When I discuss this case with others which, to be honest, happens quite often, I get asked if there was ever a moment (during this 13-year journey) when I wondered if the six men convicted of a heinous murder could be guilty. My response is always the same. “Absolutely not!”

On the contrary, I have never seen or heard anything that has convinced me that they are guilty or that a crime was even committed. There is always the concern that I could be jaded, that maybe I’ve held this belief for so long that nothing could possibly sway my opinion now. But I also know that I’m not the only one who explicitly believes that all of these men are innocent. Former law enforcement officials, seasoned lawyers, and other professionals who know better than I who have pursued justice in this case also hold this belief. My concern then becomes; maybe I haven’t done my part in conveying the damning evidence of innocence in this case. Well, this is certainly not due to a lack of trying.

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce my latest endeavor—a second edition of Reclaiming Lives. This book is the (almost) complete story from the day I became involved through to events and exciting new developments of the most recent years. I call it my Pandemic Project which helped me to stay sane during the past year.

Those of you who have read my first book know how this story began for me:

“In a phone conversation with my sister, Clare, during the summer of 2009 prior to meeting John, she had described someone she’d met recently. “He’s an author and researcher named John Gaie,” she said. “We met at a place called The Lorelei. And get this—he told me I look like his mother.”

Our laughter faded as Clare described her relationship with John. Both of them, longtime residents of Green Bay, had been dating a few weeks when Clare suggested bringing John to Minnesota to meet Mike and me. She was anxious for us to learn about a project that he was working on. “John is researching a true-crime story I’m familiar with,” she said. “He’s collaborating with two other people on a book about six men who were convicted of murder in 1995, right here in Green Bay. John says it will be published soon.”

This 2017 version ends on the final day of the 2015 evidentiary hearing for Keith Kutska. And what happened after that was anyone’s guess.

My newest book-a revised version-begins in the same way as the first book, but then continues on at the exact moment where that story ends, to create a more complete story. I feel this new version is superior to the first with better writing/editing, added details, and finally, a deeper insight into who the six men are.

Below are a few new passages to summon your curiosity:

“A cloud of doom lingered as we slowly filed out of the courtroom on that last day. In contrast, hastening past us toward the exit, tightly clutching his briefcase as though he was late for his next appointment, was the current DA, David Lasee. It reminded me of the similar manner in which his father, Larry Lasee, who incidentally had been the assistant DA during the Monfils case, had exited the courtroom following Mario Victoria Vasquez’s exoneration hearing. As I watched, I supposed his unwillingness to undermine his father’s position on the original outcome of this case took precedence over allowing the truth to guide his conscience.”

“Although our legal team had followed the rule of law and had presented considerable facts supportive of the suicide theory, this post-conviction phase had ultimately failed. It was indicative of why our courts have also failed the many innocent people who dare to file petitions in an effort to gain their own deserved freedom. However, in many respects, we were not exactly hurled back to square one. While we had done our absolute best, and as justice continued to elude us in the months and years that followed, we remained steadfast in our refusal to succumb to absolute defeat. We would never give up hope completely. And we were certainly not about to allow this chapter to dictate the ending of an ardent journey. We would regroup and carry on with the same tenacity and shrewdness as before. A newly completed project of mine was about to take center stage and exacerbate an already contentious situation. At least I hoped it would.”

My publisher is also new. This slightly different design was created by Kirk House Publishers in Burnsville, Minnesota. The overall experience of working with them was top notch.

As always, I appreciate your continued interest and support in this mission. And I still agree with The Monfils Conspiracy author, Denis Gullickson’s, tenacious analysis, “Let’s see where this takes us.”

Please note that the first and second editions of Reclaiming Lives are no longer available for purchase on many retail sites.