I’ve chosen a vocation that is rather unpopular and controversial, and one more thing to not embrace on the daunting list of what’s wrong with our society. For those not willing to acknowledge there are innocent people in prison, or give a second thought to the number of people it affects, please consider my viewpoint.

In 2013 I submitted this piece to the editorial section of the Green Bay Press-Gazette as part of my continued advocacy for the five men wrongly convicted in the Tom Monfils case and to announce our fourth annual Walk for Truth and Justice. It was not printed. However, to me it was a necessary appeal to a community that is broken and will never heal until the real truth becomes an accepted part of its history:

The Inspiration Continues

          Many who read this may wonder why I have not let this Monfils issue rest. Everyone has their opinion about whether the six men are guilty or not, and so do I. I’m just more vocal about it. The thing is, after years of unrelenting determination and persistence in search of the truth, I still have not seen or heard anything to prove that they murdered anyone. Not one person has ever given me a credible argument as to why they believe in the guilt of these men. So, I continue my pursuit of justice on their behalf. I have never been alone in that pursuit and the list of believers keeps growing. The WI Innocence Project now has help from the MN Innocence Project as well as a very large and respectable law firm here in Minneapolis. Significant time has been spent poring over and discussing the so called evidence and it just isn’t there!   

          The continued courage and endurance I witness among the family members fuels my drive to see justice served also. These people represent the collateral damage that no one talks about. They signify the rest of the tragedy that no one ever acknowledges and even though their lives have been ruined, few seem to care. Somehow they still find the strength to hold their heads up and take pride in the fact that none of these men has ever caved under pressure by admitting to something they did not do. I wonder how many of us could endure that kind of pressure.

          I have earned the trust of these family members and I will again walk proudly with them in the name of truth and justice on Monday, October 28th at 5:30 pm at the Brown County Courthouse, because to me, that is what this is all about; to verify the absolute truth about what actually happened, and to encourage justice for all involved, whether it be for the first victim in this tragedy or for all of the other “collateral damage” that has followed.  

Respectfully submitted, Joan Treppa, Minneapolis, MN.