updates.
September 5, 2024
The court has granted Natalie's extension request and the time for filing a notice of appeal or post-conviction motion is extended to October 4, 2024.
September 4, 2024
Attorney Natalie Wisco filed another short extension request due to some personal and professional scheduling conflicts. Zach is on board with the extension and remains anxious to read the post-conviction motion.
June 21, 2024
The court granted Natalie's extension request, so it was ordered that the time for filing a notice of appeal or post-conviction motion is extended to September 3, 2024.
June 20, 2024
Attorney Natalie Wisco filed another extension request for the initial post-conviction motions (the 1st stage of appeal). She was hoping to be able to submit by the previous June 21st deadline, but she still has some information she is waiting for and does not want to leave anything open-ended. Better to do it right the first time!
June 11, 2024
As expected, the City of Mequon has voted to disallow (deny) Zach's notice of claim for compensation. In their Resolution Disallowing the Claim, they cite two issues: 1) the expiration of the statue of limitations, which they cite as being 120 days from the date of the claim, and 2) that the Mequon PD officers were acting in a mutual aid capacity from the Kenosha PD and, therefore, the City of Kenosha would be the legally responsible party.
Ultimately, this was only a notice of claim and not an actual lawsuit filed against the City of Mequon. Zach has yet to file any civil lawsuits, so these issues have yet to be argued in a court of law.
Ultimately, this was only a notice of claim and not an actual lawsuit filed against the City of Mequon. Zach has yet to file any civil lawsuits, so these issues have yet to be argued in a court of law.
May 21, 2024
Zach has filed a Notice of Claim with the Mequon Police Department. In this claim, Zach puts forth notice that he is seeking $10,000,000 in damages for his loss of personal liberty, loss of property, pain and suffering, loss of income and future earnings, and other damages yet to be determined. Mequon PD was served this Notice of Claim due to the wrongful arrest performed by their officers under the direction of Kenosha PD.
April 1, 2024
As expected, the court granted Natalie's motion and ordered that the time for filing a notice of appeal or post-conviction motion is extended to June 21, 2024.
march 22, 2024
Attorney Natalie Wisco filed a Motion for Extension of Time with the Court of Appeals. Generally, there is a one-year deadline for submitting a notice of appeal or post-conviction motion, so this motion is to request more time to do so. We do not anticipate the court to reject this request.
January 5, 2024
Today Solomon got to visit Zach in person for just the 2nd time in nearly 4 years (the first being only a couple weeks ago before Christmas). Because Zach was initially incarcerated during 2020, at the height of Covid, most jails and prisons eliminated in-person visitation and have been very slow to re-adopt the practice. Currently, the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility, where Zach is housed, only allows in-person visits on Mondays & Fridays between the hours of 8:30am-1:45pm.
Both Zach and Sol were extremely thrilled to be able to spend some time together, playing chess and catching up. It is also the longest periods of time Zach is afforded out of his cell. On any given day he only gets about 45 minutes out of his cell in total. So, the 5 hour hangout in the visitation room was quite the luxury. Happy faces all around!
Both Zach and Sol were extremely thrilled to be able to spend some time together, playing chess and catching up. It is also the longest periods of time Zach is afforded out of his cell. On any given day he only gets about 45 minutes out of his cell in total. So, the 5 hour hangout in the visitation room was quite the luxury. Happy faces all around!
December 6, 2023
Today is the premiere of the Wrongful Podcast! This is a podcast that takes a deep dive into Zach's case and the events surrounding. Created by a group of supporters, this provides an independent perspective on what the evidence shows--or doesn't. Using trial evidence, testimony, post-trial interviews, police reports, and more, Wrongful Podcast breaks down how the events in question led to the Wrongful Conviction of Zachariah Anderson. Please like, share, and have a listen!
"Back in March of this year I watched a trial on YouTube from Kenosha Wisconsin. It was labeled the “obsessed ex-boyfriend murder trial”. The man was found guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. When I heard the verdict I was shocked. Nothing I heard had me convinced of guilt. I quickly went down a rabbit hole looking at the case and found other people like me who weren’t convinced. So we got together and did a thing" - Josie
Listen to Wrongful Podcast Here
Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, iHeart Radio, & Amazon Music
Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, iHeart Radio, & Amazon Music
November 27, 2023:
Ding Dong! Judge Bruce Schroeder, Wisconsin's longest serving circuit court judge and the one who refused to give Zach a fair and impartial trial, has officially retired. Although Judge Schroeder was widely known as a fair and well-versed, it was clear to us that his bias in favor of the prosecution was going to play a major role in the outcome of the trial. From the moment he was assigned to Zach's case, he denied every motion the defense presented and, at times, blatantly refused to even read their briefs.
