Monster: DC Sniper · iHeartPodcasts and Tenderfoot TV

Our Father, The Sniper [bonus]

May 14, 2020·31 min·2 clips

Selena says the sniper case is part of their story but not the story that defines their future.

1. Monster: DC Sniper: Our Father, The Sniper examines Selena and Taliba's memories of their father John Muhammad and the consequences of his identification as a D.C. sniper. 2. Host Tony Harris interviews Selena and Taliba, who describe their childhood, family relationships, public scrutiny, and use of music to express their experiences. 3. The episode asks how John Muhammad's daughters can acknowledge his crimes while preserving their own memories and identities. 4. Selena and Taliba say their early childhood in Washington State included fishing, sightseeing, carnivals, snow fights, family nights, and home videos recorded by their mother Mildred. 5. The sisters say John was a loving and playful father to them, even though later media portrayals described him as a monster. 6. In March 2000, John picked up Selena and Taliba from elementary school, drove them to an airport, and flew them to Antigua. 7. In August 2001, authorities found the girls living with John in a homeless shelter in Bellingham, Washington, before Mildred reunited with them in Maryland. 8. When the D.C. sniper attacks began in Maryland, Taliba remembered running home while looking for the white box truck associated with the attacks. 9. After John and Lee Boyd Malvo were arrested, the girls were moved between school, a car, and a hotel while their family dealt with the FBI and media attention. 10. Reporters appeared at their middle school, and classmates speculated that Selena and Taliba might finish their father's alleged work or become a violent pair. 11. Mildred could not find an affordable therapist she trusted, so she borrowed a counseling book from a library and helped the children herself. 12. Selena and Taliba credit Mildred's optimism with supporting their emotional stability, spiritual development, and decision to choose positivity. 13. Selena says the night of John's execution returns to her periodically alongside thoughts of his absence from her prom and college send-off. 14. The sisters reject the idea that refusing to resent John means excusing his crimes or ignoring victims, survivors, and their families. 15. Selena argues that the public image of John as a monster does not match the father she experienced during childhood. 16. Taliba and Selena say their mother taught them not to apologize for John's actions because his actions were his responsibility. 17. The interview is reflective and personal, with Tony Harris asking about childhood, trauma, faith, media narratives, family bonds, and creative expression. 18. The conversation also becomes musical when Taliba explains the relationship themes and violent undertones in the song Scramble. 19. Best for listeners interested in crime victims' families and personal identity. 20. Might skip it if seeking investigative details about the attacks.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Monster: DC Sniper