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.

On this special day, I’m sharing the stories of five exceptional Dads. They take their roles seriously but their ability to have a direct influence on their children’s lives is nonexistent…and heartbreaking. Despite the obstacles, their children look up to them with the greatest respect.

Michael Hirn is the youngest of five innocent but imprisoned men in Wisconsin. His only child was an infant when he was incarcerated in 1995. Now a young man, this son has only known his father’s presence from behind prison walls. He’s been forced to grow up without the intimate guidance and life experiences of a father but he relishes in knowing that his dad is innocent. I’ve received numerous pictures of them together during prison visits and although the guarded smiles on their faces tell of uncertainties for the future, I also see a closeness that will stay strong no matter what that future holds.

Keith Kutska shines through his son, Clayton, who is a father himself and a tireless supporter of his father’s innocence. Clayton states how extremely hard it has been to grow up without “my dad”. One only needs to look into their sad eyes to understand how this injustice has affected them both. Nonetheless, there will always be a mutual pride between these two men. For Keith it is a pride for the man his son has become. And for Clayton the pride is witnessing the courage of a father who has maintained his unrelenting innocence for twenty-three years. Both are strong father figures despite this predicament.

Dale Basten is the oldest of the five men. His two daughters do their best to go on with the many challenges of living a normal life. Dale has always been a devoted father and their deepest concerns for him have been his age and of his recent major heart attack in a prison system that lacks adequate health care. Some time ago the family was frantic when this health crisis occurred and no information about his condition was forthcoming until after the fact. In more recent years, Dale, who is now experiencing dementia, faces a bleak future with few options, as this injustice continues to plague this traumatized family.

Rey Moore’s faith has guided him along a very daunting path fraught with far too many disappointments during this turbulent time. It has helped him to maintain sanity but there is an element of deep distress when he writes about his children. Worry is the motivation in his pleas for me to make contact with them. Their survival in an unforgiving town has its challenges, as does Rey, within an unforgiving prison system.

Michael Johnson is also beholden to a faith that gives him strength and helps him to stay optimistic. His children and his wife, struggle to grasp the reasons for his absence, why such a fate has befallen them, and why it is that no one seems to care about the pain that persists in their hearts.

We must search deep inside ourselves to imagine the hardships of those who are faced with what has been lost and what can never be reclaimed. For these five men, twenty-three years are gone forever, never to be retrieved. We all must acknowledge the deprivation they experience. For it is far too easy for us to take lightly the privileges we’ve been given, and to overlook the pain of those who cannot. So when you celebrate this special day, please take a moment to silently remember these men and the countless other dads who sit quietly with little or no chance of experiencing those treasured moments with their children. I promise that you will become a better person for it!