Then, in September 2022, just before Zach's trial was supposed to start, we were notified that he had sustained a fall and was hospitalized; Zach's trial had to be postponed yet again because no other judge was available that didn't have some sort of personal connection to the case. We thought, surely, there was no way this man would be back to preside after the severity of his head injury; he had to undergo two craniotomies, which are often performed to reduce the pressure and swelling caused by a traumatic brain injury. It was clear that he would likely be cognitively impaired, and he certainly was.
Despite the head injury, and despite the fact that he was not actually assigned to criminal cases by that point, he returned to oversee Zach's jury trial. When the stake was a possible life sentence in prison and more, he opted to pretend as though the life-threatening brain injury had had no impact and returned to work. If you haven't already watched it, I implore you to go back and watch Judge Schroeder during Kyle Rittenhouse's trial--it is like Schroeder is operating on hyperspeed compared to during Zach's trial. By March of 2023, Judge Schroeder had suffered a noticeable loss of comprehension, fluency, and attention span. He ruled the courtroom with "ahhhs," "ummms," rambling irrelevant stories, postponed decisions that he would never actually make, and statements such as, "I'm not going to tell you what to do" and "Man, how did I miss so much of that question?"
So, whether it was because of his bias--which he openly admits on day 4 of trial--his impaired cognitive functioning, or both, Judge Schroeder failed in his role of gatekeeper and allowed in mostly hearsay and otherwise inadmissible evidence to ensure that the prosecution could try to make a case out of nothing. Judge Schroeder's ultimate goal was to push off every decision and leave everything in the hands of the jury--12 people who couldn't possibly know how to interpret the law or rule a courtroom.
So, to Judge Schroeder, from the bottom of our hearts, we say:
Then, in September 2022, just before Zach's trial was supposed to start, we were notified that he had sustained a fall and was hospitalized; Zach's trial had to be postponed yet again because no other judge was available that didn't have some sort of personal connection to the case. We thought, surely, there was no way this man would be back to preside after the severity of his head injury; he had to undergo two craniotomies, which are often performed to reduce the pressure and swelling caused by a traumatic brain injury. It was clear that he would likely be cognitively impaired, and he certainly was.
Despite the head injury, and despite the fact that he was not actually assigned to criminal cases by that point, he returned to oversee Zach's jury trial. When the stake was a possible life sentence in prison and more, he opted to pretend as though the life-threatening brain injury had had no impact and returned to work. If you haven't already watched it, I implore you to go back and watch Judge Schroeder during Kyle Rittenhouse's trial--it is like Schroeder is operating on hyperspeed compared to during Zach's trial. By March of 2023, Judge Schroeder had suffered a noticeable loss of comprehension, fluency, and attention span. He ruled the courtroom with "ahhhs," "ummms," rambling irrelevant stories, postponed decisions that he would never actually make, and statements such as, "I'm not going to tell you what to do" and "Man, how did I miss so much of that question?"
So, whether it was because of his bias--which he openly admits on day 4 of trial--his impaired cognitive functioning, or both, Judge Schroeder failed in his role of gatekeeper and allowed in mostly hearsay and otherwise inadmissible evidence to ensure that the prosecution could try to make a case out of nothing. Judge Schroeder's ultimate goal was to push off every decision and leave everything in the hands of the jury--12 people who couldn't possibly know how to interpret the law or rule a courtroom.
So, to Judge Schroeder, from the bottom of our hearts, we say:
November 16, 2023:
Attorney Natalie Wisco has received the majority of Zach's discovery from Birdsall, Obear, & Associates and has already been diligently pouring through the information. We are excited to see her dedication in action!
November 6, 2023:
Attorney Natalie Wisco had a lengthy meeting with Zach today to discuss the appeal process and expectations. Natalie was also able to obtain copies of all the trial transcripts, which are necessary for preparing the appellate brief. One step in the right direction!
October 26, 2023:
We have recently learned that, although no official statement has been released, Judge Bruce Schroeder plans to retire next month. This is potentially a huge deal for Zach's appeal. As it stands, one of the first steps of the appeal process is to submit post-conviction motions to the trial court in an attempt to have the lower court judge either overturn the verdict or submit for a re-trial. If Judge Schroeder was to still be on the bench when Zach's motions are eventually filed, he would be the one to review these post-conviction motions and, most likely, just rubber stamp his own prior decisions. If Judge Schroeder is retired by the time Zach's motions are filed, he is guaranteed a new judge to review the information presented and has a much higher likelihood of successful appeal. From our understanding going into Zach's trial, most other judges within Kenosha county were ineligible to try the case due to personal conflicts, such as personal relationships with the parties involved. There may not be any judges left within the Kenosha Circuit Court that can sit on the case, which means it also has a good chance of being moved out of district--another advantage for Zach.
