Joe Rogan invited an alleged murderer to his podcast on February and they did not know

Joe Rogan got more than he bargained for when he sat down with a man who served time for attempted murder during an armed robbery, only to later find out he was accused of murder and arrested for allegedly beheading his childhood friend.

The incident dated back to February 2024 when he sat down alongside Josh Dublin, a civil rights attorney, to interview Sheldon Johnson, who had spent a quarter of a century behind bars for his crimes.

The evening went so well that they all headed out to a comedy club together only to then find out just over a month later of the serious allegation of murder against Johnson, who it was believed had successfully rehabilitated.

"It's so crazy because we went out with him [Johnson] that evening," Rogan said. "We brought him to the comedy club, he was hanging out with us in the green room.

"And then the news broke [38 days later], and then the comics were all like, 'Hey man what the f*ck. What the f*ck you doing bringing that guy around?' Well we didn't know."

Of course, it hit Dublin quite hard. He has made a career advocating for those he believes were unfairly or wrongly convicted and he did seem to genuinely believe that Johnson had turned his life around, going as far as to call him a "miracle".

But whilst Rogan tried to offer comfort by saying it wasn't his fault that the accused turned out the way he has, the lawyer revealed he suffered too because of the response of the press and public.

"It's really not funny," Dublin said to Rogan. "I mean, I'm only laughing out of, sort of, nervousness. I called him a miracle on this show.

"And the media shoved that straight up my *ss. I've had a lot of time to think about this. And you and I have discussed this privately, and I kind of went into a hole."

What happened in the murder?

The crime took place on March 5, 2024 in the Bronx region of New York City as New York Police Department officers discovered the dismembered body and feet of Collin Small within his six-floor home after four gunshots had been reported by a resident.

Surveillance footage captured Johnson entering and leaving the apartment, whilst he was also found within the property, and had appeared to be trying to discard of the body by hiding the feet inside blue bins and a freezer.

The 48-year-old was subsequently charged with murder, manslaughter, weapon possession and the concealment of a corpse.

Police then later found Small's head, legs and an arm in Johnson's home in Harlem.