With all that has happened since this blog started, I wanted to post an update and summary for all that is included here. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via JPay (Stephen Allwine #256147).
I was originally arrested for the murder of my wife (Amy) in January of 2017 after Mark Lanterman got involved and "found" a link between me and her murder. In a 2022 deposition he said, "I brought to the county attorney's attention the fact that the detective made errors in his analysis, and I thought that they were potentially fatal errors. The prosecutor agreed and retained me."
From this we see that Lanterman inserted himself into my case with the purpose and intent of securing a conviction. He wasn't a neutral expert, as he portrayed himself to the jury. He also claims that the State "retained" him, yet from data I received via a Minnesota Data Practices request to Washington County, he was never officially "retained" for my case. They had one contract for 2017, and invoices for 2 cases that Lanterman did work for, and mine wasn't included. That was one of many lies he told during this one deposition while under oath.
I also have in my possession 8 affidavits (sworn under penalty of perjury by Mark Lanterman) that are proven false by this data practices request, and at least a dozen more affidavits and declarations (sworn under penalty of perjury by Mark Lanterman) that are also proven false for one or more reasons. This man is a prolific (possibly pathological) liar, and yet this is the man that they used as the cornerstone of their case.
I was originally arrested on 2nd degree murder because in Minnesota you have to get an indictment from a Grand Jury for 1st degree murder. The main testimony in the Grand Jury hearing was Lanterman (telling his same lies ... discussed in detail in this blog) and they indicted me for 1st degree murder. Since, he has been proven to be a fraud, the indictment is invalid, and the court has no jurisdiction to convict me of 1st degree murder.
Outside of Lanterman, let's look at the evidence. The State's only piece of physical evidence in favor of guilt is the single particle of gunshot residue (GSR) on my right hand; however, I claim that it points more toward innocence because GSR is too small for me to choose to put a single particle on my hand, and if I was the shooter then I should have hundreds of particles on both hands and my clothes (GSR is prolific and very 'sticky'), after all Amy had 50 particles on both of her hands and she's the victim.
Where did the one particle come from? 9-1-1 had me check her vitals to determine if she was dead, entering the room she was on my right side and I'm right handed, so I checked her pulse in the most easily accessible place, the right side of her neck, just below where she was shot, and a place coated in GSR. Since GSR is 'sticky', it's most likely that 1 particle stuck to my right hand.
Looking at the rest of the physical evidence all points toward innocence: my fingerprints aren't on the weapon, no blowback on my clothes, no footprints around her body, I couldn't have lifted and moved her to her final resting spot, her single profile DNA isn't on the washcloth that the State claims was used for clean up, my footprints only go where I told the police I went after finding Amy, there is no evidence of cleanup in the house, a car was waiting for me to leave outside her training building and sped away around 6pm, the neighbor say two cars speeding out of the neighborhood about 6pm, time of death was about 6pm, the State stipulated that I was not at home between 5:25 and 6pm, no evidence of dogdaygod on any of my devices, no evidence of TOR browser prior to Nov of 2016, no evidence of any previous threats or domestic violence (it should be noted that this was 2 months after her death, during which I had been staying Amy's parents, which wouldn't have happened if they thought I had anything to do with it).
How was I convicted? Through lies: Lanterman's are numerous and detailed throughout, Dr. Mills lied about when her investigator showed up on site in order to shift the time of death (compare her testimony to the crime scene access log), and the prosecutor lied to the jury about Mr. Cranston being confused on which day he saw Amy in the garage even though they had trail camera footage vouching for him.
When I brought my appeal through the State courts they based their denial on Lanterman (the computer evidence), though we've known all along that he lied. Now that there's more evidence of his lies the State is claiming that the particle of GSR proves that I shot her.
What is the current status? I currently have my case in front of the federal court, and the magistrate judge Micko is taking his time with it. The last motion filing was submitted to him over 6 months ago, and he has had the final petition and legal arguments for almost a year.
What am I expect? What is the legal solution? The ONLY legal solution is a reversal of the conviction. Napue v. Illinois is the easiest legal standard to base the reversal upon. It says "A lie is a lie, no matter what its subject, and, if it is in any way relevant to the case ... a trial [cannot] in any real sense be termed fair." (time of death and premeditation are relevant) This was reaffirmed as recently as 2025 where Glossip v. Oklahoma reminded us that it's the prosecutor's duty (not defense counsel) to correct false testimony, and now the State has the responsibility to prove that the verdict COULDN'T have changed, which they haven't done.
The ONLY legal answer is reversal. Let's hope judge Micko chooses to follow the law, and pray for a speedy resolution for all involved. This needs to end, it's been almost 9 years.
Stephen (Steve) Allwine
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