WISCONSIN SETS AN EXAMPLE

Gov. Jim Doyle and a bipartisan group of lawmakers were poised today to endorse a far-reaching package of reforms intended to make it harder to send innocent people to prison. The proposed reforms would require law enforcement officials to record interviews with all felony suspects, improve police line-ups and other eyewitness identification procedures, streamline DNA tests in cases where a wrongful conviction is involved, and extend the statute of limitations for many cases involving DNA evidence.

The proposals come in response to the wrongful conviction of a Fond du Lac man, Steven Avery, who served more than 18 years behind bars for a rape and brutal assault that he did not commit. Avery was released from prison about two years ago after DNA tests exonerated him and proved that another man had committed the crimes.

Doyle was set to unveil the reforms during a press conference with Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, and other members of the Legislature's Avery Task Force. "What happened to Steven Avery could have happened to any of us, but we must make sure that it can never happen again," Doyle said in an advance draft of his remarks. "The people of Wisconsin deserve a system of justice they can have confidence in - one that punishes the guilty, protects the innocent, finds justice for the victims and never loses sight of its central mission: finding the truth."

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CANADIAN STILL SEEKING JUSTICE

He's battling uphill in a country that believes it can do no wrong

A local man is seeking the community’s help to attend a wrongful conviction conference in Manitoba this fall. John Moore, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1978 and served his full sentence at a federal penitentiary, has been fighting for more than 20 years to clear his name.

Moore feels his conviction was unfair because he wasn’t at the scene of the crime, and the law used to convict him was ruled unconstitutional years later. Aside from these basic facts, he also says he wasn’t involved in the planning or execution of the crime.

“The fight for justice and freedom in draining me emotionally, psychologically, mentally and spiritually,” Moore said in a prepared statement. “It’s hard fighting a government who doesn’t care about its citizens, and you are only one voice.”

The international conference, entitled Unlocking Innocence: Avoiding Wrongful Conviction will bring together judges, defence lawyers, prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, legislators, journalists, the victims of wrongful convictions and others to examine the issues. The conference takes place from Oct. 20-22 in Winnipeg. The three-day learning symposium costs roughly $562 to $670, depending on registration dates, plus the cost of travel and accommodations.

Moore says he’s been “promised” $800 towards the trip so far, and a few of his friends chipped in and donated $75. He’s looking for members of the community to come to his aid and he’ll provide a report on the conference upon his return. Anyone interested in donating can phone Moore at 673-9576 or his lawyer Denis Michel at 674-1976.

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(And don't forget your ration of Wicked Thoughts for today)