Dead End: A New Jersey Political Murder Mystery

The New Jersey state attorney general announced an indictment of George Norcross, and to the astonishment of many, the powerful party boss showed up.

An update to the story of George Norcross.

Dead End host Nancy Solomon introduces us to a new, five-part investigation from the WNYC Newsroom called “Imminent Danger: One Doctor and a Trail of Injured Women.” The doctor in question — an OB/GYN named Thomas J. Byrne — was negligent and incompetent, according to officials in New York State. And yet, he is still practicing medicine today. This series explores why that is and what it says about the system for vetting doctors.Listen to the whole series here:Episode 1: Wrongful DeathEpisode 2: License RevokedEpisode 3: The GatekeepersEpisode 4: LoopholesEpisode 5: New York, AgainYou can also read more about the series at Gothamist.“Imminent Danger” originally ran on NYC NOW, a weekday podcast that delivers local news from WNYC and Gothamist every morning, midday and evening. Subscribe here.The series was supported by the Pulitzer Center.

It’s been a year and the subpoenas are flying in Camden.

In February 2015, the Somerset prosecutor announced that John Sheridan had murdered his wife in cold blood and then killed himself. In 2017, the manner of death was updated to “undetermined.” From the local detectives to the state’s Attorney General’s office, a lot of people walked away from these murders. If a family as powerful and well-connected as the Sheridans gets such bad treatment, what does this say about the justice system in New Jersey? New voices interviewed in episode: • Ben Barlyn, lawyer who filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the Chris Christie administration.  • Peter Sheridan, younger brother of John, and a federal judge in New Jersey.

In the almost eight years since John and Joyce Sheridan were killed, five state Attorneys General have come and gone in New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy recently nominated a new Attorney General, Matt Platkin. Last week, an email came from Platkin’s press office with surprising news.

A couple months after his parents’ deaths, Mark Sheridan comes across a paper trail: extensive email exchanges, dated memos, and handwritten notes detailing a real estate deal on the Camden waterfront. His father, John Sheridan, wrote himself a note on an envelope: “I have a duty of loyalty and good faith and I need to act in a way consistent with that responsibility." How did John act and what impact did it have? New voice interviewed in episode: • Jeff Pillets, an investigative reporter who spent a year at the Bergen Record looking at George Norcross and his insurance business

John Sheridan’s decision to go work at Cooper University Hospital came at a curious time. It was just months after news about the Palmyra tapes came out. The tapes caught George Norcross bullying and offering a favor to a small town official; they are a rare instance where evidence emerged of the rough and tumble side to the south Jersey political machine. An email shows Norcross' control over the state legislature and city council members in Camden explain what it means to be a "yes yes" person. • Kelly Francis, union organizer and Camden activist • Kevin Riordan, Philadelphia Inquirer reporter who has covered south Jersey off and on for the past 45 years • Micah Rasmussen, director of Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Ryder University • Tom Knoche, lecturer at Rutgers University in Camden • Matt Katz, reporter at WNYC • Shaneka Boucher, Camden City Councilwoman • Marilyn Torres, Camden City Councilwoman • Jeffrey Brenner, doctor who worked and lived in Camden during its worst years

After it becomes clear the Somerset county prosecutor’s office couldn’t have done a worse job (unless their goal was to destroy the crime scene), some 200 prominent citizens send a letter to the state attorney general asking for his office to intervene in the investigation. Despite the letter signed by the biggest names in New Jersey legal circles—including two former attorneys general and three former governors—the attorney general never gets involved. The quest to find out why takes us through a brief history of problems in New Jersey's criminal justice system.

The knife used to kill John Sheridan is just the first of many clues casting doubt on law enforcement’s conclusion of murder suicide. A newspaper crime reporter, a veteran homicide detective out of Philly, and a whistleblower point to significant pieces of evidence that have been disregarded—even thrown into a dumpster. Although Mark has the state attorney general and the county prosecutor on direct dial, he still gets stonewalled. The authorities assure the political insider that his parents had a dark secret, which will eventually come to light. Mark isn’t convinced. Instead, as he goes through his parent’s papers, he stumbles into a different fight. New voices interviewed in episode: • Barbara Boyer, reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer • Eddie Rocks, veteran homicide detective, retired from the Philadelphia police. • Lawrence Kobilinski, professor emeritus, department of sciences at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York • Professor Keith Taylor, professor, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (and a former NYPD detective)