The Prophet: Matthew Fenner vs Ted Bell
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12/17/25
•58m
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What happens when the person responsible for prosecuting your case seems more interested in protecting your attackers? Matthew Fenner has been asking that question for eight years. After a 2017 mistrial in his assault case against Word of Faith Fellowship members, the judge ordered an immediate retrial. It never happened. Instead, DA Ted Bell granted delay after delay to the defendants while refusing to meet with Matthew, the victim. A gag order meant to last weeks stretched into years, silencing everyone involved and shielding WOFF from public scrutiny. Now Bell has suddenly scheduled the trial—during Matthew's critical medical residency interview. And when Matthew asked for a single accommodation after watching defendants receive years of them, Bell said no. Matthew's response? A legal petition alleging willful misconduct, political corruption, and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. He's asking the court to remove Bell from office entirely—or at minimum, remove him from this case.
This episode features parts 10 and 11 of The Prophet series, followed by an in-depth analysis of Matthew's petition. Stick around for an update at the end of the episode.
Listen to the entire Prophet series on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wvQwgTDC0XPEo5rkkW2Uj?si=2a9e6c9214e64b81
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Previous Episode
Off Script: Pretend, Murder She Told & Sins and Survivors Spill the Tea (BONUS)
December 16, 2025
•36m
Join hosts Javier from Pretend, Kristen Seavey from Murder She Told, and Shaun from Sins and Survivors for a special holiday crossover episode where three true crime podcasters let their guard down and talk shop.
Featured Guests:
Kristen Seavey, host of Murder She Told
https://open.spotify.com/show/0n9q2IMjGQyrHMMByvnA2H?si=5975eb73d4714d07
Shaun, host of Sins and Survivors
https://open.spotify.com/show/1W2swCx9LP38sFY06294pB?si=05c3269c69b94a73
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Next Episode
Listener Reaction: Matthew Fenner vs. Ted Bell (Bonus)
December 20, 2025
•29m
This bonus episode features Kim, a Patreon supporter who connected with the Matthew Fenner story...but not for the reasons you might expect.
Kim's been through the criminal justice system herself. She was prosecuted, sentenced, and spent two years in jail.
The conversation goes to some unexpected places. Kim discusses how small-town politics can impact a case in ways that seem backward.
We talk about what jail was really like, why she now advocates for criminal justice reform, how the FBI got involved with her ex-husband's January 6th case, and how Word of Faith Fellowship's political connections might reach all the way to the White House.
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This is part of a new series of listener conversations about recent episodes. Want to be part of it? Support PRETEND on Patreon or PRETEND+ on Apple Podcasts.
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