Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Treppa.
Hi Joan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2009, my sister introduced me to new research being done to correct an injustice that had taken place in the early 1990s in which six Wisconsin men were convicted of murder and given life sentences. She shared her longtime friendship with one of the men that she adamently believes would never harm or murder anyone. One of the six men had been exonerated but the other five remained in prison despite being subjected to a joint trial. After learning disturbing details about the case, I felt strongly that their circumstance was different but all too familiar. As a child, I was an easy target for bullies and ill-equipped to defend myself from being teased, being called names, and being blamed for things I did not do. I felt that what happened to them was the worst kind of mean-spirited bullying which took place in a very public setting. This situation presented a unique path for me to defend them by giving them the voice I once longed for. I became a staunch advocate, engaging in annual Walks alongside the families, traveling to the prisons to visit the men, and spreading the word to everyone I could think of in my state of Minnesota. I soon met and partnered with a retired crime scene expert who dug deep into the case and found many flaws in the original investigation. Together we searched for and found a Minnesota attorney who agreed to represent one of the six in an appeal. Our intention of correcting this injustice gained traction and I wrote a book that highlighted our activities, my impressions of who these men are, the suffering that they and their families had endured, and newly uncovered evidence that sheds new light on this case. I had my books sent to the prisons where these men were housed. After many failed parole hearings in the past, the tide turned and the men were finally being granted parole. They are now all free and our hopes are to achieve exonerations for them all.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I call it a roller coaster ride of both euphoric victories and devastating failures. The main goal was to find legal assistance to help free the men. It took a few years to find an attorney who had both the resources and the time to work on a case this convoluted and one that was compounded by the number of men who needed representation. We were fortunate to have found a well-respected attorney at one of the largest law firms in Minneapolis but their efforts were met with extreme push back by the legal community in Wisconsin and in the end, failed. Seeing the men released on parole through the Parole Commission was the next best victory we could have hoped for. These men enthusiastically participate in book events where the goal is to educate the uninformed with the facts and to discredit the misinformation that still lingers in their community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I’d say that being an author whose focus is on wrongful convictions is what I’m most proud of overall. Though it is a deeply upsetting topic, I did not anticipate how much I’d enjoy writing about it and doing my part to educate the public. I never gave writing much thought until my son, the first writer in our family, encouraged me to document the lives and tragedies of the people I had so readily become an advocate for. I’ve been told that my words have made a difference in their lives. I certainly hope this is true. I feel that this topic never receives the attention it deserves. Some argue that it only affects a small percentage of the population. But seeing the significant amount of people affected by this one case lends insight into how far-reaching this problem is. And as my book illustrates, being blamed for something you didn’t do can happen to any one of us. The story I’ve written stands out as one that tells a harrowing tale of how strangers stepped in to help simply because it was the right thing to do.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are certainly many more than I could mention here, who deserve credit. This entire mission could never have succeeded if it weren’t for the groundswell of support coming at us from all directions. My efforts in Minnesota would have fallen flat if it weren’t for the selfless actions of my partner, Johnny Johnson, who dug deep to uncover new information, to former attorney, Steve Kaplan, who listened and acted on his principles, and to Fredrikson&Byron, PA, the law firm that provided the necessary funding. We encountered many folks who knew or worked with the men who believed in their innocence. Cal Monfils, the victim’s own brother, has actively supported our efforts by giving depositions, testifying in more recent appeals, speaking out publicly on behalf of the men, and participating in book events.
Pricing:
- Paperback: $19.95
- Hardcover: $29.95
- E Book: $4.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://joantreppa.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joan.treppa.9
Image Credits
I am sole owner of these photos.
