The Will of the People is the Law of the Land: An Open Letter to Governor Evers
Governor Tony Evers
115 East
State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
Dear Governor Evers,
On December 20, 2019, the Wisconsin Pardon Advisory Board denied Brendan Dassey’s clemency petition, divesting Mr. Dassey of Wisconsin’s gilded tradition of clemency. We are a unified collective of citizens and advocates who respectfully request that you reconsider this seemingly cursory decision.
In the spirit of Wisconsin’s greatest reformer and progressive, Governor Robert La Follette we look to your governance to embrace Governor La Follette’s ‘laboratory of democracy’ ideology and review the Dassey petition for pardon or commutation on its merits.
It would be Governor Phillip La Follette who would establish and appoint Wisconsin’s first pardon board in 1935, determining the function of executive clemency and the types of cases that would be considered; among them:
Those in which the previous history of the prisoner and his attitude in the institution indicate that he would probably be well behaved if released under supervision, but who could not be paroled under the existing statutes, and who could have his sentence reduced by the court.
Those who probably could be safely paroled if the sentence was reduced.
Significantly, among the principles the board were to follow included:
Careful consideration of the judicial history of the case.
Indubitably, Brendan Dassey would have met these fundamental pardon policies in 1935 Wisconsin.
We can reference the research of Dr William Oldigs (1941), who compared the number and types of clemency granted over a period of 24 years to conclude whether the governors had differing clemency policies. The chief findings of Oldigs study indicated that while each Governor held opposing ideas about the function of executive clemency, all Governors believed that clemency should be extended to those who had suffered a miscarriage of justice. Brendan Dassey continues to endure, an egregious miscarriage of justice.
More recently Governor Thompson and his successor Governor McCallum issued a combined 262 pardons over a period of five years while Governor Doyle granted nearly 300 over the course of his eight years in office. A study undertaken by the National Governor’s Association in a report on state clemency warned the nation’s governors that the full investigation of each case “is essential to prevent public relations problems or political embarrassments.” To not exercise due diligence and review the Dassey petition on its merits speaks to the issues at the heart of that study.
As the cruel hiatus of pardons came to an end under years of the Walker government, the Pardon Advisory Board was reconstituted in June 2019, yet it was May of this year, in your first TV appearance on News 3 where you stated, “It’s for people that have either served time or are already out or are in prison now that are seeking some change in their life situation – we are pretty open about that.” This statement is at odds with the boards current criteria.
Granting clemency is the ultimate act of executive grace. The US Supreme Court considers pardons to be the “fail-safe” in the legal system and the Wisconsin Constitution Article V, Section 6, empowers you with the sole authority to pardon state criminal convictions for any offense other than treason or cases of impeachment. It is a broad discretion with the only check on your pardoning power being that of public opinion. Local, national and global opinion supports your granting a pardon or commutation of sentence to Brendan Dassey.
Governor Evers you have clearly stated you believe in redemption, you also commented in May that, “not having hope, when you should have hope is the wrong thing for the state of Wisconsin to stand for.” As a coalition of voices united in the belief of Brendan Dassey’s innocence, we believe his wrongful conviction results from the extraction of a false confession at the hands of coercive interrogation techniques. Techniques based on unscientific and universally rejected behaviour symptom analysis, and warrants a presumption of innocence he, as a 16-year-old developmentally delayed juvenile, was denied.
Courage and clemency are equal virtues, and when the legal system fails to protect the innocent, the vulnerable, the developmentally delayed, the overwhelmed, the juvenile and the misrepresented, clemency is called upon. We now call on your executive power to correct the miscarriage of justice imposed upon Brendan Dassey.
We are a microcosmic representation of your electorate; of society and of the thousands upon thousands of people who support clemency for Brendan Dassey. We are an alliance fuelled by special educators, nurses, engineers, care workers, teachers, writers, journalists, attorneys, mothers, fathers, the disabled, the abled, radiologists, paralegals to nail technicians, retail workers, shift workers, truck drivers and more – and we too respectfully implore you to review the petition for clemency for Brendan Dassey on its merits and pardon or commute his sentence to time served. This is the will of the people.
