Making-A-"Murderer" (...or not.)

On January 23, 2021, Crawlspace Gossip Pod’s hosts published a retraction, correction, and apology letter on their website to me and LPA, CCIRI and Sheryl McCollum, and to Leigh Egan/CrimeOnline for their December 3, 2020 episode where they hosted guests Michele Barton and her associate/advocate? Miranda “Mo” Marshall Cosnowski. LPA appreciates that Lance Reenstierna and Tim Pilleri took responsibility for their actions,I thank them, and I accept their apology. LPA appreciates their desire to do the right thing and to correct the inaccuracies and misstatements in that episode.

This situation is a reminder to all True Crime podcasters, to vet their guests before inviting them on their shows. In order to protect yourself against legal liability, to maintain journalistic integrity, and to maintain your credibility, and the podcasting professional as a whole, LPA suggests that podcasters vet their guests by gathering and reviewing the following information:

• Name, address, phone number, email address of the guest

• Name of the victim in the case

• Identify links to related media

• Determine how the guest is related to the case?

• Determine why the guest wants to come on your show?

• Obtain a list all podcasts the guest has appeared on with links where you can review those episodes

• Require the guest to provide three references (i.e., legal professionals or other licensed professionals or other credible individuals) who are willing to be a character reference for them

• Have the guest sign an appearance agreement in which they promise that:

  • Their statements on your show will be truthful, accurate, and consistent with the evidence.

  • They will not insinuate, imply, or accuse anyone of crimes unless they can substantiate their claims with evidence

  • They will not to “bad-mouth” anyone.

  • They will not mislead your audience or misrepresent information, people’s roles or actions, evidence, or events related to the case.

  • Finally, podcasters should reach out to other podcasters and vet the guest before extending an invitation.

Crawlspace started the 2021 avalanche of the now 25 total Barton media publications taken down. LPA thanks the following entities for standing up for the truth, treating others with respect and common courtesy, taking a stand against making false accusations against people who have not been charged or convicted, and standing up against publishing false information.

• 2017 - Crime and Scandal podcaster Levi Page took down Barton episodes because it contained false information and Barton said ketamine was never tested for

• 2018 - Websleuths with Tricia Griffin took down Barton episodes because it contained false information and Barton said ketamine was never tested for

• 2018 - Nancy Grace’s team took down Barton’s podcast episode and the second episode never aired, Barton said ketamine was never tested for

• 2018 - CrimeOnline team took down two articles

• 2018 - OzTeam removed the episode upon finding out Barton knew ketamine was tested for and the result was negative

• 2018 - Minds of Madness podcasters Tyler and Bek took down three Barton episodes they contained false information and Barton said ketamine was never tested for. They posted an apology to all of us in their social media

• 2020 - Crawlspace Gossip Pod Lance and Tim, took down their two episodes because of Barton’s false claims during the episodes

• 2021 - Deep Dark Truth with Miranda Marshal Cosnowski, Mikey, and Chip took down their two episodes

• 2021 - True Crime Stories with Synova Cantrell set her episode to private

• 2021 - Catch My Killer with Marc Hoover took down his episode

• 2021 - The One and Oney with Dustin Oney, took down his four episodes

• 2021 - Behind the Yellow Tape with Laura Jean, took down her episode

• 2021 - Defenders VII took their episode down

• 2021 - The Great Unsolved with Alexyss Rubjerg, took her down two episodes. Like Crawlspace, on February 13, 2021, and without being asked to do so, Alexyss posted a public apology letter on her website to me and LPA, CCIRI and Sheryl McCollum, and to Leigh Egan/CrimeOnline. LPA appreciates that Alexyss apologized, I thank her, and I accept her apology. LPA appreciates her desire to do the right thing and to correct the inaccuracies and misstatements in her podcast episode.

