic injuries that led to his death.  Stay tuned for more details as we confirm logistics and we hope you’ll consider joining us in July.

We are so thankful for your support as we bring these new cases to light, this new series to life, and justice back to those that have gone without it for so long.

As always, your support is immensely appreciated and keeps us motivated to expose the truth wherever it leads, give voice to victims and get the story straight.  

Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay In The Sunlight…

– Mandy

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