Rebuttal
Comedy, case law, chaos. Practicing attorney and TikTok gal @rebmasel breaks down bizarre, chaotic, and intriguing cases and anecdotes from the legal field you've (probably) never heard of. Listen to Reb's hilarious and informative takes on the weird, the awesome, the horrifying, the inspiring, and the everything-in-between happening inside and outside the courtroom.***NOT LEGAL ADVICE***https://www.youtube.com/@RebuttalPod
95: Hiding A Body In A Glacier (THE STUBAI ALPS COVER-UP)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) “I would have taken a blowtorch to that entire glacier if I could. I just didn't realize they were trying to grind him into the mountain. . . ."
Detailed photos, information, and investigation of Duncan MacPherson’s case: https://www.coldalongtime.com/
***
Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
Shop my favorite loungewear and pajamas at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to...
94: The Horse Community Is Shooting Each Other
Head to Talkiatry.com/REBUTTAL to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes!
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) A cop who steals a dead man's home and horse drama that never quits.
Enjoy!
***
MERCH STORE IS LIVE! Shop Reb Masel and Rebuttal Pod merch: https://rebmasel.shop/
CLICK HERE to PREORDER Reb's book: The Book They Throw At You—A Sarcastic Lawyer's Guide* To The Unholy Chaos of Our Legal System, *God No, Not Actual Legal Advice
***
Follow @RebuttalPod on Instagram and Twitter!
Follow @Rebmasel on ...
93: Convicted Murderer Wins Prison Escape Trial (oops?)
Get **40% OFF** select Lola Blankets products at Lolablankets.com by using code REBUTTAL at checkout!!! Experience the world’s #1 blanket with Lola Blankets!
Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, my listeners get 10% off + FREE shipping at https://tumbleliving.com/rebuttal #Tumble #ad
*
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is another **Reb's Round-Up** episode—A rapid-fire (or as rapid as Reb can make it) list of cases that deserve to be included in the Rebuttal Podcast universe but are too short to devote a full episode to.
For this Round-Up, Reb g...
92: Katie Zacharia is a mess
See if your SSN is for sale right now. My sponsor Cloaked will tell you for free in 2 seconds at https://cloaked.com/REBUTTAL
Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know it was Rebuttal.
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Katie Zacharia, unusual ways people have died in the 21st century, and three recent court cases that are bizarre, awful, or downright unfortunate.
Enjoy! (And pray Reb isn't sick again next week.)
Case 1: https://m...91: When Innocent Prisoners Aren’t Good People (and cops make sure of it)
Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/REBUTTAL10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Death row inmate David Wood is the focus of the five-part podcast series "The Last 12 Weeks". What his case can tell us about the death penalty in America expands far beyond the six murders he was convicted for.
Not only does the system sentence people to death based...
90: Jaguars Football and The 220-Year Prison Sentence
#skimspartner Shop my favorite loungewear and pajamas at https://www.skims.com/rebuttal
*After you place your order, be sure to let them know Rebuttal sent you!! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select Rebuttal in the dropdown menu that follows!*
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) **CONTENT WARNING**
Reb gives you a short (but unknowingly horror-filled….) episode this week.
Enjoy.
***
CASES
United States v. Samuel Arthur Thompson (11th Cir. Aug. 24, 2026) [*CONTENT WARNING*] Heather Ammel v. Kyrsten Sinema (M.D. N.C. Sept...89: The Conjoined Twins
See if your SSN is for sale right now. My sponsor Cloaked will tell you for free in 2 seconds at https://cloaked.com/REBUTTAL.
Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) The chances that conjoined twins will survive are minimal. The chances that both conjoined twins will survive surgical separation are even tinier. . . .
"Though Mary has a right to life, she has little right to be alive." –Lord Justice Alan Ward.
This is the c...
89: The Conjoined Twins
See if your SSN is for sale right now. My sponsor Cloaked will tell you for free in 2 seconds at https://cloaked.com/REBUTTAL.
Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
***
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) The chances that conjoined twins will survive are minimal. The chances that both conjoined twins will survive surgical separation are even tinier. . . .
"Though Mary has a right to life, she has little right to be alive." –Lord Justice Alan Ward.
This is the case...
88: Weirdest (and Worst?) Deaths in Tort Law.
