For those unable to hear this at the actual event, I’m posting my “Walk for Truth and Justice” speech in its entirety:

In my son, Jared Manninen’s book MEGA ’99; Adventures of An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker, he cites a fortune cookie quote that I absolutely love. It states, “If you are heading in the right direction, it is not necessary to know where you are going”. I can certainly relate as this sentiment depicts how events in my life have unfolded as a citizen advocate for social justice.

As we embark on our fifth annual Walk for Truth and Justice to once again honor six men wrongly sentenced to murder in 1995, I want to look back for a moment and reflect on how and why I got into this fight and why I am committed to seeing it through to the end.

In the latter part of 2009, I had no idea where my getting involved would lead or how I could effectively help. All I knew is that I had to do something. My professional background was nowhere near what was needed as far as legal help but after meeting authors John Gaie and Denis Gullickson along with the exoneree in the case, Michael Piaskowski, I felt I was adequately equipped on an emotional level. I was also able to promote their book, The Monfils Conspiracy, especially after learning how they had selflessly poured their efforts into pursuing this project for eight long years. I believed in their mission, to tell the only side of this tragic story that they knew, which was the absolute truth of what really happened in this wrongful conviction case. I definitely wanted to participate in making a difference and maybe even bringing their important message to a broader level of awareness.

I didn’t realize how effective selling books could be but I’m glad I took that first step. A year into it I happened across Johnny Johnson, a retired crime scene investigator with a 30-year history in law enforcement. He bought the book from me. He read it three times! His trained eye and open mind caused conflict within. All he had ever stood for in the name of jurisprudence was forever tainted. Early on as we put our energies into searching for legal help, we both felt we wanted to meet the families directly affected by this injustice. Afterward, having observed the anguish and hopelessness in many of your faces, it was clear to us how important and urgent our mission was.

It would be another two years before Johnny and I would finally meet Steve Kaplan, the respected attorney who appeared to have a heart bigger than the size of Texas. Because of his compassionate persistence and that of his legal team both in Minnesota and Wisconsin, we are currently on the brink of a turning point that I believe will have a huge impact on this case. Anything can happen but I take comfort in knowing that everything is possible.

People from Minnesota and Wisconsin continue to invest time and resources toward this cause because of an understanding of the terrible plight you have endured for far too long. So on their behalf I stand here today with open arms and humble heart to tell you it is our wish to send a message of hope and prosperity we are certain awaits you.

This evening as we step out once again to commemorate every victim tied to this injustice let us be mindful of where we have been and of what we have accomplished together. And just as we could never have imaged how far this has come neither can we predict how it will end. But for tonight let us relish in the fact that however things play out, we will continue on with this fight in the name of truth and justice because no matter what path it leads us on we are confident it is heading in the right direction…

What thoughts come to mind when you hear about an innocent person being released from prison?  Does it summon hope, anger, relief, skepticism? Maybe it frightens you. Or leaves you feeling indifferent because it’s not your problem. However you see it, two things are certain; we all have an opinion and we all become affected in some way. What is the overall attitude about innocent people in prison?

Many believe that everyone in prison claims to be innocent. I’ve heard assumptions that a person must be guilty if they were arrested and that there’s no room for doubt if they’ve been convicted. Some say the accused must at least know something about what happened. These statements mirror how strongly we believe in our judicial system. It speaks to the unsettling feeling we as a society have in thinking the system could be flawed.

However, more recent findings in regards to DNA and SBS (Shaken Baby Syndrome) for instance, along with improved procedural methods of determining one’s guilt or innocence are altering our way of thinking. With the vast amount of exonerations taking place (an average of 3 a week) it appears we can no longer be satisfied with or accepting of the state of our judicial system. Major strides being instituted through the Innocence Project organization, are impacting how investigations are conducted and how interrogations are handled. Exonerations are proof that mistakes have been made and that people have been incorrectly imprisoned.

How do we come to terms with this reality and more importantly, how do we ignore it? And why is it that so very few people think this is not affecting families, communities, states, and the country? And then there’s the issue of when an innocent person is convicted of a crime, the real perpetrator goes free, allowing that person to commit other crimes. One third of DNA exonerations have cleared an innocent person and revealed the true perpetrator. Often those people are in the same prison as the innocent person, for a crime(s) they committed later on.

The upside is that law enforcement communities across the country are starting to accept that there are problems. Many DA’s offices are now working in conjunction with Innocence Project’s in their state to ensure that only guilty people are in prison. They are instituting programs called, conviction integrity units which monitor past investigations for the purpose of ruling out mistakes.

A facial image is easily etched in our minds. Take mug shots, for instance. They typically portray a person at their absolute worst. Many times these images are misleading and designed to impact our judgment of the person in the photo. It’s similar to when a defendant shows up in court clean shaven and wearing a suit.

Below are updated artistic depictions* of six men convicted of murder in 1995. They were drawn from photos in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (courtesy of photographer, Corey Wilson). One of the men was deemed innocent and exonerated after five and a half years in prison. Many believe all of them are murderers but others believe they were railroaded.

As you study the drawings, what do you see? If you are of the mind that they could be innocent, you might see the pain and anguish. If you are of another opinion that all people proclaim to be innocent and that they are most likely guilty of something, you may see malice or indignation.

*Drawings courtesy of artist/writer, Jared Manninen