Monthly Archives: January 2016

20 years

Hello to everyone,

Last year at this time I wrote a post to mark the relevance of this date. I began the post with the sentence, “This is a very difficult time of the year.” And it is. This month marks 20 years since Christopher’s death. It also marks 20 years that I have been incarcerated as an innocent man.

However, this year I am choosing to focus on the positive. I want all of our thoughts to be toward the future and the hope that it brings. I want to think of this date as the one year anniversary of Jen, my attorney and our friend; talking to Lisa and deciding that she wants to be the attorney who finally brings me home. Every day we are thankful for Jen and all she does. She is selfless, dedicated, focused and supportive. We love her.

I want to write a little more about the significance of the article in Boston Magazine. At first we were very cautious and hesitant, me especially. I still have very vivid memories of how I was treated in the media 20 years ago. The sensationalism of the media, and the bold faced lies that were printed about me and my family were devastating. It got to the point where my family would withhold the articles from me for fear of how it would upset me. Not only did it affect my daughter and family, I believe it led to the “get a conviction at any cost” attitude of the prosecutor. In setting up the website it was suggested that the negative stories be addressed. After all, anyone interested in the story will come across the old articles. I was extremely reluctant, but ultimately decided that it’s better to go on the offense rather than wait to play defense. Because the truth is the truth and I’ve got nothing to hide. I’ve told the truth from the first night I walked into the police station and that has never changed.

However, Chris Vogel and ultimately the investigative reporter, Gus Garcia-Roberts put us at ease. They assured us they were not interested in a one sided, inaccurate puff piece, but rather telling an unbiased, true story of my case, based on an independent investigation. We decided to take a chance and cooperate with their investigation. After all, the truth is the truth. Digging deeper, I know can only confirm my innocence. We have not seen the article prior to publication nor do we know what was written. We have faith that the truth will come out. We are all very anxious to read it, and as I write this post, I am aware that by the time it is posted, the article should be released. Lisa often reminds me that it is the truth that will set me free. Let’s hope that this is the beginning.

UPDATE: Brian wrote this in mid-January anticipating an early publication date and the 4-5 days it takes for his mail to arrive which is why it is addressed in the future tense. The magazine is now on newsstands.

Happy New Year 2016

January 2016: Happy New Year!!!

We want to wish everyone a happy and safe new year.

It’s been a long year and we are all very hopeful for 2016. This time of the year is a time for reflection and contemplation. We look at the year that has past, and we look forward to what the new year will bring. For us, it’s been an amazing year. So much has happened, things that I could never have imagined. The love and support me and my family have received is amazing. I can’t even put into words what all of your support has meant to me and my family. Saying thank you doesn’t seem to be enough.

And our dreams of new hope were granted this year – Jen Fitzgerald, my attorney who has dedicated her every waking moment to fighting for me, sacrificing so much; John Nardizzi, the private investigator who joined the team , working to uncover the truth; CPCS Innocence Program Staff Attorney, Ira Gant, also joined our team; all of the medical experts who volunteered to look at the medical evidence in my case and could not help but volunteer to right a wrong; and the new evidence that has been uncovered proving I’ve always told the truth. It’s been an epic year.

We also believe in our hearts that this new year will be the year of truth and freedom. We are hopeful that 2016 will be our year.

With that said, there are some things we would like to update everyone on. What has been going on?

Jen at work; inspiration at eye level-photos of Brian at trial and today, 20 years in the making.

Jen at work; inspiration at eye level-photos of Brian at trial and today, 20 years in the making.

My attorney, Jen, has been working non-stop. And John, the PI, has been digging, making some amazing discoveries. Jen is preparing a Motion for New Trial based on all that has been uncovered. Jen has been the very first attorney to actually investigate the truth by reading every document, police report, transcript, and brief in my case. She dug where no one else put any effort to dig. Moreover, she was the first attorney to ever believe me when I said, “I’m innocent.”

Thus, what Jen has exposed is nothing short of incredible. My next blog later this month will go into more detail on the new evidence. We will be filing with the court early this year.

Also, something to look forward to this year is an article in Boston Magazine. Yes, that’s right; a prominent, local magazine has searched us out wanting to tell our story. We reached out to various media outlets in 2014 and heard from (now) Senior Editor, Chris Vogel who actually contacted us independently, after conducting research on the topic of SBS and finding his way to our website. Our request and his inquiry passed in the mail. Everything happens for a reason. For the past few months we have been working with award winning investigative reporter Gus Garcia-Roberts who is writing the feature article about my case. Mr. Roberts told us that he wants to tell the story of an innocent man who has been imprisoned for nearly 20 years and how the criminal justice system failed him and his family. Mr. Roberts has already investigated the case, interviewed my family, my attorney and many of the medical experts and witnesses. He also received permission from the Department of Corrections and came to the prison and interviewed me. He has conducted his own investigation into my case, so we are all very excited and curious about his article. It will be published in the February issue and available online and on newsstands by the third week of January, 2016. INCREDIBLE!

To all of you, we hope that in 2016 all of your dreams come true. Lisa often reminds me that dreams are wishes your heart makes. We will dream too. We will dream of new hope, new opportunities, that doors will be opened, and I will finally be home with my family. Have faith, hope and love. I know everything will be ok.

Remember, every day brings us…One Day Closer.

Brian