Follow the Philando Castile Court Case Via This New Podcast

By Sameer Rao May 30, 2017

Former St. Anthony, Minnesota, police officer Jeronimo Yanez‘s trial for fatally shooting 32-year-old Philando Castile begins today (May 30). Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) new podcast, "74 Seconds," recaps the circumstances surrounding Castile’s livestreamed death and follows Yanez’s trial.

Yanez’s indictment for second-degree manslaughter and felony weapon discharge marks the first time in 17 years that a Minnesota police officer has been charged for killing a civilian. "The story we want to tell is: what does it look like when an officer faces criminal charges for killing someone?" co-host Jon Collins said in a MPR Q&A published Saturday (May 27).

Collins hosts the show—named for the time that elapsed between Yanez pulling over Castile’s car and the fatal shooting—alongside colleague Riham Feshir. "74 Seconds" premiered May 22 with an episode on Castile, who was Black, and the life he lead before his July 6, 2016, death. The second one profiles Yanez, who is Latinx. The third and fourth installments cover the fatal traffic stop and the activist response, respectively.

Feshir and Collins will report on the trial in upcoming weekly podcast episodes, which will complement daily coverage via MPRNews.org and Twitter. As of press time, 49 prospective jurors were provided with questionnaires to fill out ahead of tomorrow’s jury selection. A previous MPR dispatch said that the trial is expected to last three weeks.

Stream "74 Seconds" via its dedicated MPR webpage or via mobile podcast apps.