Hi, this is Lindsay Graham, host of American Scandal.

Our Back catalog has moved behind a paywall.

Recent episodes remain free, but older ones will require a Wondry Plus subscription.

With Wondry Plus, you get access to the full American Scandal archive, add free, plus early access to new seasons, and more.

Join Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts.

Thank you. seasons and more. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. It's June 1969 in a federal courtroom in Houston, Texas.

Attorney Chauncey Eskridge is sitting at the defendant's table, flipping through his notes on a legal pad

while he waits for the judge to return from recess.

Two years ago, in this very courtroom, Eskridge's client Muhammad Ali was tried and convicted for refusing

to be inducted into the U.S. armed forces.

Ali appealed his conviction all the way up to the Supreme Court, and the case should have

been decided there, but an unexpected discovery was made during deliberations.

It was revealed that while Ali's original petition for deferral was under review, the FBI secretly recorded several private conversations between Ali and people under FBI surveillance, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Ali's spiritual advisor, Elijah Muhammad. And because these wiretaps were done without a warrant, they were illegal

in a violation of Ali's civil rights. So the Supreme Court remanded the case back to this

Houston courtroom for a hearing to determine if Ali's conviction was in any way influenced by

information from those illegally recorded phone calls. For the past several days, various FBI agents have testified to describe the contents of the

wire-tapped conversations. And now, based on their testimony, Eskridge needs to convince the judge

that the conviction was tainted. If he succeeds, Ali will walk free. But if he fails, then Ali's conviction will stand,

and the most famous boxer in the world will likely have to go to prison.

Eskridge looks up to see the bailiff enter

and announce that Judge Joe Ingram is returning from his chambers.

Everyone rises as the judge enters.

...