I wrote about Georgia Thompson back in December. I remain convinced that her conviction was a bizarre miscarriage of justice. This afternoon the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed the conviction and ordered her release from prison.
Ms. Thompson has been financially devastated and the appeal that won her release was costly. As I suggested in December,
If, like me, you sense a certain Kafkaesque stench here, if you can see your way clear to supporting a woman who appears to have been trampled by take-no-prisoners partisan politics, and who is paying a ridiculous price for a lapse of objectivity, who has perhaps an extra share of the desire to please others in her personality, then you may want to contribute:
The Georgia Thompson Defense Fund
PO Box 1528
Madison, WI 53701-1528
UPDATE… UPDATE… UPDATE… from the Secretary of the State Department of Administration:
I am sure that many of you have heard the very good news about Georgia Thompson.Â
The Federal Court of Appeals has taken the extraordinary step of overturning the district court decision and has ordered a judgment of acquittal and ordered that she be released from prison by the end of the day. In fact, she has already been released and is with her family.
Obviously this is tremendous news for Ms. Thompson and her family. Ms. Thompson is due all rights of a state employee and if she desires to return to the Department of Administration, she will be welcomed and shall be reinstated with the same seniority and benefits she enjoyed before leaving state service. The Department will work with Ms. Thompson to support her for any legal expenses that she has incurred.
Sincerely,
Michael Morgan
Secretary
[tags]Georgia Thompson[/tags]
This smells of Rove and Gonzo. Congress must investigate this matter. The Bar should discipline the United States Attorney who persecuted this innocent woman-he has no place in the Legal profession (at least it used to be one).
I appreciate your public and vocal show of support for Georgia Thompson, and your willingness to condemn this miscarriage of justice.
It is easy, now, to do and say the right thing. But it took considerably more character to step up and be counted when you did it.
So ‘Thank you.’
You did what all of us should have done, from Gov.Doyle up to each average citizen; resist injustice, whether it’s coming from the KKK, a grand jury, an elected representative, a priest or a prince.
So again, I appreciate your courage.
What an absolute outrage! I read her story after seeing the NY Times editorial. Why isn’t the media going after the Bush administration, Gonzales and Rove and put them in the cell she recently occupied. What is our society becoming. This has to be the absolutely worst chapter in our country’s history. Congress should demand the resignation of the US Attorney in Wisconsin. No evidence, no crime and she goes to Jail to score some political points for the Dem Governor’s Republican opponent. Subpoena everyone involved in this miscarraige of justice.
I would love to hear from Ms. Thompson. Did the US attorney attempt to pressure her to accuse the Democratic governor of the state or his aids of impropriety in exchange for leniency? Did she refuse to cooperate and was this why she was sent to jail on these trumped up charges? Was she another Susan McDougall?
I listened to tape on the appeal. The prosecutor didn’t even complete his opening remarks before they started questioning him. He never recovered his footing, he ended up looking like a boob.
What gets me about it, the same people that accused her of wrong doing, would have complained if an out of state company didn’t get the contract. They’d hoop and hollar over the 0.7 pt difference, and they were the low bidder.
Were are the 7th circuit tapes available to listen too?
Why did a jury convict her?