Ashley Willcott on Child Advocacy, Courtroom Transparency, and Honoring Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson
About this episode
Sheryl McCollum interviews Ashley Willcott about her career in child advocacy and the importance of courtroom transparency, concluding with a tribute to Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson.
In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by former judge, legal analyst, and former Court TV anchor Ashley Willcott to discuss her decades-long career advocating for children in the legal system, her transition from the bench to television, and her new microformat focusing on fast, fact-based case analysis. Sheryl and Ashley also reflect on cases they have carried with them over the years including Abby and Libby in Delphi and Melissa Wolfenbarger in Atlanta. They emphasize the importance of showing up, returning to the facts, and continuing the work on behalf of victims and families. The episode closes with a tribute to the late Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson, honoring his legacy of quiet loyalty, humility, and lifelong commitment to service. Highlights: (0:00) Sheryl McCollum welcomes Ashley Willcott to Zone 7 (1:45) Court TV’s transition, Law & Crime, and the importance of cameras in the courtroom (3:30) The emotional toll of child cases on professionals (4:30) Ashley explains why child welfare became the focus of her legal career (7:15) Sheryl reflects on Ashley’s hands-on work with the Cold…
People in this episode
Host: Sheryl McCollum
Guest: Ashley Willcott
Topics covered
- child advocacy
- courtroom transparency
- legal analysis
- victim support
- case outcomes
- honoring legacy
Keywords
- child welfare
- legal system
- courtroom cameras
- case analysis
- victims
- emotional toll
- fast updates
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Court TV, Law & Crime, Cold Case Investigative Research Institute
Places: Delphi, Atlanta
More episodes of Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum
- Diane Whipple Case: The Fatal Dog Mauling That Changed California Law
- The Heart Behind the Badge: Eric McCants on Leadership and Service
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum podcast page.