Dale Helmig: America’s Most Wanted to Feature Innocence Case

Kenny Hulsof Dale Helmig
(Former Congressman and state proseuctor Kenny Hulsof and Dale Helmig)

Don’t miss America’s Most Wanted on Fox this Saturday Night. Instead of trying to find a murderer, this time the show is trying to free one.

“America’s Most Wanted,” scheduled for broadcast at 8 p.m. Saturday on KQFX-TV (Fox 38), will devote an hour to the investigation and trial of Helmig, now 53, who in 1996 was convicted of murdering his mother. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The show is designed to capture bad people and put them away,” said producer Dave Bolton. “This case jumped to our attention because it looked like a huge miscarriage of justice because the bad guy who did the crime was still out there and the innocent guy was put in prison for a crime he did not commit.”

Helmig was convicted of killing his mother. The evidence against him, all circumstantial, was beyond thin. His conviction was overturned in a federal habeas petition (opinion here), but the state appealed. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated Dale’s conviction and the Supreme Court denied cert. He remains in prison today, having served 12 years of a sentence to life without parole. Continue reading

DWTS Finale: Shawn Johnson Wins


[10:00 pm MT: See updates below, Congrats to Shawn Johnson and Mark!]

The winner will be chosen tonight on Dancing With the Stars. My vote: Melissa and then Gilles. Who I think will win: Gilles, but I’m not counting Shawn out because she has been terrific the past few weeks, especially last night. Gilles is really hot, but too often his dancing seems to be more about Cheryl than him. Len pointed it out last night, but I’ve been thinking that for a while.

Melissa is the best dancer of the three, by far I think. Shawn has the gymnast thing going which may make her appear better than she really is. Go Mel!

My pal Jesse Csincsak, former Bachelorette winner, is looking to be on the next season of Dancing With the Stars. I'd think he'd be terrific. As a professional snowboarder, he's certainly got the athletic skills and balance and coordination. Plus, he really looks good (and even better in person than on camera.) So I hope you'll take a few minutes and go sign the petition to help get him on the show. (You can even sign and click the box not to have your name displayed.)

Updates on tonight’s show below: Continue reading

Reactions to “Farrah’s Story”

Farrah's Story

I wasn’t going to watch “Farrah’s Story” last night, but then I did, all two hours of it. It made for a fitful night’s sleep and every time I woke up I was thinking about it and how horrible and tragic and hopeless her situation is.

I wasn’t going to write about it but this review in the New York Times made me angry. The comments by readers are across the board. Continue reading