Ryan Katz

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The Long Afterlife of a Terrible Crime

The Long Afterlife of a Terrible Crime

Regina Alexander does not remember anyone telling her how her mother died; she has always known when and where it happened, and who did it. For years, though, a lot of the details remained mysterious to her. Written for The New Yorker.

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January 14, 2022June 24, 2022
Mean, Mean

Mean, Mean

Jerry grew up in East Texas in the 1970s, and noticed his family doing some weird stuff. What a life he’s lived since. Produced for Love + Radio.

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August 15, 2019June 23, 2022
Play to Stay

Play to Stay

Carlos faces a choice: become an informant for ICE or be deported. In this investigative report I dive into how Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses undocumented immigrants as snitches to find others. For the first time, the deportation arm of ICE admitted to me they use this tactic. Written for The Intercept.

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January 30, 2019June 23, 2022
Punking a Punk Rock Church “Cult”

Punking a Punk Rock Church “Cult”

One day in May 1999, Cleetus Adrian was watching The Apostle, the 1997 film starring Robert Duvall, when—as he tells it—he heard God tell him to become a pastor. Adrian’s father was a Nazarene pastor, and he already attended his father’s church. But when God calls, you answer. Written for Topic.

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February 12, 2018June 23, 2022
The Chili Powder Cheat

The Chili Powder Cheat

Texas: the land of BBQ, breakfast tacos… and of course Tex-Mex. But what if we told you Tex-Mex wasn’t created by a Texan or Mexican, but a German immigrant? On this episode, we tell you the story of William Gebhardt, the inventor of chili powder. Produced for Gravy.

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February 9, 2018June 24, 2022
College Behind Bars

College Behind Bars

To get to the 99A college prep English class at California’s San Quentin State Prison, you pass through two security checks, two gates and a very thick, very old metal door that looks medieval. You walk into a courtyard surrounded by guard towers. Inmates in pale blue scrubs with the word “PRISONER” printed on the…

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September 11, 2017June 23, 2022
Alex Jones Is His Own Worst Enemy

Alex Jones Is His Own Worst Enemy

Alex Jones sat alone in the courtroom, preparing for the stage. He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair, staring at his reflection in the computer screen in front of him. Most people know Jones as the InfoWars host who shouts, takes off his shirt, and peddles conspiracy theories—like his belief that the Sandy…

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April 25, 2017June 23, 2022
A Lack of Hate Crime Prosecutions

A Lack of Hate Crime Prosecutions

Neither Reyna’s assault, nor Amin-Akbari’s beating nor Gaspari’s shooting were successfully prosecuted as hate crimes. Indeed, a ProPublica analysis shows that such cases in Texas almost never are. Written for ProPublica.

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April 25, 2017June 23, 2022
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