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Not the most famous plaintiff deaths, but a few you’ve probably never heard of (unless you’re a law student with a Palsgraf-hating Torts professor): A rescue at sea, a drunk man at on a tarmac, a rodent explosion, and an investment banker who never pays his debts.
Reb grabs a hangover cure and a fire blanket for this week's episode.
Enjoy!
CITATIONS:
United States v. Lawter, 219 F.2d 559 (5th Cir. 1955)Boyette v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 954 S.W.2d 350 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997)United Novelty Co. Inc...88: Weirdest (and Worst?) Deaths in Tort Law.
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Not the most famous plaintiff deaths, but a few you’ve probably never heard of (unless you’re a law student with a Palsgraf-hating Torts professor): A rescue at sea, a drunk man at on a tarmac, a rodent explosion, and an investment banker who never pays his debts.
Reb grabs a hangover cure and a fire blanket for this week's episode.
Enjoy!
CITATIONS:
United States v. Lawter, 219 F.2d 559 (5th Cir. 1955) Boyette v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 954 S.W.2d 350 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997) United Novelty Co. Inc. v...87: Qualified Immunity Is (Still) A Nightmare
*See if your SSN is for sale right now. My sponsor Cloaked will tell you for free in 2 seconds at cloaked.com/rebuttal
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our sixth **Reb's Round-Up** episode (QUALIFIED IMMUNITY EDITION)—A rapid-fire list of cases from *just the first half of 2026* that will once again open your eyes to how little we hold police officers accountable on a regular basis.
Reb also gives you *4 bonus cases* to keep you up at night, including:
Man who wrote a book about robbing a bank with a...87: Qualified Immunity Is (Still) A Nightmare
*See if your SSN is for sale right now. My sponsor Cloaked will tell you for free in 2 seconds at cloaked.com/rebuttal
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our sixth **Reb's Round-Up** episode (QUALIFIED IMMUNITY EDITION)—A rapid-fire list of cases from *just the first half of 2026* that will once again open your eyes to how little we hold police officers accountable on a regular basis.
Reb also gives you *4 bonus cases* to keep you up at night, including:
Man who wrote a book about robbing a bank with a ba...86: The Insanity Defense (is "Not Guilty" worse than being convicted?)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Raymond Gregory, on the advice of his lawyer, pleaded insanity in 1971 after falling asleep drunk with a penknife in his pocket in a construction site in Washington D.C. He was locked up for over 40 years.
Reb tells you what everyone should know about "Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity" in America.
***
OTHER RESOURCES
NOT GUILTY, YET CONTINUOUSLY CONFINED—Reforming the Insanity Defense (2020): https://www.law.georgetown.edu/american-criminal-law-review/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/03/57-2-not-guilty-yet-continuously-confined-reforming-the-insanity-defense.pdf When 'Not Guilty' Is a Life Sentence: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/magazine/wh...86: The Insanity Defense (is "Not Guilty" worse than being convicted?)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Raymond Gregory, on the advice of his lawyer, pleaded insanity in 1971 after falling asleep drunk with a penknife in his pocket in a construction site in Washington D.C. He was locked up for over 40 years.
Reb tells you what everyone should know about "Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity" in America.
***
OTHER RESOURCES
NOT GUILTY, YET CONTINUOUSLY CONFINED—Reforming the Insanity Defense (2020): https://www.law.georgetown.edu/american-criminal-law-review/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/03/57-2-not-guilty-yet-continuously-confined-reforming-the-insanity-defense.pdf When 'Not Guilty' Is a Life Sentence: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/magazine/when...85: TikToker Must Pay $10 Million to Idaho Professor
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Real life is not a murder mystery board game. What you say on the internet can, indeed, cost you millions.
Learn all about one unfortunate tarot TikToker, PLUS:
Cops tackle a grandma over a phallic-shaped outfit;Man pays for a "full-contact" experience with a black leopard;Car thief steals 26 cars to go argue with his girl;Prisoner escapes NY prison by dressing like a lawyer;The right to shoot your own vehicle in America;and more.
Enjoy!
Ronald Tackmann free obituary article: https://www...85: TikToker Must Pay $10 Million to Idaho Professor
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Real life is not a murder mystery board game. What you say on the internet can, indeed, cost you millions.