October 4, 2023:
Today we were made aware that Tiffany Roy, a Forensic DNA Expert with ForensicAid, of her own volition submitted a formal complaint to the Division of Forensic Sciences (DFS) at the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the DNA testimony of Crime Lab Analyst Lisa Treffinger. In the complaint she states:
"Treffinger’s opinion that A1 was blood was based on no scientific tests, no scientific data, it was pure opinion and would never satisfy the legal standards that govern scientific evidence in US courts... Treffinger testified that 'My opinion is that it was blood,' when describing the possible cellular origins of item A1. This was based on no testing, no facts, no data. It was based only on the appearance of the stain. That is pure speculation. She further stated that, 'skin cells don’t give a robust profile,' which is completely, scientifically untrue and that as to item A1, 'It is my opinion that it was blood.' I have never, in my 16-year career, witnessed a DNA analyst extend so far outside of their expertise."
We are extremely appreciative of professionals like Tiffany that have lent their voice to correcting this miscarriage of justice. The full complaint can be found under the Unseen Evidence tab, here.
"Treffinger’s opinion that A1 was blood was based on no scientific tests, no scientific data, it was pure opinion and would never satisfy the legal standards that govern scientific evidence in US courts... Treffinger testified that 'My opinion is that it was blood,' when describing the possible cellular origins of item A1. This was based on no testing, no facts, no data. It was based only on the appearance of the stain. That is pure speculation. She further stated that, 'skin cells don’t give a robust profile,' which is completely, scientifically untrue and that as to item A1, 'It is my opinion that it was blood.' I have never, in my 16-year career, witnessed a DNA analyst extend so far outside of their expertise."
We are extremely appreciative of professionals like Tiffany that have lent their voice to correcting this miscarriage of justice. The full complaint can be found under the Unseen Evidence tab, here.
October 3, 2023:
Yesterday was the 10th annual International Wrongful Conviction Day. In recognition of Zach's wrongful conviction, Solomon joined a panel of legal professionals for a livestream to discuss the case. The stream was a great success and can be found on the "Watch the Interviews" page under Legal Vices.
On the stream, Solomon made the announcement that Zach will be represented in his appeal by Attorney Natalie Wisco. Natalie is best recognized for her role in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, where she assisted in securing Not Guilty verdicts on all counts. All of the donations to the GiveSendGo fund have made retaining her possible and we cannot thank everyone enough. We look forward to working with her and are confident in her professionalism, knowledge, and desire for true justice for Zach.
On the stream, Solomon made the announcement that Zach will be represented in his appeal by Attorney Natalie Wisco. Natalie is best recognized for her role in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, where she assisted in securing Not Guilty verdicts on all counts. All of the donations to the GiveSendGo fund have made retaining her possible and we cannot thank everyone enough. We look forward to working with her and are confident in her professionalism, knowledge, and desire for true justice for Zach.
September 27, 2023:
Solomon Anderson will be live-streaming with Legal Vices on Monday, October 2, 2023 @ 8:00pm CDT. The stream will be in recognition of the 10th annual International Wrongful Conviction Day. Please watch and like this promo video, brought to you by our supporter, Vielhammer Media.
September 15, 2023:
Good news! Zach was notified that he was made eligible for a publicly appointed appellate defender. Although he still has to wait for the appointment of said counsel, it is a step in the right direction toward his appeal. We do not have a timeframe on how long it takes for counsel to be appointed.
Initially, his application was denied because the court determined he didn't meet the financial eligibility criteria. In order to qualify for publicly appointed counsel, one must have certain income and asset limitations. However, after he filed for an appeal of that decision, they were able to clear up the previous issues and were able to overturn that decision.
Initially, his application was denied because the court determined he didn't meet the financial eligibility criteria. In order to qualify for publicly appointed counsel, one must have certain income and asset limitations. However, after he filed for an appeal of that decision, they were able to clear up the previous issues and were able to overturn that decision.
September 8, 2023:
Today, a camera crew hired by Law & Crime productions, went to the house of Solomon Anderson and interviewed him for a new series they are launching, "Behind the Crime." The executive producer, Stacy, asked questions in relation to Zach's case and Solomon was recorded answering said questions. Other parties involved with the case were also interviewed, including Sadie Beacham, Michael Campbell, Kenosha Detectives, and Zach's daughter.
At this time, it is unknown what angle they will take with the series. They stated prior to the interview that it will be a fair and balanced look at the entire case and investigation process, rather than just presenting what was shown in the courtroom. They gave no inkling as to whether they will be fair in their representation of the fight for Zach's exoneration, but Stacy did mention certain things even she felt the state fell short on proving. Solomon made sure to make it known that Law & Crime is partially to blame for Zach's wrongful conviction due to their slanderous headlines. Stacy's response: "Fair enough."
At this time, it is unknown what angle they will take with the series. They stated prior to the interview that it will be a fair and balanced look at the entire case and investigation process, rather than just presenting what was shown in the courtroom. They gave no inkling as to whether they will be fair in their representation of the fight for Zach's exoneration, but Stacy did mention certain things even she felt the state fell short on proving. Solomon made sure to make it known that Law & Crime is partially to blame for Zach's wrongful conviction due to their slanderous headlines. Stacy's response: "Fair enough."
© 2023 FreeZachariahAnderson. All rights reserved.