Sincerely,
Kelly Abderrahman, Warehouse supervisor, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Amber Acklin, Lab technician, El Dorado, Kansas
Ashleigh Adams, Claims, New Zealand
Kat Adams, Wrongful conviction advocate, Massachusetts, New England
Suzette Agosto, Inside sales rep, Chicago, Illinois
Hannah Ainsliee, Business owner, New Zealand
Jaclyn Aiston, Maintenance worker, Deerfield, Massachusetts
Stephanie Aitken, Assistant physiologist, Scotland
Katherine Al Amodi, Wrongful conviction advocate, Gold Coast, Australia
Malak Al Hawary, Music producer, Cairo, Egypt
Lisa Albert, Social worker, Connecticut
Saeed Ali, Self employed, Somaliland
Amanda Amos, Supervisor, South Wales, UK
Elaina Anderegg, Student, Centreville, Utah
Susan Anderson, Business owner, Vancouver, British Columbia
Theresia Anderson, Nurse anaesthetist, Chicago, Illinois
Kevin Andrews, Full time Dad, England
Cindy Ann, Wrongful conviction advocate, New Jersey
Rebecca Appleton, Wrongful conviction advocate, New Zealand
Patricia Arnold, Disabled, Bourbon, MO
Julie Arthur, Unemployed due to disability, South Wales, UK
Tia Arthur, Carer, South Wales, UK
Stephanie Askew, Disabled, Montana
Deanna Arveson, CNA, Wisconsin
Caron Astley, Teaching assistant - special education needs, Berwick-upon-Tweed, England
Jennifer Astley, Software engineer, Cambridge, England
Brady Ausbrooks, Wrongful conviction advocate, Las Vegas, NV
Connor Ausbrooks, Wrongful conviction advocate, Las Vegas, NV
Kaytlin Ausbrooks, Wrongful conviction advocate, Las Vegas, NV
Diana Avak, Wrongful conviction advocate, Bremen, Germany
Bridgette Ayala, Housewife, California
Cristina Bagwell, Wrongful conviction advocate, Grand Blanc, Michigan
Anthony Ball, Retired Cheltenham, UK
Chrissy Ball, Registered nurse, Cheltenham, UK
Adele Barnes, IT Support and infrastructure specialist, United Kingdom
Liz Barnes, Data analyst, United Kingdom
Sarah Bartlett, Vet technician, Glendale, AZ
Tina Bazzle, Customer service rep, Boise, Idaho
Rob Beard, IT Technician, Torquay, UK
Malgorzata Bednarz, Wrongful conviction advocate, United Kingdom
Jonathan Ben Bow, Wrongful conviction advocate, Liverpool, UK
Jenni Berns, Risk officer, Rolling Meadows, IL,
Leanne Betteridge, Retail assistant, Clevedon, UK
Lee Billington, Retired, Auckland, New Zealand
Inge Bilstra, Wrongful conviction advocate, Zuidlaren, The Netherlands
Carly Birch, Sales assistant, Melbourne, Australia
Heidi Birrell, Supervisor sales and special programs, Bothell, WA
Hayley Bishop, Wrongful conviction advocate, Victoria, Australia
Joyce Bishop, Production, Crystal Lake, IL
Donita Black, Wrongful conviction advocate, Dubuque, IA
Mary Blankenship, Proud mother of a child with autism, risk manager, North Redington Beach, FL
Jack Blotner, Avi installation, Abilene, TX
Annmarie Bodmeade, Wrongful conviction advocate, United Kingdom
Laura Boggs, Teacher, Maryland, US
Adam Bognor, Systems manager, United Kingdom
Isabelle Bonebrake, Business owner, Shawnee, Oklahoma
Rebecca Booth, Disabled, Detroit, MI
Layal Bouaoun, Self-employed, St. Louis, MO
Danielle Bourdeau, Maintenance assistant, Ontario, Canada
Viv Bowers, Retired computer operations manager, England
Natasja Boydens, Wrongful conviction advocate, Bruges, Belgium