Learn all about one unfortunate tarot TikToker, PLUS:
Cops tackle a grandma over a phallic-shaped outfit; Man pays for a "full-contact" experience with a black leopard; Car thief steals 26 cars to go argue with his girl; Prisoner escapes NY prison by dressing like a lawyer; The right to shoot your own vehicle in America;and more.
Enjoy!
Ronald Tackmann free obituary article: https://www.ny...84: The Cops Fired For Swapping Wives
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Louisiana Sheriff's deputies Brandon Coker and Michael Golden discovered the loves of their lives — in the arms of each other’s wife.
Reb gives you all the weird, sticky, and devilish details of three employment cases to make you a little more grateful for your workplace environment (or maybe not?):
Best friend cops swap wives and houses and file a lawsuit;Ex-employee claims Comcast had a pie-in-the-face-policy;Plaintiff says boss at the Hampton Inn insisted he get an exorcism...Enjoy!
***
THANK YOU TO OUR...
84: The Cops Fired For Swapping Wives
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Louisiana Sheriff's deputies Brandon Coker and Michael Golden discovered the loves of their lives — in the arms of each other’s wife.
Reb gives you all the weird, sticky, and devilish details of three employment cases to make you a little more grateful for your workplace environment (or maybe not?):
Best friend cops swap wives and houses and file a lawsuit; Ex-employee claims Comcast had a pie-in-the-face-policy; Plaintiff says boss at the Hampton Inn insisted he get an exorcism...Enjoy!
***
THANK YOU TO OUR A...
83: The Civil War Killings
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Can a Salvadoran Civil War criminal in the 1980s be sued for money damages in a Virginia courtroom in 2026? The brother of a Dutch journalist he ambushed and executed is ready to find out.
PLUS a bonus case!: 73-Year-Old Treasure Hunter Released After Decade in Prison for Not Sharing Booty. (A new addition to Reb's list of favorite cases we've ever covered on Rebuttal.)
Enjoy!
***
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
Use our co...
83: The Civil War Killings
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Can a Salvadoran Civil War criminal in the 1980s be sued for money damages in a Virginia courtroom in 2026? The brother of a Dutch journalist he ambushed and executed is ready to find out.
PLUS a bonus case!: 73-Year-Old Treasure Hunter Released After Decade in Prison for Not Sharing Booty. (A new addition to Reb's list of favorite cases we've ever covered on Rebuttal.)
Enjoy!
***
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/rebuttal #sponsored
Use our code f...
82: The Polygamist Ninja Burglars (and more legal chaos)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our fifth **Reb's Round-Up** episode—A rapid-fire (or as rapid as Reb can make it) list of cases that deserve to be included in the Rebuttal Podcast universe but are too short to devote a full episode to.
For this Round-Up, Reb gives you *9 bonus cases* to sneak into a group chat or two, including:
A nun prosecuted;A bouncy castle kingpin;An amputated limb battle;A Samurai sword against home invader ninjas;A priest with a bite;And more...
Enj...
82: The Polygamist Ninja Burglars (and more legal chaos)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our fifth **Reb's Round-Up** episode—A rapid-fire (or as rapid as Reb can make it) list of cases that deserve to be included in the Rebuttal Podcast universe but are too short to devote a full episode to.
For this Round-Up, Reb gives you *9 bonus cases* to sneak into a group chat or two, including:
A nun prosecuted; A bouncy castle kingpin; An amputated limb battle; A Samurai sword against home invader ninjas; A priest with a bite;And more...
Enjoy!
***
<...81: "Good" Alibis Don't Exist
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Is an alibi defense the key to the jailhouse door, or a noose around an innocent defendant's neck?
Eric Morgan had 11 alibi witnesses to establish that he was at a two-day long sports competition—far away from the location of the crime he was accused of—supported by credit card receipts for his travel, meals, and purchases on the trip. Yet the prosecutor successfully argued that the witnesses were liars or mistaken. Morgan served 3 years in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him.
Reb pokes holes in our assumptions about seemingly "good...
81: "Good" Alibis Don't Exist
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Is an alibi defense the key to the jailhouse door, or a noose around an innocent defendant's neck?
Eric Morgan had 11 alibi witnesses to establish that he was at a two-day long sports competition—far away from the location of the crime he was accused of—supported by credit card receipts for his travel, meals, and purchases on the trip. Yet the prosecutor successfully argued that the witnesses were liars or mistaken. Morgan served 3 years in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him.
