Amy Locane Interview

·1 hr 30 min·5 clips

Actress Amy Locane went from starring opposite Johnny Depp to causing a fatal drunk driving crash that sent her to prison.

The episode begins with hosts Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg providing context about their interview with Amy Locane, noting conditions like not asking about the victim and addressing feedback on language about transgender inmates. They introduce Locane's background as a former actress known for roles in 'Crybaby' and 'Melrose Place'. Locane recounts her rapid rise to fame as a teenager and her abrupt departure from Hollywood. She describes the night of June 27, 2010, when, after drinking at a party, she caused a car accident that resulted in a fatality. Locane details her arrest, shock at learning someone died, and the legal proceedings that followed. She explains rejecting a plea deal for 10 years and going to trial, where she was found guilty and initially sentenced to three years. Locane served time at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in New Jersey, where she worked a sewing job for 23 cents an hour and tried to maintain normalcy. She shares a disturbing experience with a transgender inmate who made unwanted advances, raising safety concerns. After her release in 2015, she rebuilt her life, but the prosecution appealed her sentence. In 2020, she was resentenced to eight years due to a legal workaround where serving her time waived double jeopardy protections. Locane describes returning to prison during COVID, feeling isolated, and relying on faith to cope. Released again in December 2024, she discusses ongoing trauma and the support from her church. The interview concludes with her critiques of the prison system, including issues with transgender housing, difficulty maintaining family connections, and the need for reform to reduce degradation and facilitate rehabilitation.

As heard by us

A follow-up that centers release paperwork, officers, and Amy Locaine's own sense of safety.

Women and Crime returns to Amy Locaine as a follow-up to a case already covered in fuller detail elsewhere, with the hosts noting that some of the deeper background was reserved for that earlier subscriber episode.

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Why you'd press play

For when release turns into forms, officers, and another stack of forms.

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