Donna Brace, Disabled, Wichita, Kansas
Sue Bradbury, Human resources consultancy advisor, Surrey, UK
Jayden Bradshaw, Production sorter, Ogden, Utah
The Bradt Family, Wrongful conviction advocate, Wichita, Kansas
Nichola Brearley, Cleaner, Halifax, UK
Stephanie Bridges, Retail manager, Sacramento, CA
Jennifer Briggs, Dental nurse and oral health educator, Manchester, UK
James Bright, Wrongful conviction advocate, North Yorkshire, UK
Julie Brindle, Substance abuse rehabilitation receptionist, West Texas
Tanya Brooker, Retired educator, Detroit, MI
Allison Brown, Supervisor, Surrey, UK
Jacqueline Brown, Supervisor, North Wales, UK
Terri Brown, NHS manager, Yorkshire, UK
Alyssa Bruce, Middle school teacher, Indianapolis, IN
Diane Brunsden, Wrongful conviction advocate, United Kingdom
Linda Kay Bruyere, Wrongful conviction advocate, Maplewood, Minnesota
Steven Burn, Warehouse operator, United Kingdom
Julie Burt, Clinical data manager, Weymouth, MA
Tricia Butler, Kitchen assistant, Kent, UK
Dawn Butler Masi, Real estate investing, Silver Creek, NY
Lisa Butterfield, Wrongful conviction advocate, Wisconsin
Chris Bye, Wrongful conviction advocate, Gladstone, Australia
Colleen Byrne, Wrongful conviction advocate, Murcia, Spain
Vincent Byrne, Wrongful conviction advocate, Scotland
Debra Cahill, Full time carer, South Yorkshire, UK
Sharon Caplan, Prescription clerk, Somerset, UK
Simone Carpenter, Educator, Australia
Amanda Carter, Retired, Australia
Dana Casey, Procurement, Madison, Wisconsin
Gemma Castle, master’s in law, Teeside, United Kingdom
Delia Castillo, Wrongful conviction advocate, Chicago, IL
Lee Catalan, Wrongful conviction advocate, Brooklyn, NY
Josephine Ceyhan, Wrongful conviction advocate, Derbyshire, UK
KT Chiang, Retired, Wisconsin
Kristy Childers, Manager, Cincinnati, Ohio
Duke Childers, Tattoo artist, Cincinnati, Ohio
Louise Chopyak, Wrongful conviction advocate, Plymouth, PA
Jennifer Chowaniec, Imp technical support, Buffalo, NY
Wendy Cicio, Wrongful conviction advocate, Alabama
Bernadette Clare, Teacher, Sydney, Australia
Laura Clark, Paint technician, Greenbrier, Arkansas
Sheri Clason, Wrongful conviction advocate, Strasburg, Ohio
Eileen Clements, PhD candidate, Melbourne, Australia
Nicola Clements, Full time carer, Northern Ireland
Julie Clerc, Teacher, United Kingdom
Marie-Florence Clerc, Wrongful conviction advocate, Switzerland
Karla Cleveland, Registered nurse, Muskegon, MI
Tracey Coates, Insurance advisor, Perth, Western Australia
Kerri Cocks, Wrongful conviction advocate, Southampton, UK
Erica N Cole, Wrongful conviction advocate, Atlanta, GA
Antony Coleman, Wrongful conviction advocate, France
Kathryn Kimball Colliers, Wrongful conviction advocate, West Virginia
Tammy Collins, Electrical technician, Canton, Ohio
Linda Combs, Registered nurse, Cincinnati, Ohio
Jane Connolly, Senior administrator NHS, Leamington Spa, England
Fiona Cooper, Adult support worker, Edinburgh, Scotland
Cristina Corsini, Art teacher, Florida
Erica Cortese, Certified pharmacy technician, Rochester, NY
Lori Coughran, Wrongful conviction advocate, Anaheim, CA
Aimee Courtier, Laser Tech, United Kingdom
Madison Covelli, MRI extender, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Caroline Cowan, Retired, United Kingdom
