Category Archives: Monfils Case

A Presser for a Pressing Issue…

4 Replies

My gratitude goes out to my publisher for this amazingly crafted Press Release. I can only surmise that it can and will open doors…

PRESS RELEASE     (Kirk House Publishers)                                                                                              For Immediate Release

NEW EDITION OF GROUNDBREAKING BOOK “RECLAIMING LIVES” SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON JUSTICE DENIED  

Burnsville, MN – June 9, 2025 — In a compelling blend of true crime and social justice advocacy, Reclaiming Lives, Third Edition: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men by Joan Treppa delivers a searing indictment of wrongful convictions—and the extraordinary effort it takes to overturn them.
The book revisits the tragic 1992 death of Tom Monfils, a paper mill worker in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The high-profile trial that followed ended with six men—the “Monfils Six”—being convicted of murder. But the case was fraught with inconsistencies and unanswered questions. Years later, a determined Minnesota woman with no legal background took notice—and refused to look away.
Treppa’s journey began in 2009 when she uncovered new, disturbing information about the case. Her quest for justice brought her into direct contact with the families of the accused and a retired crime scene expert, ultimately spurring a fresh investigation.
“Reclaiming Lives” is more than a true crime narrative; it’s a call to action. Through detailed storytelling and personal insight, Treppa illustrates the staggering challenges of overturning wrongful convictions, even in the face of compelling new evidence. Her writing breaks
down legal complexities and exposes systemic flaws, offering readers a deeply human story of perseverance, hope, and transformation.
“Reclaiming Lives teaches the reader why it is not only critical to prevent wrongful convictions from occurring in the first instance, but also why the criminal justice system must be far more willing than it has often been to correct these injustices after they are shown to have
occurred,” says Steven Z. Kaplan, former post-conviction counsel for Keith Kutska, one of the Monfils Six.
Joan Treppa is a writer and social justice advocate living in the suburbs of Minneapolis. A survivor of childhood bullying, she found her voice in speaking up for the voiceless. Her motto, “Nothing about me truly matters unless I matter to others,” has driven her advocacy work. The first edition of Reclaiming Lives earned three national independent book awards and continues to resonate with readers and reformers alike.

Reclaiming Lives, Third Edition: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men is available now in
paperback through Kirk House Publishers and major booksellers 

For media inquiries, review copies, or interview requests, please contact:
Ann Aubitz at Kirk House Publishers 
1250 E 115th Street Burnsville, MN 55337
612-781-2815 | ann@kirkhousepublishers.com | www.kirkhousepublishers.com

New Edition…New Perspectives…New Look…

3 Replies

Hello fellow supporters of Six Innocent Men –

For the majority of the winter, I’ve intensely focused on a 3rd edition of my book, Reclaiming Lives. I’m especially proud of this version and am excited to share the following information.

With merely weeks to go before publication, (approximately 4-6 weeks) this leg of the journey is getting real! Preorders are now available!!

Here’s a recap of the many steps that have been taken to ensure that this edition is top-notch.

New content crucial to this story which I believe will give readers much to think about regarding the merits of this case has been added.

The guys themselves once again contributed content which adds yet another layer to this story that will provide invaluable insight to all who read this book.

I am for the first time revealing the exciting new cover image!

Image of the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, WI

This version will have an entirely new look, complete with color photos. It will also have a Table of Contents and a listing of key characters to lessen the confusion about who is who.

The 4 beta-readers did an amazing job of scrutinizing and providing feedback for the manuscript. What they found truly makes this edition shine! The professional editor (through my publisher), upon completing their final round of edits for the manuscript, had this to say:

“A fascinating story and really well told. I like the narration style and content and the writing was quite good throughout.”  

I specifically asked my good friend Vicki to be a beta-reader because she reads a lot and has a good feel for what makes a good book stand out. She shared that my book is every bit as worthy of being on best seller lists. However, the fact that I’m not a well-known author per se makes it difficult to get there. So…I truly need your help.

A great way to start is by sharing the link below with friends, family, colleagues, anyone you can think of who might be interested. I’d also appreciate it if some of you took the initiative to reach out to media outlets, news organizations, libraries, book stores, etc… The more exposure this book gets the better chance it has of receiving recognition.

Let’s hit the ground running and get this important story out there and into as many hands as possible. These six men and their families deserve that much.

Preorder through this link:

https://www.kirkhousepublishers.com/product-page/reclaiming-lives-third-edition-by-joan-treppa

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Joan

An Evening at the Weidner…

Leave a reply

This posting, which is long overdue, has the link to an important panel discussion that took place on March 26, 2024. The event was held at The Weidner; a performing arts center on the University of Wisconsin’s Green Bay (UWGB) campus. It was attended by nearly 200 people.

A special thank you to Nolan Bennett, Professor of Democracy&Justice Studies and Political Science at UWGB who so graciously dedicated the Spring semester to educating his students on the Monfils case. Throughout the semester, Bennett coordinated a screening of the Beyond Human Nature documentary and diligently orchestrated many visits with those of us heavily involved in the case to share our knowledge and advocacy with his students.

Joan and Keith’s visit to Nolan Bennett’s class on February 29, 2024.

Keith Kutska and I spoke to one of Bennett’s classes on Thursday, February 29, 2024. It was Keith’s first public appearance since his release on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. Like his codefendants prior to their public appearances, Keith was nervous about how the students would react to him. Based on my past experiences with students, I reassured him that this visit would likely be positive.

In fact, Keith was delighted by how welcoming, engaging, and inquisitive the students were. And when asked a thought-provoking 2-part question, Keith answered as honestly and sincerely as he could. The student wanted to know if, in hindsight, Keith would have acted differently in confronting Monfils, and if he regretted his actions on that day. “Yes, I regret what happened after I confronted Tom. If I knew how badly things were going to get I would have done it in private.”

Keith was gracious and thoughtful in his interactions with the students. Afterwards some of them came up to him to shake his hand and thank him for sharing his experience. I could see how deeply his presence had impacted them.

The panel discussion at the Weidner was the finale for the semester. Following opening remarks by Dean Ryan Martin and Professor Bennett, I recited a thorough summary of the case to the audience. Bennett then conducted a two-hour Q&A with seven of us; codefendants in the case: Michael Piaskowski, Michael Hirn, and Michael Johnson, retired Attorney Steve Kaplan, Cal Monfils (brother of Tom Monfils), author Denis Gullickson, and myself. The feedback we all received following the discussion was gratifying. In our ongoing mission to educate the public on the merits of this case, we had once again succeeded in sharing crucial facts that had been blatantly ignored for decades; facts that could have determined a much different outcome in this case.

(L to R) Joan Treppa, Michael Johnson, Michael Piaskowski, Steve Kaplan, Denis Gullickson, Cal Monfils, Michael Hirn. At the podium, Professor Nolan Bennett.

And now…here is the discussion in its entirety. Please note that the actual discussion begins at the eleven minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2ikedSyLGI