S2 E10: The Usual Suspect
From Rip Current by iHeartPodcasts
January 7, 2026 · 37 min · Season 2 · Episode 10
About this episode
This episode explores the bombing of Judi Bari's car and the suspicion surrounding her ex-husband, Mike Sweeney, amidst allegations of domestic abuse.
**WARNING: This episode contains discussions about domestic violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion advised. While Judi Bari, Darryl Cherney and their supporters positioned the bombing of Judi’s car as political violence, others came to believe that a more likely suspect was her ex-husband, Mike Sweeney. While no physical evidence ties Sweeney to the crime, his background, including an alleged arson attack on a small airport near his home in 1980. And then there was the allegation of domestic abuse. But did he have the opportunity to place the bomb in her car? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Topics covered
- domestic violence
- sexual assault
- political violence
- crime investigation
- personal history
Keywords
- Judi Bari
- Darryl Cherney
- Mike Sweeney
- domestic violence
- sexual assault
- bombing
- political violence
More episodes of Rip Current
- Bonus: Interviewing Darryl Cherney · February 11, 2026 · 32 min
- Bonus: Judi's Trial with Josh Morsell · February 4, 2026 · 37 min
- Bonus: Examining the Redwoods with Lucy Kerhoulas · January 28, 2026 · 32 min
- Bonus: 'City of Wood' with James Michael Buckley · January 21, 2026 · 37 min
- S2 E11: Headwaters · January 14, 2026 · 38 min
- S2 E9: COINTELPRO · December 31, 2025 · 38 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Rip Current podcast page.