Reb pokes holes in our assumptions about seemingly "good...
80: The Divorce Lawyer's Bomb Threats
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) One Ohio divorce lawyer called in bomb threats to courthouses to delay trials and hearings he wasn’t ready for, and it was all (unhinged, unethical, insane) fun and games until a body turned up outside of his law office.
Reb (next to sleepy co-host DUI) tries to keep her heavy sighs to a minimum in Ohio v. Moore (2025) *and* adds in a special case at the end to remind you of a very important lesson. (Not legal advice, of course. Just uncommon sense.)
Enjoy. **Thank you to @DietCoke_Esq fo...
80: The Divorce Lawyer's Bomb Threats
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) One Ohio divorce lawyer called in bomb threats to courthouses to delay trials and hearings he wasn’t ready for, and it was all (unhinged, unethical, insane) fun and games until a body turned up outside of his law office.
Reb (next to sleepy co-host DUI) tries to keep her heavy sighs to a minimum in Ohio v. Moore (2025) *and* adds in a special case at the end to remind you of a very important lesson. (Not legal advice, of course. Just uncommon sense.)
Enjoy. **Thank you to @DietCoke_Esq fo...
79: The Safari From Hell
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) What do a killer safari mistress, a coroner's skull, and one defrauding vet have in common? All three are in court opinions released in June 2026.
Reb opens another of this year’s can of worms for you in United States v. Milliron (10th Cir. 2026), Betts v. Boone County (7th Cir. 2026), and New York v. Parkhill-Brown (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cnty. 2026).
***
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/REBUTTAL #sponsored
***
CASE 1 FULL OPINION [United States v. M...79: The Safari From Hell
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) What do a killer safari mistress, a coroner's skull, and one defrauding vet have in common? All three are in court opinions released in June 2026.
Reb opens another of this year’s can of worms for you in United States v. Milliron (10th Cir. 2026), Betts v. Boone County (7th Cir. 2026), and New York v. Parkhill-Brown (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cnty. 2026).
***
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/REBUTTAL #sponsored
***
CASE 1 FULL OPINION [United States v. M...78: The Man Who Scared a Woman to Death
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) On the morning of September 26, 2008, Larry Whitfield and Quanterrious McCoy—armed with a .357 handgun and an AK–47 assault rifle—entered the front door of the Fort Financial Credit Union in Gastonia, North Carolina. Only one of these would-be bank robbers would be sentenced to life in prison for it.
Reb teaches you how not to rob a bank (but if you do, ask if any bystanders have high blood pressure). This is United States v. Whitfield (2015).
***
REPORT: FELONY MURDER—An On-Ramp for Extreme Sentencing (updated May 2024...
78: The Man Who Scared a Woman to Death
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) On the morning of September 26, 2008, Larry Whitfield and Quanterrious McCoy—armed with a .357 handgun and an AK–47 assault rifle—entered the front door of the Fort Financial Credit Union in Gastonia, North Carolina. Only one of these would-be bank robbers would be sentenced to life in prison for it.
Reb teaches you how not to rob a bank (but if you do, ask if any bystanders have high blood pressure). This is United States v. Whitfield (2015).
***
REPORT: FELONY MURDER—An On-Ramp for Extreme Sentencing (updated May 2024...
77: America Has A Guilty Plea Problem
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Today, 98% of all federal criminal cases are resolved with a guilty plea. Why?
"Half a loaf is better than none. . . . When we have a weak case for any reason, we'll reduce to almost anything rather than lose."
In modern America, "beyond a reasonable doubt" as determined by a jury has largely been replaced by the discretion of prosecutors to punish defendants for exercising their constitutional right to a trial by jury. So much so, defendants in pretrial detention are agreeing to plea "bargains" at a rate so high, it’s di...
77: America Has A Guilty Plea Problem
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Today, 98% of all federal criminal cases are resolved with a guilty plea. Why?
"Half a loaf is better than none. . . . When we have a weak case for any reason, we'll reduce to almost anything rather than lose."
In modern America, "beyond a reasonable doubt" as determined by a jury has largely been replaced by the discretion of prosecutors to punish defendants for exercising their constitutional right to a trial by jury. So much so, defendants in pretrial detention are agreeing to plea "bargains" at a rate so high, it’s di...