Peter Cowan, Retired, United Kingdom
Kaitlyn Cowie, Customer service advisor, Berwick, Australia
Lea Cowie, Wrongful conviction advocate, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
Victoria Cox Camacho, Nurse, Florida
Andrew Crainie, R.A.F veteran, Scotland
Haley Crank, Homemaker, Ogden, Utah
Kelly Criddle, Teacher, mother, homemaker, Wisconsin
Dr Hazel Croft, Programme Administrator University College, London, United Kingdom
Molly Crowley, DSP, Iowa, US
Aaron Cuthbert, Wrongful conviction advocate, Chicago, Illinois
Sandy Cziborra, Manager travel agency, Germany
Tammy Dahlstrom, Analyst, Australia
Melissa Dalton, Housewife, Lynchburg, VA
Maxine Daniel, Field sales manager, Durham, UK
Kate D'Anza, Aesthetician and business owner, Wheaton, Illinois
Tabitha Darmanin, Support worker, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Pete Dassey, Father of Brendan Dassey, Mishicot, Wisconsin
Lori Dassey, Wrongful conviction advocate, Mishicot, Wisconsin
Kari Davidson, National manager of risk mitigation, Stacy, MN
Wendy Davidson, Retired, Western Australia
Phil Davies, Paramedic, Monmouthshire, UK
Tony Davies, Electrician, Australia
Kyla Davila, Accountant, Kasson, MN
Dawn Davis, Sales & Marketing, Sussex, UK
Debbie Davis, Disabled, Rochester, NY
Denise Davis, Retail assistant, UK
Heather Davis, Wrongful conviction advocate, Massachusetts, New England
Matthew Davis, Processing operator, Indiana
Phil Davis, Wrongful conviction advocate, Wisconsin
Bee Dawson, Registered nurse, Australia
Kylie De Groot, Homemaker, Perth, Western Australia
Marina Dean, Administration, Peterborough, UK
Wendi Dean, Banker, Oliver Springs, Tennessee
Isaac Deherrera, Student, Ogden, Utah
Sophia Deherrera, Wrongful conviction advocate, Ogden, Utah
Tony Deherrera, Labor worker, Ogden, Utah
Rhea Dela Cruz, Pharmacy technician, Hawaii
Cristina Delloiaco, Wrongful conviction advocate, Australia
Jessica Delaune, Domestic violence and wrongful conviction advocate, patient access specialist, Cut off, Louisiana
Carpels Dieter, Wrongful conviction advocate, Bruges, Belgium
Sabrina Dobbins, Food service, Knoxville, TN
Lily-Rose Dobson, Wrongful conviction advocate, Australia
Roman Dobson, Wrongful conviction advocate, Australia
Sarah Jane Dobson, Wrongful conviction advocate, Australia
Travis Dobson, Wrongful conviction advocate, Australia
Ellen Doherty, Operations, Dublin, Ireland
Louise Marie Dohn Andersen, Wrongful conviction advocate, Naestved, Denmark
Elizabeth Dolan, Wrongful conviction advocate, Liverpool, UK
Matthew Dolan, Wrongful conviction advocate, Liverpool, UK
Denise Donnelly, CRS Social worker, Pennsylvania
Charlotte Doran Housekeeping services, Cumbria, UK
Michelle Drake, Wrongful conviction advocate, Lebanon,Tennessee
Karie Drayer, Inhouse marketing, Branson, Missouri
Kelly Droster-Zantow, Disabled, retired, Wisconsin
Theresa Dufore Long, Data entry clerk, Bradenton, FL
Tim Duggan, Sales manager, Scranton, PA
Shaun Duncan, Urban towing, Calgary AB, Canada
Rik Earl, Forensic psychiatry, United Kingdom
Adrienne Earls, Charity manager, Cardiff, UK
Mary Ellen Eason, Wrongful conviction advocate, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Louise Ebbeck, Retired government officer, NSW, Australia
