BIG THANK YOU to EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
THIS INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN IS OVER, BUT THE BATTLE TO FREE BRIAN CONTINUES.
YOU'LL FIND MORE UPDATES ON HIS CASE, AND WHAT HE'S DOING WITH HIS MUSIC HERE: PILATEFISH SOUNDS ******************************
Thank You.
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Operation: Free the Fish!
Update #3
4/14/14 Brian in the Raw: The Q/A Sessions
This time we ask Brian his life mission. Hear his very short, very powerful answer
Update #2
We promised you the QnA session with Brian. Well, when he called us over the weekend, he had no idea what we were about to ask him to do. But in awesome Brian fashion, of course he agreed. He liked the idea so much, we're doing another one with him next week, Friday 4pm EST, so be sure to leave any questions you'd like to ask him in the comments section of this Indiegogo campaign http://igg.me/at/pilatefish before then. Without further ado, here he is, unscripted and unrehearsed.
It's Brian in the raw...
(Special blooper reel at the end for your listening pleasure)
What Happened?
In 2008, Brian Straub was convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping and sentenced to 20 years in Colorado for a crime that took place at a bar he had previously worked at, despite evidence placing him elsewhere.
In April 2006, Brian had voluntarily gone in for questioning just a couple of days after the crime occurred, and was released with no further incident. He took a job working overseas.
A few weeks after having returned from work in 2007, Brian was confronted at his front door of his home by a fugitive recovery team (Apparently officers had been trying to contact him through an old phone number of his that had been re-assigned to another "Brian"). He was arrested and taken into custody.
Prosecution Withheld Evidence of His Alibi
Brian claims that at the time the crime occurred, he was driving his truck with friends to DIA (Denver International Airport) to pick up more friends that had flown in to attend a capoeira tournament. He picked them up and drove them back.
So even though Brian had...
- 10 witnesses lined up in court to vouch for his alibi
- 4 witness's testimony that were actually called and took the stand and vouched as his alibi,
- 1 witness with impeccable military integrity
He was still convicted on...
- loose circumstantial evidence,
- improperly investigated DNA evidence
- the testimony of an eyewitness with a criminal background,
- Untrue statements by the prosecution that Brian did not even own a truck registered in his name, AND
- Evidence withheld by the prosecution that PROVES HIS ALIBI...
Which IS...
A recovered airport database that logs in vehicles by their license plates, showing that Brian's REGISTERED truck was in fact at the airport, placing him miles away from the crime at the time it occurred.
With help of family and friends, he's gathered all evidence of his alibi that PROVES HIS INNOCENCE, and fights for the chance to present it in court, overturn his conviction, and be released from spending one more day unjustly behind bars.
***See a letter in Brian's own words of his full wrongful conviction story here***
A Mission To Pay It Forward
Life Beyond Indiegogo
Unfortunately Brian's story is an increasingly common and alarming one. Potentially 1000's, even 10's of thousands, of innocent people are serving prison sentences in the United States for crimes they didn't commit. And it can happen to anyone. It's an unspoken epidemic that flips the lives of those convicted, as well as their families, upside down... one that Brian wants to help eradicate.
Brian's mission is to champion those wrongly convicted and bring massive awareness to the problem in general, in hopes of finding a better solution to the lopsidedness of our justice system, long after he's been freed. In his own words, Reform "starts on the outside. It doesn't start from the inside." His plans to pay it forward include starting an outreach program to change the way the judicial system works, teaching music to kids, and starting his own music label to continuing sharing his sounds with the world.
How You Can Help
We've found out it only takes one person to put another in prison... but it takes an army to get him out.
We believe the power of one, when joined by the goodwill of many, can move mountains. You have a chance to help change a man's life, and potentially change the world.
Please click the big pink button at the top or bottom of the page that says "Contribute Now"
When you do, you'll be able to enter the amount you'd like to contribute. You can donate with a credit card or PayPal.
To see how close we are to meeting our goal of raising $30k, look at the box at the top right of this page.
Naturally, anything is a blessing, and we thank you in advance for supporting Brian.
He Recorded A Music Album He Sells To Raise Money For His Legal Defense
Brian sure doesn't like to be idle. He's always thinking of ways to help others while bettering himself.
Aside from co-creating the yoga program that serves 100+ inmates every class, he wrote, sang, played, and recorded 2 full rock albums using equipment originally used for the Father to Child Reading Program, with the assistance of prison staff.
He now sells Pilatefish I and II, which includes the song you hear now to raise awareness of wrongful convictions, and to raise money for his legal defense.
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Brian in the music program before it was discontinued
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Brian with his capoeira friends
Why We Need Your Help
As you know, legal fees are expensive, and Brian has gone all but bankrupt paying them. His attorney, representing his "ineffective counsel" case, has been very generous with his rates, resources, and time. Unfortunately, without the necessary funds to pay even the outside expenses of hiring investigators, processing paperwork fees, and the over-abundance of other extraneous legal fees, he's literally stalled out. We need to raise $30,000 at least to start gaining momentum again.
All funds go into an escrow trust held by his attorney, to be used as needed.
And here's what's needed:
- Buying phone time (the prison charges to use the phone) so he can stay in contact with his attorney.
- Attorney fees for his ongoing services
- 4% Indiegogo fee.
- Covering the cost of any perks to be delivered.
- Repayment of loans received that were used to pay the legal costs for his original trial (but only after the current and immediate attorney fees are paid).
- Any money left over will be donated to the Association in Defense of the Wrongly Convicted.
What We Can Offer In Return For Your Generosity...
Aside from our undying gratefulness, you receiving Good Karma points, and the satisfaction that you're helping an awesome fellow innocent human-being that has a lot to give to this world regain his freedom from a wrongful conviction?...
We've worked closely with Brian to throw in some more tangible perks, too.
Since he recorded 2 full music albums from prison before the music program got shut down, Brian would like to give you pieces of his art, his love - his music. Check 'em out in the perks.
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Help Get Brian Back To His Family
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Brian, mom, dad, and sisters
Other Great Ways To Help
Hey, no worries if you can't donate right now. There's still some other ways you can help that will have massive impact:
Sharing is Caring
- If you haven't done so already, click the Facebook "like" button located right under the video on this page. Then tweet us to your followers, G+1 us, and share this Indiegogo campaign link with your subscribers, family and friends.
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We also put together a newsletter that Brian uses to share his direct stories, experiences, and insights about his life in prison, delivered straight to your inbox. It's pretty awesome. You can sign up for that here: http://www.pilatefish.com
Thank you from Brian and the entire Free The Fish! team
