Letter to the Editor

February 20, 2001

Over the past three years, I witnessed many miscarriages of justice and I have not been silent.

I participated in a criminal trial as an alibi witness for my nephew, Lincoln.  I learned quickly the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution exists only in a museum and it is a bastardized version of these documents the real world practices.  A prospective juror, a TEACHER in the Jefferson school district told the defense attorney during voir dire,

“…it is up to the defendant to prove himself innocent…”

I spent a year and a half fight for truth, fighting dirty law enforcement and struggling to keep my family whole.  I spend a week in the Woodbury County Iowa Courthouse; during that week I watched Iowa DCI agents and the alleged victim’s boyfriend have coffee and donuts in the jury room with the jury present.  I waited for the defense attorneys to do something, I waited for the Woodbury County Iowa Deputy to do something–finally I did something.  The Iowa DCI Agents Terry Klooster and Dan Moser described me as confrontational.  When I was finally allowed in the courtroom to testify (alibi witnesses were sequestered), I was subjected to a search.  Ever have one of those?  Most people have criminal courtroom experience only via entertainment television, so they have no concept of the sitting silently waiting for a jury to deliver a verdict.  They cannot feel every hair on their body stand on end, feel the tentacles of cold despair radiate into their soul, hear the screams of their sister rip across the silence or the intense person pain emanate in tsunami-like waves from their brother-in-law as he grips their hand while the jury foreman makes the pronouncement,

“guilty”

My nephew was with me that fateful night, yet he was convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at the age of 19.

     I have spent the past years researching law, working for the appeal and waiting through the everlasting nightmare that has become normal life for my family.  I have been in constant contact with my nephew in prison, in each conversation I have with him we discuss the things we did wrong and the things we did right.  Upper most in each conversation, is we allowed public opinion to cow us and intimidate us into not fighting as strongly as we should have.  On January 3, 2001, I went to Des Moines to listen to oral arguments in the Iowa Appellate Court for my nephew’s appeal.  (ironically the same dimwitted judge who presided over the initial trial had been promoted to the appellate court)  Imagine your whole life balanced on the best argument (?) your attorney can make in fifteen (15) minutes.  On February 7, 2001, we received work the appeal was granted to my nephew, Lincoln, so we go back to trial—(only to have our hopes dashed later).

     During  the past three years, my attitude has undergone a catharsis.  I will never stand silently allowing an innocent individual be railroaded by misinformation, untruths, by cowards who let others take blame for their actions or people too lazy to investigate the truth whether it is in Spirit Lake, Iowa, or here in Alcester, SD.  To my critics, same comes from continuing to perpetuate a wrong on a good man when he has been proven innocent.  If divisive means one faction fighting to restore a man’s good name while a second faction continues to perpetrate the wrong, YUP  we are divided!  If airing the dirty laundry is the only way to clean it, get the clothespins ready and the clothesline wiped down!  I come from a line of fighters from the Revolutionary War to present.  I am confrontational, I am pit bull tenacious, I am obdurate, but I AM NOT A QUITTER! (Keep that in mind marcus@crazy.com)

TO THE COWARDS WHO MAIL ME THE UNSIGNED, ANONYMOUS SOPHOMORIC DRIVEL, WHICH PASSES FOR YOUR OPINION–I DECLINE YOUR INVITATION!   I AM HERE TO STAY, SO BRING IT ON! 

FOR NOW

     This is one little woman who will not only be seen but be heard.  I will no longer silently sit back, hoping truth and justice will prevail.  I will fight, annoy, push, shove, bully, harass and antagonize to ensure justice has a chance.

I am more than willing to, as the title of the jazz song suggests,

‘FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE!’