Jesse James. The bank robbing killer

Jesse James. The bank robbing killer

In this Bloodlines and Betrayal episode, hosts David Schuman and Steve Cully explore the myth and menace of Jesse James, the bank-robbing outlaw who became both America’s first criminal celebrity and a symbol of rebellion in a divided nation.

Born in the ashes of the Civil War, James evolved from Confederate guerrilla fighter to ruthless thief, leading the James-Younger Gang through a reign of robberies and violence across the Midwest. Schuman and Cully dissect how his charisma, cunning, and calculated brutality blurred the line between folk hero and cold-blooded killer.

They trace how Jesse’s crimes — from the bloody Liberty, Missouri bank heist to the fatal ambushes of innocents — were romanticized by newspapers eager for legends in a restless America. Yet behind the myth stood a man consumed by revenge, ego, and betrayal.

The episode builds to his shocking end: shot in the back by his own gang member, Robert Ford, a man he trusted. Schuman and Cully frame that moment as the ultimate betrayal — when a life built on violence finally turned inward.

In the end, they ask: Was Jesse James a rebel against injustice, or simply its most ruthless product? — leaving listeners to decide where the outlaw ends and the legend begins.