Trial and Error
The Outcry for Justice in the Dennis Dechaine Case
Dechaine case fuels right-to-know fight
Nov 27, 2007
It’s been nearly 20 years since Dennis Dechaine was arrested, tried and convicted for the kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry in Bowdoinham.
And still the case continues to generate controversy.
The latest flare-up has little to do with Dechaine’s attempts to get a new trial, but it could have a big effect on Maine’s right-to-know law.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is reviewing a case that asks whether an independent commission, created by a state official, should be allowed to keep its notes and other records out of the public eye. The case is expected to be heard in January.
Read the Book
Human Sacrifice: On the Altar of Injustice
High-quality soft-cover edition, 418 pages,
is exclusively available from Trial & Error for $15, with free shipping.
I would encourage everyone to pick up a copy of Liberty’s Prison: The Inmate’s Son Who Radically Reformed an American Prison. The book features the life and career of Maine’s Commissioner of Corrections Randall “Randy” Liberty and includes interviews with several men who are currently incarcerated at the Maine State Prison. Although the author uses pseudonyms, I’m certain that the man named “John” is Dennis. This book gives us a glimpse into “John’s” life behind bars, an opportunity to learn about all of the good he is doing for the benefit of his fellow inmates. No one who knows Dennis will be the least bit surprised!