Tag Archives: Dale Basten

The Irony and Commemoration of an Historic Injustice, Pt 1…

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“A Green Bay Fumble”                            

Fumble – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled) or scoring. By rule, it is an act other than passing, kicking punting or successful handling that result in loss of player possession.

So what then is a Green Bay Fumble?   Allow me to explain…

In a town whose population averages roughly 120,000 people, almost every one of its residents devotes insurmountable time, energy, and money to support the infamous Green Bay Packer NFL football team. No matter what time of year it is you can expect to see a sea of green and gold attire wherever crowds gather; in the grocery store, at the mall, a park, and most assuredly in the bars. When traveling to this area of the country which is part of the Midwest, the dedication and protective nature towards this team is evident. The sport actually defines the identity of this community; a fact that is well-known throughout the United States.

Whenever I wear my special T-shirt displaying the slogan “A Green Bay Fumble”, it never fails to elicit questions about its meaning. For many it references American football. But for others who make up a small minority within Packerland it defines an underlying hypocrisy so deeply rooted that the city’s true identity has become muddled. For the majority of its residents a palatable truth about this hypocrisy is quite clear. But an understanding of the factual truth leaves one weighing the rationale behind certain claims and the integrity of the community accepting of it.

Deep in the heart of the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin an undeniable controversy cries out from within the stored pages of a twenty-eight day trial transcript of long ago. On October 28, 1995, six men; Michael Piaskowski, Michael Johnson, Michael Hirn, Reynold Moore, Dale Basten and Keith Kutska were convicted of first degree intentional homicide due to an incident that is alleged to have taken place at a nearby paper mill. The mill was the backdrop for a tragic and brutal death that was said to be deliberate. Through a series of events sparked by a fatal error initiated by the local Police Department the discovery of Tom Monfils’ body at the bottom of a paper pulp vat shook the heart and soul of this sleepy town. Murder didn’t happen in Green Bay, Wisconsin and this incident sparked fear throughout the entire community.

In 1995, approximately two and a half years after the body was discovered, pressure from a terrified community, a media blitz, and inescapable embarrassment by law enforcement instigated unprecedented measures to arrest, charge and sentence these six men to life in prison. During the trial, no physical evidence or credible eyewitness testimony was presented. In the beginning only one of the six men, Keith Kutska, was considered a suspect. But the other five who adamantly supported his innocence and provided alibis for him, also became suspect. They all were regarded as a union brotherhood from which a “union conspiracy” was declared.

This reasoning justifies a lie that persists today ironically designed to protect the Green Bay Police Department’s own “blue wall of silence”. This cover up by Green Bay’s finest is now aptly referred to by opponents of these convictions as “A Green Bay Fumble”. The idea that the authorities failed an entire community by dropping the ball is the rallying cry of the victims who hope that it resonates with this sports oriented public.

As bizarre or fantastic as this all seems, the story is laden with truths. These are the realities. And the real facts do support the innocence of all six men. Unfortunately, it has been close to a year since I started writing about this case and nothing has changed. These men are still in prison.

I could get insanely angry about this whole thing if I allowed myself to. I could sit and stew over why I’m able to get up each morning, go to bed each night, and in between do whatever it is I choose and wonder why they cannot. Or why I can sit and watch a perfect sunrise or sunset from my picture window inside my cozy home on my comfy couch, or be out having the perfect evening with the ones dearest to my heart whenever I want, and they cannot.

The truth is, I DO get angry and I DO think about these things every day of my life. I wonder why I am free and they are not when I know that like me, they’ve done nothing to deserve their fate. And when I get letters from them telling me they wish for me to experience all that is wonderful and they pray for my safety and good health, it breaks my heart. Just like their families who’ve been torn apart since 1992 when all of this started, my heart aches every day they remain incarcerated. I think of it as one more day lost that they will never get back. But they aren’t sitting there feeling sorry for themselves. They are productive hardworking citizens within an unforgiving prison system who have become adept at surviving when all odds are against them. They’ve experienced some of the worst that life has to offer and they still have the capacity to bestow good will and forgiveness onto others. They still have hearts made of gold unlike the people who placed them in this situation. This is how I know they are men of integrity which is why I fight for them.

