“Murder in Boston”

In 2020, reporters at The Boston Globe embarked on a journey to reinvestigate a polarizing and painful event in Boston’s history. The team revisited the 1989 case of Charles Stuart and his pregnant wife, Carol, whose deaths shocked the city and sparked intense racial tensions. The Globe’s decision to reexamine the story came after the death of George Floyd. Globe reporters published the “Nightmare in Mission Hill” series, which examined the failings of the Boston Police Department and the city’s struggles with racial justice and police accountability. The Stuart murder was initially pinned on multiple Black men in Boston before being linked back to Charles Stuart himself.

The “Murder in Boston” podcast explored how the Stuart case reflected Boston’s complex issues of race, class, crime and justice. The reporters aimed to correct the historical record and confront systemic failures within civic institutions by meticulously uncovering overlooked evidence and amplifying the voices of those affected.

Their efforts were not in vain. The podcast climbed the charts. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu held a news conference apologizing to the Black community and those impacted by the case. University professors and high school teachers said they planned to incorporate the story into their curriculum.

The podcast served as a testament to the transformative power of investigative journalism, sparking crucial conversations about accountability, reconciliation and the enduring legacies of racial injustice in American cities.

Article by: Abbi Ross