Scarlett Eckholm, Self-employed, Bismarck, ND
Heidi Ellicott O'Donnell, Wrongful conviction advocate, Tauranga, New Zealand
Madison Elmore, Wrongful conviction advocate, Maryland, US
Maureen Elsamiller, CNA, Waverly, Iowa
Angela Elsberry, Administrative associate, Clinton, Iowa
Yoann et Nadia, Wrongful conviction advocate, France
Brandon Evans, Wrongful conviction advocate, Toledo, Ohio
Christy Evola, Mental health advocate, Buffalo, NY
Michelle Fagan,Wrongful conviction advocate, Tonganoxie, KS
Jenna Fahnestock, Wrongful conviction advocate, Duncannon, PA
The Vickers Family, Wrongful conviction advocate, Herefordshire, UK
Haley Fannin, Justice fighter, Williamsburg, KY
Maureen Fantasia, Home health aid, Boston, Massachusetts
Carly Ferguson,Wrongful conviction advocate, Nova Scotia, Canada
Crystal Ferguson, Customer service rep, Knoxville, Tennessee
Melissa Ferris, Small business owner, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Sarah Field, Law student, Kent, United Kingdom
Angeline Fisher, Full-time carer of two children with autism, Brisbane, Australia
Antoinette Fisher, Admin assistant, Darlington, UK
Janine Fisher, Mother, retired, Lewisburg, PA
Maura Flanagan, Child support worker, Ireland
Maria Forbes, Chef, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rosanna Forget, Wrongful conviction advocate, BC, Canada
Debbie Forrest, Aerospace, Spokane, Washington
Kristen Fortmann, Direct support professional, Dyersville, IA
Melodie Fosnaugh, Wrongful conviction advocate, Columbus, Ohio
The Francis Family, Wrongful conviction advocates, San Antonio, Texas
Elisabeth Franco, Travel consultant, Melbourne, Australia
Rita Franklin, Mom to 30-year-old daughter with intellectual disabilities, Morganton, N.C
Donna Freeman, Full time mum, Berkshire, UK
Angel Friddle, Wrongful conviction advocate, Springdale, Arizona
Missy Terri Fuller Ross, Wrongful conviction advocate, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Tammy Fundak, Disabled, Kitchener, Ontario
Corin Gadsby, Criminal defense investigator, Phoenix, Arizona
Kelly Criddle Gadsden, Special needs care, child care, Alabama
Shirley Gaines, Wrongful conviction advocate, Chicago, Illinois
Brianna Galloway, Stay at home mom, Wayne, WV
Natalea Gamble, Homemaker, Nova Scotia, Canada
Martyn Gamble , Wrongful conviction advocate, Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom
Angie Gilbert-Cooper, Disabled, Wisconsin
Colette Gilmore, Specialist nurse NHS, Oxford, UK
Lisa Gilmour, Family law paralegal, Riverside, CA
Sandra Giltrap, Care support for adults with special needs, Wexford, Ireland
Elisabeth Glaschker, Student, Germany
Daniel Glennie, Retail manager, Cardiff, Wales
J Miamor Gonzalez, Owner of landscaping business and mom of four, Sarasota, Florida
Javier Gonzalez, Wrongful conviction advocate, Lowell, Massachusetts
Steve Gordin, Special education teacher, Staten Island, NY
Holly Gordon, Wrongful conviction advocate, Property manager, New Jersey, USA
Skippy Gordon, Disability, client and youth support officer, Victoria, Australia
Paula Grabow, Wrongful conviction advocate, Chicago, Illinois
Elisabeth Graf Kettler, Retired district manager for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Bristol, Wisconsin
