Ep 3. Suspicious Minds

Slow Burn is a documentary-style podcast created by Slate magazine that covers some of the biggest political controversies of recent history. Season 3 takes a deep dive into the complex story of the unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, better known as Notorious B.I.G. Episode 3, titled "Suspicious Minds," continues the story with a focus on the mysterious death of a key figure in the investigation: LAPD Detective Russell Poole.

The episode opens with a dramatic reenactment of the day in 2015 when Poole was found dead in his home. The circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious from the start: there were no signs of forced entry, but Poole was found lying on his stomach with a gunshot wound to the chest, surrounded by evidence of a struggle. The police initially classified his death as a suicide, but many of Poole's colleagues and friends were convinced that foul play was involved.

From there, the episode delves into the backstory of Detective Poole and his involvement in the Tupac and Biggie investigations. Poole was initially assigned to investigate the Tupac murder in 1997, and he quickly became convinced that the LAPD had somehow been involved in the crime. As he dug deeper, he began to uncover evidence of a massive corruption scandal within the department - not just related to the Tupac case, but to a range of other crimes as well. Poole's findings put him at odds with some of his colleagues and supervisors, who were determined to maintain the department's reputation no matter what.

The tension between Poole and his fellow officers came to a head in 1999, when he was taken off the Tupac investigation and reassigned to a desk job. This move was widely seen as a punishment for his outspokenness, and it marked the beginning of Poole's descent into disillusionment and frustration. He eventually retired from the LAPD in 2003, but he remained fixated on the Tupac and Biggie cases until his death twelve years later.

The episode also introduces a few new characters who become important in the story going forward. One is a man named Randy Porch, who was a key player in the undercover operations that Poole was investigating. Porch is interviewed extensively in the episode, and he provides some startling insights into the inner workings of the LAPD at the time. Another new character is a journalist named Randall Sullivan, who wrote a book about the Tupac and Biggie cases in 2002. Sullivan is notable because he provides some of the most detailed and comprehensive reporting on the scandals within the department, even as many other reporters and media outlets shied away from the story.

Overall, "Suspicious Minds" is a gripping episode that deepens our understanding of the complex web of corruption and intrigue surrounding both the Tupac and Biggie cases. It also raises important questions about the role of law enforcement in these investigations, and about the ways in which power and influence can be used to manipulate the justice system. As always, Slow Burn manages to tell a compelling story while also shedding light on some of the most pressing issues of our time.