From tragedy comes inspiration and courage. When I learned about this case back in 2009, I decided to get involved and become a part of a solution. I was ignorant about what to do. But I saw a need to continue creating awareness through the newly published book about the case. I argued that this was our opportunity to let the community know how unacceptable this is, that it is not forgotten, and that it is only the beginning of a journey to set the record straight. Revitalization was adopted and an annual ‘Walk for Truth and Justice” arose…

Tragedy in the Face of Innocence…

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Part of my advocacy on behalf of five innocent Wisconsin men happened through letter writing. In 2010, roughly a year after committing to helping these men, I was compelled to write to all of them to introduce myself and my partner, Johnny. Not knowing much at all about them made this a difficult but essential task. These men had most likely heard about us by now from their loved ones and we felt it was time for them to hear from us directly. It was important to let them know of our intentions.

In the weeks following, reply letters started arriving from each of them. My heart raced. “Wow, they’ve written back!” We wondered what messages were inside envelopes marked with this prison stamp:

THIS LETTER HAS BEEN MAILED FROM THE WISCONSIN PRISON SYSTEM

The first letter to arrive had come from the oldest of the men, Dale Basten. Dale had written a brief note and included a photo of himself, taken around 1961, as he stated, “…at the mill when I started there”. It was his way of introducing his younger self; someone from long ago that was no more. It was the face of a handsome young man with integrity and, dare I say, innocence that over time learned tough lessons due to being falsely accused of a heinous crime. I remember also thinking of this remarkable image as a dreadful reminder of a valuable life that had wasted away behind bars for too long. This was a family man who had once been an involved husband and wonderful Dad to two young girls in a setting familiar to most families. The only difference is that their legacy now holds only memories and remnants of a content life because of a horrible injustice that had gotten in the way and destroyed their world.

Photo of Dale Basten circa 1961

Photo courtesy of Dale Basten (circa 1961) 

The note accompanying the photo was brief but kind. It contained gratitude for my thoughtfulness and an appreciation of receiving it during an especially trying time of year; the holiday season. Additional letters from Dale ended with well wishes for my longevity and his reassurance that there is definitely a place for me in Heaven.

Three excerpts from the book, The Monfils Conspiracy describe Dale:

For those who knew him, Dale was, “…a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He had a real good head on his shoulders. He caught onto things real fast and always had a good job. He was pretty much of a loner and a quiet person who kept to himself”.

His wife described him as, “… a devoted husband and Father.”

One of his neighbors said,  “If you needed a favor, he would be willing to help.”

Sometime ago, Dale experienced serious medical issues and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Initially his family was given no information about his well being or whereabouts. They later learned he had suffered a heart attack. This experience, typical of those forced onto families of the incarcerated, caused extreme trauma. It makes little sense especially for those with loved ones serving time for something they didn’t do. I see this as a crime in itself that must be remedied.

Dale, aged 73, does not write long letters but what he does say is direct and thoughtful. I looked forward to the day when we’d encounter a face with eyes I imagined were now full of wisdom.

Update: In 2015, we met Dale for the first and last time at Stanley Correctional Institution in Stanley, Wisconsin. Then, in a sudden move in 2017, at age 76, Dale was given “compassionate release” due to his failing health. The Parole Commission cited his “advancing, maturing age” and “apparent cognitive decline” for the move. “It is clear from this encounter that you have little or no orientation as to your surroundings,” the Commission’s written decision stated of Dale Basten. (From an article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette)

Dale passed away nine months after he was released. RIP Dale.

 

Positive Change.act…

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2013 “Walk” in Green Bay, WI  (That’s me holding the sign which says: 18 Years of Injustice)


Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:15:41 -0500                                                                                                  One Woman’s Story—Can You Help as She Has?

by Denis Gullickson

Thanks to the response of a number of you to last week’s information release, we wanted to bring you the story of Joan Treppa who was referenced in a couple of places in that release. Joan is an example to all of us of the kind of power one impassioned person can make on behalf of a cause—in this case, the cause of justice and freedom for five innocent men who remain incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons.

