Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice.— Lord Acton

A Pen... not a gun
Because he used his pen to disclose wrongdoing by lawyers, members of the system chased the author around the world— to New Zealand, to Switzerland— in an effort to prevent the public from reading this story.

Armed with truth... and dangerous to lawyer careers
Today, to instil fear, the U.S. Marshalls website warns its readers that the author is “armed and dangerous,” despite the absence of any such history— but perhaps an apt description, after all.

Assail the messenger
The System was 15 years in the making. The loss of a son and unjust imprisonment serve as the motivation. Disinformation and threats by lawyers follow the author to this day— because he writes about how our legal system fails... for Americans to read.

An intensely personal experience within a legal system that, if it were “their” system, would quickly merit the epithet “evil.” Because it is our system, we make excuses and let the perpetrators slip by; not so this time.

Links

The claim that The System reflects more than an isolated case is bolstered by a number of respected journalistic outlets. Here are a few links to those sources:

PBS Frontline: The Plea
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/plea/

PBS Frontline: The Confessions:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/the-confessions/

Probublica: Law and Disorder
http://www.propublica.org/nola/

Real names... in real time
Although U.S. lawyers could not stop this book, justice has not been served in spite of years of effort under U.S. law. Thanks to Swiss law, which genuinely protects freedom of truthful speech, The System is now available to Americans via the Internet.

From the book...

Judge David Hansher, at sentencing:
“I want control of this.”

Prosecutor Fred Matestic:
“…the jurisdiction must be only Milwaukee and no other. No friendly jurisdiction should ever review this case.”

Defense Attorney Martin Kohler:
“I told you the system could hurt you.”

Private Investigator Santo Gallati:
“We have to plea bargain this thing; Marty thinks it’s all too risky now.”

Shorewood Police Chief David Banaszymski:
“Attorney Kohler... he's a favorite of ours.”

Attorney Stephen Glynn:
“Justice is just a game, anyway, you have to realize.”

Dr. Tony Kuchan:
“It would be beyond outrageous for any lawyer to tamper with court-ordered, professional reports. Not even a scoundrel would dare do such a thing.”

Dr. Kenneth Diamond (on professional reports being altered by lawyers):
"Okay, no,... you’re probably not the only one... okay, okay!”

Attorney Robert Elliott (on disclosing the rigged trial):
“That,” Elliott replied grimly,“ will never happen.”

Attorney Joe Owens:
“You must have money put away in Switzerland. Everybody knows that. Can you bring in, say, 50,000 dollars? That would probably do it.”

Guardian Thomas Frenn:
"Your son's abuse looms large only in your mind.”

Marie Rohde, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter (on the child abuse):
“...but won't Erich just forget what happened to him?”

The author:
“If the sounds made by a troop of baboons of typical social rankings are recorded at play or in routine activities, and are then played back, the baboons will pay little attention. But if the recording is altered so that baboons of lower rank bark at those higher, they all stop and stare in bewilderment.”