“A Walk for Truth and Justice”

By the summer of 2010, almost a year had gone by since the release of the book, The Monfils Conspiracy. There was much talk about it by the media and residents alike. A copy had been given to me in the fall of 2009, shortly after it was published by John Gaie; co-author and book researcher, because of his association with my sister, Clare. With John’s tutorial insight into this tragic story I absorbed the details and found the circumstances infuriating.

The idea that innocent people had been bullied and had landed in prison for a crime they did not commit, was unacceptable. It compelled me to get involved, to meet John’s co-author, Denis Gullickson, and the one person who had been exonerated, Michael “Pie” Piaskowski.

It was not until I attended a book signing in Green Bay with Clare on the day after Thanksgiving in 2009 that I was absolutely certain about how I could help. It was during an intimate and emotional conversation with Mike “Pie” that I decided to offer my assistance by starting my own book selling campaign at home in Minneapolis. I had offered to at least try to sell books to widen the expanse of awareness about this wrongful conviction case, and to possibly find someone outside of Wisconsin who could help us in a legal capacity. But even though I sold quite a few books, no offers of assistance were forthcoming. I felt that something more needed to happen, something that would catch additional media attention. I understood by then how significant this case was so it made sense to believe that if we came up with an effective way to publicize it, we might just grab the attention of the legal community. I started thinking about the idea of a rally in Green Bay so I contacted John and shared my idea.

A conference call was soon set up between me, John, Denis, Mike Pie, and Joan Van Houten; the Stepdaughter of one of the five men, Michael Johnson. I cautiously presented my idea, not wanting to overstep my bounds. To my amazement they mentioned this idea had been considered in the past. It just had not been acted upon. With firm resolve I persuaded them to initiate plans to hold our first rally on October 28, 2010.

Details were worked out and the evening finally arrived. Clare drove us to meet the others at the parking lot of St. Willebrord’s Church in Green Bay. What I witnessed was a modest assemblage of supporters. Family members, their friends, and a handful of those who knew the six men showed up. I was inundated with introductions and curious stares. Fourteen years had passed since these men were sent to prison and many of these supporters had finally come to accept that there would be no hero to save the day…or them. And I had instigated an event that ripped open a painful semi-healed wound. I still remember meeting Kim Johnson; Joan’s Mother. I remember her saying, “…you just go on and you take care of those still at home and you make the best of the situation.” I will never forget the unmistakable sadness in her face as she said those words, or of my urgency to encircle her tiny frame with my arms as though she were a porcelain doll about to crash to the ground and break in a million pieces.

This group represented the blatant reality of the tragedy I had read about. This experience hit me like a head on collision with a speeding bus. What was I doing, messing with their lives? I didn’t know what to say to them. I hadn’t given a single thought to what it might do to them if this event failed to make a difference. I had experienced situations in my life that required courage but never anything close to what these people were going through. I had to pull myself together and find a way to make this work. I would make sure they knew of my intentions to stay in this fight. No matter what happened I wouldn’t become part of a long list of adversaries who had let them down in the past.

When the media came, they interviewed Mike Pie, the authors, and Joan. Each of them had been through this before. I was especially captivated by Joan’s proficiency in front of the camera. She did not fear saying something inappropriate nor was she embarrassed about showing her emotions. She stood firm as she stared into the camera lens and laid down the raw facts surrounding her family’s harrowing misfortune. It was a way of healing and empowering for her to once again speak to a community about her beloved Stepfather and his innocence.

At a celebratory gathering following the rally it was decided that this attempt to revive what was hailed as “… the greatest travesty of injustice in Wisconsin’s history” by Ed Garvey; a long standing and respected attorney from Madison, Wisconsin, was a success. The story led on all of the major news stations later that night and into the next morning.  This event gained well-deserved attention. I hoped that somehow, somewhere, someone would pick it up and come to our aid. For me, this was a point of no return. I was forever connected to this case and to these people. By the end of the evening I felt resolute in my involvement. We all were ready for a next step. However, help would not come with the expediency that we hoped for. Things would unfold slowly through a chance meeting at my mailbox. A conversation between me and Johnny Johnson; a retired crime scene expert with a highly specialized background in crime scene reconstruction, would take us into a new phase when we’d commence our own unofficial investigation.

As we embark on our fifth annual “Walk for Truth and Justice” slated for Saturday, October 25, 2014, I look back at the roller coaster ride of the many failures and developments that have occurred since its inception. They’ve been worth the effort. From selling a few books all the way to gaining an entire legal team, I cannot fathom NOT being involved or how anything could have been done differently. This formula, as unsophisticated as it was, has worked so far. At last year’s event we announced legal representation for Keith Kutska, This year is shaping up to be even better. If all goes as planned, the news we uncover will ignite an irreversible and explosive reverberation throughout this community!

Stay tuned…

“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…