• 2021 - Reverie with Paige Elmore took her episode down

• 2021 - True Consequences with Eric Carter-Landin too his episode down

This situation with Crawlspace alerted me that I needed to speak out about this situation. April 23, 2018 LPA released a statement on our findings in this case and that Barton didn’t tell me the truth about ketamine testing. She started slandering us. After a year of slanderous social media posts, in June 2019 I blogged about my personal experience with Barton, that she took advantage of LPA’s pro bono resources dedicated to unsolved case murder victims. And now because the slandering continues constantly as evidenced by the Crawlspace episode, the consensus at LPAs board of advisors was that we needed to again speak out a third time about this matter because she will not leave me or LPA, Sheryl and CCIRI, Leigh/CrimeOnline alone. Together united for truth and kind treatment of others, we all respectfully request Barton leave us alone.

You should also know this about April 2018. I don’t mistreat people, no one “turned on” Barton and there is no “ring leader” of our group in this situation. We all stand united together for Barton to leave us alone. Barton might tell you “the National Media” or “True Crime” people took down her episodes because we were all afraid of getting sued. Including me, no one I’m aware of “lawyered up” when Barton’s appearances aired in January and February 2018…why would we? As usual in most situations, the truth is simple. When we all found out Barton knew ketamine was tested for and the result was negative all Barton-related publications had to come down because Barton accused Dr. Cooney or “someone” of killing Tanner by putting ketamine in Tanner’s drink. I presented what I believed to be true in Tanner’s case to my producers at Oz in January 2018. She got on Oz because of me. When OzTeam brought Barton to NY to tape with us, we all treated her extremely well. She made posts about how great we all were, she called us heroes. Sheryl McCollum got Barton on Nancy Grace. Same there: Barton was treated with kindness and respect by Sheryl McCollum, Leigh Egan/CrimeOnline and Nancy Grace’s team too.

We all thought we were helping a grieving mother find answers by getting Tanner’s case on shows with us. In January 2018, none of us had any idea Barton was lying to us about ketamine testing.

-Dr. Laura Pettler

Now in 2021 since Crawlspace, an avalanche podcasters have taken down Barton-related publications for the same reason OzTeam and NG’s team did…Barton wasn’t honest during her appearances. Some of the podcasters have written apology emails to us taking responsibility for not vetting her before they hosted her, we accept their apologies.

NOTE: Most recently apology letters posted by Crawlspace and The Great Unsolved stated that Barton was not honest (See links above). But in stark contrast, Barton repeatedly alleges that I am a liar. Besides Barton, the only people who have ever called me a liar are murderers. You might want to consider doing this in social media: count how many times Barton posts using the word “liars”, then count how many people she’s accused of lying. Then count how many times Barton’s shared this blog post. You last number will be zero. Your first two numbers will be very high. And also not surprisingly, when Sheryl McCollum took Barton to court for stalking, Barton didn’t file counter claims against Sheryl for stalking, cyberstalking, hacking or anything else and Barton had her shot to question Sheryl in front of a judge. I was there and could have been called. Leigh Egan was there and could have been called too. Contact Sheryl McCollum or the Fulton County Courthouse for more information.

For seven months, I allowed Barton to slander to me, CCIRI and its experts almost daily. I never responded publicly or privately. She went after my job and I still did nothing. It wasn’t until she went after my children that I took her to court. When she was in court in front of a judge she didn’t counter with anything against me and she accepted my terms in mediation to avoid trial.

- Sheryl McCollum

**Announcement from LPA Legal: As of January 23, 2021, because Barton continues to make false accusations against LPA and CCIRI, all of us, and to avoid again what happened on Crawlspace, LPA now speak publicly about the Tanner Barton case. LPA will also respond to evidence Barton presents to podcasters to support her allegations and claims (e.g., blackmailing, cyber-hacking, cyberstalking, stalking, tapping phones, intercepting mail, stealing files, fake trials, false charges, liars, unethical, going to the FBI, lawyering up, and the list goes on, etc.).