76: The Bloody Telephone Booth (Legal Urban Legends pt. 2)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) In 1986, President Ronald Reagan gave a speech describing this plaintiff as "outrageous," "absurd," and "loony". His name was Charles Bigbee, and his leg had been torn from his body.
This is Bigbee v. Pacific Telephone & Telegraph, Co., et al. (1983)—the story of a drunk woman, a telephone booth, and the most famous "frivolous" lawsuit of the 1980s.
Enjoy.
***
Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at http://www.skims.com/rebuttal #skimspartner
***
MERCH STORE IS LIVE! Shop Reb Masel and Rebuttal Pod me...
76: The Bloody Telephone Booth (Legal Urban Legends pt. 2)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) In 1986, President Ronald Reagan gave a speech describing this plaintiff as "outrageous," "absurd," and "loony". His name was Charles Bigbee, and his leg had been torn from his body.
This is Bigbee v. Pacific Telephone & Telegraph, Co., et al. (1983)—the story of a drunk woman, a telephone booth, and the most famous "frivolous" lawsuit of the 1980s.
Enjoy.
***
Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at http://www.skims.com/rebuttal #skimspartner
***
MERCH STORE IS LIVE! Shop Reb Masel and Rebuttal Pod me...
75: The McDonald's Hot Coffee Case (Legal Urban Legends pt. 1)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) “I am astonished how successful these urban legends have been in influencing policy. . . .The people that created these stories did so with remarkable skill.”
The Grazinski case, the Carson case, and the Walton case, to name a few. They've all been cited as true by a wide range of major media outlets, including CNN and U.S. News & World Report.
There's just one problem: These cases don't exist. And neither do the people in them. No, AI didn't hallucinate them. Big corporations did...
...For more than 30 years, Stel...
75: The McDonald's Hot Coffee Case (Legal Urban Legends pt. 1)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) “I am astonished how successful these urban legends have been in influencing policy. . . .The people that created these stories did so with remarkable skill.”
The Grazinski case, the Carson case, and the Walton case, to name a few. They've all been cited as true by a wide range of major media outlets, including CNN and U.S. News & World Report.
There's just one problem: These cases don't exist. And neither do the people in them. No, AI didn't hallucinate them. Big corporations did...
...For more than 30 years, Stel...
74: 14 Cases That Shouldn't Be Real (They Are)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our fourth **Reb's Round-Up** episode—A rapid-fire (or as rapid as Reb can make it) list of cases that deserve to be included in the Rebuttal Podcast universe but are too short to devote a full episode to.
For this Round-Up, Reb gives you *14 bonus cases* for you to tell unsuspecting friends and strangers all about, including:
Drones delivering packages to prison; An ex-lawyer in a purple G-string hallucinating a Giant Panda; A bank robbery research project; A $517,000 rock, paper, scissors game; A trip to the morgue and back to...74: 14 Cases That Shouldn't Be Real (They Are)
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) This is our fourth **Reb's Round-Up** episode—A rapid-fire (or as rapid as Reb can make it) list of cases that deserve to be included in the Rebuttal Podcast universe but are too short to devote a full episode to.
For this Round-Up, Reb gives you *14 bonus cases* for you to tell unsuspecting friends and strangers all about, including:
Drones delivering packages to prison; An ex-lawyer in a purple G-string hallucinating a Giant Panda; A bank robbery research project; A $517,000 rock, paper, scissors game; A trip to the morgue and back to...73: The Thief and The Psych Ward
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) "By all appearances, a man who went by William Woods had turned his life around. . . .There was just one problem: Although William Woods is a real person, the man is not that person." –Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Reb visits a really messed up hot dog cart from 1988 and a saga that'll make you question everybody's last name. Just to be sure.
This is United States v. Keirans (8th Cir. 2026).
Enjoy.
SOURCES:
8th Circuit Opinion (April 23, 2026): https://ecf.ca8.us...73: The Thief and The Psych Ward
(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) "By all appearances, a man who went by William Woods had turned his life around. . . .There was just one problem: Although William Woods is a real person, the man is not that person." –Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Reb visits a really messed up hot dog cart from 1988 and a saga that'll make you question everybody's last name. Just to be sure.
This is United States v. Keirans (8th Cir. 2026).
Enjoy.
SOURCES:
8th Circuit Opinion (April 23, 2026): https://ecf.ca8.us...