Joan became involved in the effort to promote our book, The Monfils Conspiracy: The Conviction of Six Innocent Men, through her sister, Clare. Originally from the “U.P. in Michigan,” but now living in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Joan attended some of our book events. Author John Gaie was also instrumental in providing Joan with as much information as she desired. And it was very much a case of the more she learned, the more she became incensed about this injustice.

Not content to simply fume over the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of Dale Basten, Mike Hirn, Mike Johnson, Keith Kutska, and Rey Moore, Joan, literally, took to the streets. Early on, she wrote reviews of the book and posted them on internet websites. She pushed the book at local book stores, sold books to friends and acquaintances, and spoke about the case to anyone who would listen. She scheduled the authors for a talk at her church this fall. She also called members of the local media, sent books to them, and encouraged them to interview the authors and Mike Piaskowski. Along those same lines, she put books in the hands of Twin Cities attorneys, filmmakers, and so on.

On the heels of the announcement that Wisconsin’s Early Release Commission had delayed Mike Hirn’s possible release for another year, Joan—along with Toby Resch, another diligent supporter of our efforts—called Ben Merens of Wisconsin Public Radio. Toby did a wonderful job of introducing the subject for listeners and Joan followed up with a plea on behalf of these men.

Again, you can listen to their calls by going to wpr.org and searching for an archive of Ben Meren’s programs. Then, find the 4 p.m. program for Friday, April 16. Toby and Joan’s comments can be found at the 8:20 and 10:30 marks, respectively.

But Joan wasn’t done there! Through talking about the case to anyone with an ear, Joan established a connection with a retired crime scene reconstruction expert. She made sure he had a book and she encouraged him to read it. He did—three times! And what he came away with was a profound disgust for the investigation conducted by the Green Bay Police Department and a deep bewilderment for how the case could have proceeded to trial and resulted in convictions.

Then, Joan organized a weekend of intensive informational and strategy sessions at her home between the authors, Mike Piaskowski, and the crime scene expert. Joan and husband, Mike, not only served as gracious hosts to the four men, but Joan played a key role in the sessions themselves. 

As author Denis Gullickson said, “If we had one person like Joan in five or six cities—say Milwaukee, Madison, Wausau, Oshkosh, Chicago, and others—we would be well on our way to getting this story to a wider audience across the Midwest and, eventually, the entire nation.”

As we told you last week, Joan’s efforts have caused significant developments to occur. She has set up three events for this fall, including a book presentation and signing at the Rosedale Mall on August 21. What will result for these five men because of her efforts remains to be seen. But every one of her steps has been a step in the right direction.

With great appreciation, we wanted to tell you about her efforts. We also know that Joan is not alone. Many of you have pushed books, talked about this story to anyone and everyone, contacted the media and the authorities, and written letters. Your efforts are making a difference. Thank you.

Finally, here’s a prayerful plea to everyone to keep this story on the front burner and do whatever you can to keep the wheels of justice turning in favor of these men. A simple, but helpful step is to post favorable reviews of our book on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. As we said last week, our immediate sights are now set firmly on Wisconsin Public Radio and on Madison, but our work hardly ends there.

This thoughtful piece still brings tears and was written during very uncertain times. But I think of what has come to pass since then. The annual Walk for Truth and Justice is in its fourth year. Collective support and donations on behalf of these five men have trickled in. And finally, the inception of legal assistance by a major Minneapolis law firm along with both WI and MN Innocence Projects, all collaborating towards a similar goal. The final chapter steadily approaches. The process is slow but within reach. When that day arrives for these five men, it will be a day like no other!

I recently had an inspiring conversation with my son, Jared. He said, “Mom, it is no longer acceptable for me to just sit back and watch others do great things to change the world. I must be a participant and one who is responsible for enacting that change. I no longer want people to tell me how much they admire what I’m doing but what THEY are doing to enact change”.

I cannot put into words the feeling a parent gets from hearing such compassion and commitment. I agree with him and am certain that together, we will somehow enact positive change in this world.