Cole Goldberg on AZFamily: Betting on Murder Trials
Prediction markets like Polymarket now let people bet real money on the verdicts in high-profile criminal trials, including the Lindsay Clancy case and the case against Tyler Robinson, who is accused of killing Charlie Kirk. For a True Crime Arizona report on AZFamily (CBS 5), Cole Goldberg, who was found not guilty on all counts in his own nationally covered case, explained what it means for a defendant to know strangers are wagering on his future.
Read the accompanying article on AZFamily: Betting on murder trial outcomes raises questions about fair trials, by Courtney Johns (November 10, 2026).
In his words
"The idea of strangers making money betting on whether you're going to prison is incredibly disturbing. These are real lives, not sporting events."
Key points Cole raised
- A criminal trial is not entertainment. Someone's freedom, reputation, family and future are on the line.
- Being found not guilty does not undo the damage of being accused.
- Betting on a verdict before a jury has heard the evidence turns the presumption of innocence into a game.
- Anyone who stands to profit from a verdict has a reason to try to influence jurors or public opinion.
- Courts need clear safeguards to keep money and outside pressure out of jury decisions.
Why this conversation matters
Fair trials are not about defending someone who is guilty or innocent. They are about protecting the justice system itself. Everyone deserves a verdict based on evidence, not public opinion, outside pressure or financial interests, and protecting that right protects all of us.
Interview details
- Station: AZFamily (CBS 5), Phoenix
- Segment: True Crime Arizona: Betting on Murder
- Length: about 2.5 minutes
- Article: Read on AZFamily
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