Our venue on July 21st was the recently opened Hey Y’all Typsy Taco Bar (Hey Y’all Mpls). It now occupies the vacated space of the restaurant better known as Betty Danger’s. This new space is charming and inviting. And it has the iconic Ferris wheel still on site, still accessible to diners.

But that was not the ride attendees experienced for my second book launch in NE Minneapolis. It was more of a roller coaster of deep emotion including laughter, anger, gist, and full-on support for a dedicated initiative on behalf of six innocent men.

Approximately 30 people attended to support this endeavor, to meet my special guest, Keith Kutska, and to hear him speak about his experience of being targeted, charged, and convicted for a crime he did not commit.

FYI: Because Keith was released on parole, he was required to ask for permission from his Parole Officer (PO) in order to travel over the border from Wisconsin into Minnesota. He showed me his “Travel Permit,” a piece of paper he needed to have with him at all times while he was away. Keith joked about it when he arrived but I don’t think any of us truly appreciate the feelings associated with having restrictions such as these placed on us as adults.

In my introduction, I shared Keith’s readiness to take back his life and accomplish meaningful things. High on his wish list was an eagerness to collaborate with me on book events. I also shared this heart-wrenching quote from Keith which I included in my book:

“Prior to his release and in our final moments during my first prison visit with him, he became thoughtful. ‘I have to tell you something,’ he had said as he looked me squarely in the eyes. ‘In the span of time between the failed attempt at a new trial for Reynold Moore and the start of the legal proceedings by the MN law firm, your letters kept me alive.’”

(Top L) Amy Jauman, (Top R) Debbie Russell, both part of the Women of Words (WOW) writing Group.

In attendance were longtime and more recent friends. Former attorney, Steve Kaplan, who represented Keith in a post-conviction evidentiary hearing in 2015, was there to lend his unwavering support. My program mimicked the previous book launch in Wisconsin with an explanation of my involvement in this endeavor, a summary of the case, followed by questions from the audience.

Keith was nervous at first. Even though I reassured him that this would be a positive experience, he, like the other men, was unsure of how well he would be received. He eventually felt more at ease and became animated and somewhat thoughtful. And after twenty-eight years of wrongful incarceration, he was unapologetic about his unfettered opinion of the criminal justice system.

Following the program, feedback varied:

One person shared their agitation over the negatively broad picture Keith had painted of the entire system. This person stressed that it’s not like that. I thought back to my partnership with Johnny Johnson, the retired crime scene expert who became livid with how unethical and corrupt the lead detective had been while investigating this case initially. I remembered Johnny’s vow to make sure he didn’t get away with it. Both Johnny and this person had worked in the legal field. Both similarly asserted that they had worked hard and had dedicated their careers to doing things the correct way.

Which brings me to an important point I make in my book: “I do want to emphasize that even after all I’ve learned about this case and about wrongful convictions in general, I firmly believe that our legal system gets it right the majority of the time. We just need to be cognizant of those instances when it doesn’t.”

Other comments included:                                                                                                                    “You did a wonderful job of putting him [Keith] at ease,” and

“You guys did a great job tonight! It was very interesting hearing Keith’s perspective on things.”

This past week I participated in a recorded conversation that I will be sharing as soon as it’s available. In it I was asked if I feel there has been a shift in public opinion regarding this case. I believe there has. I believe that no matter the roughness of the ride, we will continue to raise the bar toward truth and justice…

Note: Some photos were taken and sent to me by some of the attendees.