No Way Jose: The Voices Challenging Pretend

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In this episode of We Are Not Afraid Presents: For The Record With David McClam, David highlights two voices he believes deserve more attention in the ongoing conversation surrounding Javier Leiva, PRETEND, and accountability in true-crime media: Liam Bosonnet and CaseStudyz.

David argues that when journalists and podcasters build their work around scrutinizing the conduct of others, their own reporting should remain open to the same level of examination. His criticism of PRETEND centers on what he describes as sensational framing, ridicule, disputed conclusions, and reporting choices that can continue affecting real people long after an episode ends.

The episode begins with Liam Bosonnet, author of The Woman They Made a Monster, which examines the Dee Dee Blanchard case from a perspective that challenges the familiar public narrative. David praises Liam’s willingness to revisit a heavily debated case, engage with the available evidence, and put his reasoning before an audience willing to question established assumptions.

David also recognizes CaseStudyz, whose YouTube coverage has contributed to the discussion surrounding Javier Leiva and PRETEND. He encourages listeners to examine the channel’s work, consider the evidence being presented, and judge the arguments for themselves.

The larger theme is simple:

Do not accept a narrative merely because it has been repeated often enough. Examine the sources. Examine the claims. Examine the receipts.

David also discusses his petition calling for a boycott of PRETEND and an independent review of concerns raised about its reporting. The petition identifies twenty issues across multiple series, including factual mistakes, previously published corrections, unresolved questions, and disputed editorial framing.

Importantly, David distinguishes between those categories. A confirmed factual error is not the same as an unresolved question. A disagreement over interpretation is not automatically proof of false reporting. And when PRETEND has issued corrections, David says those corrections should be acknowledged.

His request is that the remaining concerns receive the same specific treatment:

Identify the statement.

Produce the supporting evidence.

Explain the reasoning.

Correct the record when necessary.

David also openly discusses his relationship with LaDonna Humphrey, noting that she is his podcast colleague and that he supports her. He argues that listeners deserve to know that relationship while also being able to examine the evidence behind his criticism independently.

The episode further addresses the human consequences of true-crime coverage. David argues that criticism of journalism is not simply about dates, technical mistakes, or wording. It is also about how subjects are portrayed, how ridicule is used, and what happens when media attention spills into someone’s professional and personal life.

For David, investigative journalism carries an obligation:

Accurate sourcing. Fair context. Transparent corrections. Meaningful accountability.

Liam Bosonnet and CaseStudyz are highlighted in this episode because they are willing to participate in that broader conversation and put their own arguments before the public for examination.

David encourages listeners to seek out their work, ask questions, compare sources, and keep the discussion centered on evidence.

Because true-crime storytelling does not end when the episode does.

The people being discussed still have to live with the story afterward.

And they deserve an audience willing to look closely.