Katie Greason, College student, Kings Mountain, NC
Victoria Greenfield, Justice administration, Fremont, NE
Paula Gresch, Caregiver, Modesto, CA
Naomi Gresty, Childcare worker , Queensland, Australia
Michelle Gribb, Self-employed, South Africa
Leigh Grice, Medical administration and sleep technician, Brisbane, Australia
Natasha Griffiths, Account manager, North Wales, UK
Starlena Gruver, Waitress, Jones, Oklahoma
Joey Hachey, Business owner, Florida
Jane Hadcroft, Housekeeper, Norwich, UK
Kristine Hakala, Wrongful conviction advocate, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin
Bobbi Halminiak, Wrongful conviction advocate, Illinois
Dianne Hamelijnck, Wrongful conviction advocate, The Netherlands
Samantha Hamilton, CAN, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Kathie Hand, Authorization specialist, Whitehall, PA
Tara Hanke, Retail, Wisconsin
Leanne Harbour, Retail team leader, United Kingdom
Tera Hardisty, Wrongful conviction advocate, Tonganoxie, Ks
Tiffanie Harpin, Electrical contractor, Victoria, Texas
Vicki Harrelson, Logistics management analyst, League City, Texas
Mindy Harrington, Wrongful conviction advocate, Orangeburg, South Carolina
Angelica Harris, Preschool teacher, Lantana, Florida
Karen Harris, Wrongful conviction advocate, Vermillion, South Dakota, United States
Amy Hartl, Wrongful conviction advocate, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Eloise Hatfield, Wrongful conviction advocate, Melksham, United Kingdom
Mary Annette Hatfield, Disabled, Plant City, FL
Rebecca Hatfield, Wrongful conviction advocate, Melksham, United Kingdom
Kimberly Havens, Registered nurse, Arizona, US
Amy Haynes, Accountant, United Kingdom
Aaron Hebert, Retired safety professional, Covington, LA
Jeannie Heitz, Retired social work, Baltimore, Maryland
Hollie Helseth, Customer service, Brandon, SD
Ria Hendriks, Wrongful conviction advocate, Borne, Netherlands
Becca Hernandez, Disabled student, Cottondale, FL
Toni Hernandez, Web development specialist, Cottondale, FL
Saphrona Hetrick, Wrongful conviction advocate, Arizona
Shannon Hilder, Retail assistant, Victoria, Australia
Luke Hill, Film student, United Kingdom
Nikki Hislop, New Zealand Police, New Zealand
Mark Hoddinott, Director Hoddinott Consulting, NSW, Australia
Jodi Hoffman, Small business owner, De pere, Wisconsin
Theresa Hoffman, Baker, Rockland, ME
Karen Holden, Retired, Melbourne, Australia
Katherine Holsten, Teacher, Masters student, Virginia
Jennifer Hoover, Registered nurse, Houston, Texas
Sherry Hopkins, Court reporter, Newport, NC
Brian Hopson, Chemical tank driver, lifelong Brendan supporter, England
Jody Horn, Driver, Indiana, US
Claire Houston, Artist, England
Cherie Hughes, Mental health advocate, London, UK
Jason Hughes, Forklift operator, BC, Canada
Lana Hughes, Hospital aide, BC, Canada
Lauren Hughes, Farmer, Dorset, UK
Zachary Hughes, Golf attendant, BC, Canada
Jennifer Lyn Huhnke Gawel, Memory care, Life enrichment and dog walker, Lombard, Illinois
Charee Hull, Attorney, Antwerp, NY
Joe Hunt, Warehouse worker, Perth, Western Australia
Rebecca Hurley, Warehouse worker, Lexington, NC
Jerry Sue Hutter, Registered nurse, St. Louis, MO
Sara Ielmoli, Wrongful conviction advocate, Italy
Martina Jabornikova, Finance clerk, Brn