Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Bulletin: Keith Kutska: Wisconsin; (One of the so-called Monfils Six); He is appealing the recent appeal court decision denying him a new trial. "Kutksa’s attorneys argued Tom Monfils wasn’t murdered, but killed himself and they had new evidence to prove it. Judge Bayorgeon, who presided over the original case more than 20 years ago, calls some of the arguments speculation, saying there’s no new evidence, and he doesn’t think a jury would reach a different verdict now. He adds that testimony from Cal Monfils that his brother was suicidal was hearsay. Tom Monfils was Cal Monfils’ brother." Action2news.


"A man serving a life sentence for one of Green Bay’s most high profile murders is appealing a judge’s ruling denying him a new trial. On Jan. 20, Keith Kutska’s attorneys filed with the District III Court of Appeals in response to Reserve Judge James Bayorgeon’s ruling there isn’t enough evidence to grant a new trial for Kutska, one of the so-called Monfils Six. Kutska is serving a life sentence for the 1992 murder of Tom Monfils at a Green Bay paper mill. During Kutska’s trial, prosecutors argued Kutska and five other mill workers formed an angry mob, beat Monfils and placed his body in a pulp vat as an act of retaliation. Kutska and the five other mill workers, Dale Basten, Michael Hirn, Michael Johnson, Rey Moore and Michael Piaskowski, were convicted in the death of Monfils and sentenced to life in prison. Piaskowski was released from prison after his conviction was overturned. For more than a year, Kutska’s new lawyers, led by the Minnesota Innocence Project, have fought for a new trial. They were granted a three day hearing before the retired judge back in July. That’s when Kutksa’s attorneys argued Tom Monfils wasn’t murdered, but killed himself and they had new evidence to prove it. Judge Bayorgeon, who presided over the original case more than 20 years ago, calls some of the arguments speculation, saying there’s no new evidence, and he doesn’t think a jury would reach a different verdict now. He adds that testimony from Cal Monfils that his brother was suicidal was hearsay. Tom Monfils was Cal Monfils’ brother..........A court hearing regarding the filing of Kutska’s appeal is scheduled for Feb. 29."
http://wbay.com/2016/01/20/kutska-appeals-ruling-denying-him-a-new-trial/