Trial and Error

The Outcry for Justice in the Dennis Dechaine Case

Common Ground Fair 2010

Sep 29, 2010

On Sept. 24, 25, and 26, volunteers once again manned Trial & Error’s  informational booth at the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. While  we have always met a largely positive response from fairgoers, it was  even more noticeable this year, as was their frustration with the  state of Maine’s continued opposition to a retrial. Much of the new interest was probably a result of Trevor Maxwell’s series of articles about Dennis’s case that appeared in the Maine Sunday Telegram and  other papers in July. In fact, of those people informally polled who already knew about the case, the belief that Dennis deserved a retrial carried by nearly 100 per cent.

Also, many people — especially young people either side of age 20 — who were not previously aware of the case, were eager to learn more, to find out “Who is Dennis Dechaine?” They took the little orange cards we hand out with the website address on it, and promised to look at the interview with Dennis that is posted on YouTube. And as always, old friends of Dennis stopped by and asked to be remembered to him, while invariably damning Maine’s criminal justice system in general, and the responsible public servants in particular.

Another reason we have a booth at the fair is because we invariably learn something from a fairgoer or two that adds to our knowledge, or raises an interesting question, about individuals and events related to the case, and this year was no exception.

Several people called out, ” He was railroaded!” as they walked by. But of course not everyone agreed with us, and while a few let us know it, none stopped to debate the facts. They rarely do. One gentleman who said he was undecided suggested that modern science could now solve the case, but when told that in fact DNA had been tested and shown not to be Dennis’s, he exploded in anger and hurried away, saying, ” Now I know you’re all lying! The state would never do
that!” If only.

Another burly man, also of about the right age to be a Korean War vet, and dressed head to toe in stars and stripes motif, when passing by with large strides, was asked if he knew about the case. He turned and charged the booth like an enraged bull, shouting in a drill sergeant’s voice, “NOW DON’T GET ME STARTED! NOW DON”T GET ME STARTED!” For a second it appeared we might be in for trouble, but he followed with, “IF DNA IS OK TO FREE EVERYBODY ELSE, WHY NOT FOR DENNIS DECHAINE!!” Indeed. Then he added, gesturing towards other booths in the tent representing causes generally questioning the status quo, ” I’m beginning to think maybe ALL of you are right!”

Thanks to veteran fair volunteers Rae Duval, Bernie Huebner, Bob McLaughlin, Sue Pastore, Steve Sandau, Tom and Sandy Weston. Once again, we all hope that this will be the last year Trial & Error has a booth at the Common Ground Fair, and that next year one of the fairgoers will be Dennis.

Bill Bunting

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