(in)justice: killer privilege by Message Heard | Wondery
In December 2014, Katja Faber received the news every parent fears most. Her son Alex, 23, had been killed. Chilling details emerged in the months that followed: her son’s killer had been his university friend Bennet – the son of an ultra-rich art dealer – who had brutally beaten Alex before murdering him. The killing took place on Zurich’s Gold Coast – a place of extraordinary privilege, just like the killer’s upbringing. But even more extraordinary are some of the revelations that have since surfaced about Bennet, his history, and the cat-and-mouse game he continues to play with the authorities to this day.
(In)Justice - Killer Privilege , hosted by London Standard journalist Katie Strick, takes listeners on a journey around the world as Katja Faber seeks justice for her son. It is a story of traumatic grief, the psychology of wealth, and how power and privilege can intersect with the justice system – with often terrifying consequences.
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Rumors swirl about Bennet’s whereabouts, fueled by now-deleted social media posts bearing his name and likeness. Meanwhile, Katja Faber reflects on the grief community she has built and the solace she’s found on the farm she’s cultivated in Spain. Finally, we confront the ultimate question: Has justice been served? What would justice even look like? And how does one make peace with the unthinkable?
Sam Hunter, Alex’s childhood friend, recounts the eerily similar death of another friend, Liam Anderson, in Sydney, Australia. Journalist Sacha Batthyany delves into the psychology of extreme wealth, exploring a self-help course designed for those born into unimaginable privilege. Then, a shocking revelation—a third death within this same social circle. We zoom out to examine the toxic mix of privilege, drugs, and the dangerous sense of invincibility that pervades this world of young, affluent men.
Katja Faber transforms from mother to defender as she gears up for the biggest legal fight of her lifetime – the appeal and ensuing retrial. We examine a Swiss legal loophole that Bennet’s team exploits in an attempt to free him. And just when she least expects it, Katja receives a letter from Bennet himself.
Katja Faber steps into the courtroom to face her son’s killer. Bennet’s defense claims he suffered a drug-induced psychotic break and is therefore not responsible for his actions. Katja uncovers something she never could have predicted—Alex’s homicide isn’t the only crime Bennet is standing trial for.
On December 30, 2014, Katja Faber wakes from a horrific nightmare—Alex’s face is twisted in pain, and something is terribly wrong. Hours later, at 2 a.m., her worst fears are realized when police arrive at her home in Spain to tell her that Alex has been killed. As the gruesome details of his final moments emerge, Katja struggles to process the unimaginable loss and the shocking reality of what happened.
Katja Faber is a former barrister and journalist who has lived through every parent’s worst nightmare—the death of her 23-year-old son, Alex Morgan. In our opening episode, Katja takes us back to 2014, introducing us to Alex and the glamorous, globetrotting world he was part of before his tragic killing later that year. We explore the circumstances surrounding his death and how he and his killer ended up taking drugs together in a Swiss villa on that fateful night.
In December 2014, Katja Faber received the news every parent fears most. Her son Alex, 23, had been killed. Chilling details emerged in the months that followed: her son’s killer had been his university friend Bennet – the son of an ultra-rich art dealer – who had brutally beaten Alex before murdering him. The killing took place on Zurich’s Gold Coast – a place of extraordinary privilege, just like the killer’s upbringing. But even more extraordinary are some of the revelations that have since surfaced about Bennet, his history, and the cat-and-mouse game he continues to play with the authorities to this day.
