Wrongful Conviction

#496 Maggie Freleng with William Beeman

On the morning of April 26, 1980, visitors at Wildcat Den State Park in Iowa found the body of 22-year-old Michiel Winkel. She had been stabbed 17 times. From the start, police zeroed in on William Beeman, a local DJ with a reputation for being a womanizer. Despite the fact that William did not know Michiel, there was no physical evidence for the crime, and he had an alibi for the days of her possible killing, William was convicted of murder and remains in prison today.  If you want to help William you can contact the Muscatine, Iowa County Attorney, Jim Berry: <a href="https://www.muscatinecountyiowa.gov/141/Attorneys-Office">https://www.muscatinecountyiowa.gov/141/Attorneys-Office</a> or, The Drake Wrongful Convictions Clinic: <a href="https://www.drake.edu/law/clinics-centers/clinic/wrongfulconvictionsclinic/">https://www.drake.edu/law/clinics-centers/clinic/wrongfulconvictionsclinic/</a> Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Hosted by celebrated criminal justice reform advocate and founding board member of the Innocence Project Jason Flom, Pulitzer prize-winning podcast host and producer Maggie Freleng, and Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and podcast host Lauren Bright Pacheco, Wrongful Conviction features intimate conversations with men and women who have spent years in prison for crimes they maintain they did not commit. Some have been fully exonerated and reunited with family and friends while others continue to languish, with some even facing execution on death row. Each episode peels back the layers behind the stories of those who have found themselves caught in a legal system gone wrong, with illuminating insights from lawyers and leading experts sharing their in-depth knowledge about each case, from prison visits and courtroom battles to reexamined crime scenes and witness interviews. This gripping series reveals the tragedy of injustice…as well as the triumph that is possible when people step up and demand change.