STORY: "The other Wisconsin murder case that haunts many," by reporter Ted Haller, published by FOX9 News on January 13, 2016.
SUB-HEADING: "Another Wisconsin murder case resembles the popular Netflix documentary series, “Making a Murderer.”"
GIST: "Many Minnesotans remain captivated by the popular Netflix documentary series, “Making a Murderer.” Yet, another murder case, 45 minutes away from Manitowoc County, continues to haunt and unfold in the legal system. And there’s a Minnesota connection. Fox 9 first told you about Joan Treppa, a citizen advocate in Blaine, Minnesota, who helped get Fredrikson and Byron, a Minneapolis law firm, to take the case on for free. The team of lawyers, led by Steve Kaplan, argued for a new trial in documents and in court. But on Tuesday, the judge, the same judge who presided over the original trial, denied the request for a new trial. Treppa says the team plans to appeal. More than two decades ago, at the James River Paper Mill, in Green Bay, a mill worker named Tom Monfils was found at the bottom of a vat. A jump rope was tied around his neck and to a weight. Investigators soon learned, several days before his death, Monfils had called the police warning them Keith Kutska, a co-worker, might retaliate against Monfils because Monfils called 911 to say Kutska was going to take property home from the mill. Monfils asked that the call not be released. It was. Investigators came to believe Kutska was so enraged by the call recording that he, and five others, beat Monfils to death before throwing him into the vat. A jury would find all six guilty, and the six were sentenced to life in prison. All remain in prison 23 years later, except for Mike Piaskowski, who was exonerated by a federal judge in 2001. For 23 years, all have maintained their innocence. Is it suicide? Attorneys representing Kutska argued Monfils’ death was a suicide. They pointed to knots Monfils learned to tie in the Coast Guard. They pointed to a brother who believes it was suicide. They pointed to Monfils’ strange behavior before his death. The pointed to Monfils' own wife initially believing it was suicide. Attorneys also criticized the initial medical report that listed the cause of death as homicide. They critiqued the timeline. And they poked other holes in the case in a 152-page brief and 3-day hearing before the judge.
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.fox9.com/news/74239379-story
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
