ACES brings wrongfully convicted man to campus

A man whose life took a drastic turn when he moved to a new home in Oklahoma with his six-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, after his wife was brutally murdered, visited campus on Monday, Nov. 17. Dennis Fritz was accused and convicted of first degree murder along with Ronnie Williamson. Fritz, in telling his story, said he had never seen the victim, Debbie Sue Carter, but had read the story of her death in the newspaper and sympathized with the family. When the police began investigating him as a suspect, he was rather confused and frightened in regards to what was happening. Fritz says his friendship with Williamson, who was the primary suspect, was what caused the police to begin investigating him. Fritz gave samples of hair and body fluid, as well as taking a lie detector test which the police say he failed - twice. Later, Fritz had learned the police were asking leading questions to get him to confess to the crime he did not commit, which altered the lie detector tests. Fritz and Williamson were both arrested five years later after hearing nothing for those long years. Fritz was at his mother's home when he received the phone call asking if Dennis Fritz was there. He said "this is he" and the person on the other line hung up. It was not but a few moments later that there were car doors slammed outside, and the police were there to take him away. The results of his trial were dismal; he would be sentenced to life in prison with a chance at parole. He was sent to the "worst prison in Oklahoma." "Even though they say you have a chance at parole, you never get it in Oklahoma," Fritz said. He spent 12 years in prison for the murder of Debbie Sue Carter. During that time, Fritz made a vow to himself and to God he would learn everything about law he could, and he did. As the years passed by, news came out that Williamson was going to be having a DNA test done to prove his innocence. They initially denied Fritz the same test, but later gave him the test, thanks to the big DNA man himself, Barry Schek. The DNA test results came back negative for both Fritz and Williamson. After 12 years in prison, Williamson and Fritz walked out of the courtroom free men. The world was scary for Fritz at first. He is still today very cautious, though he is working on this characteristic of himself. When he was first released, he was excited to be reunited with his daughter whom he had refused to allow at the prison for visitation because of the vulgar scenes. Though things have changed, such as talking gas pumps and pieces of plastic serve as keys for hotels, he enjoys the simple things in life. He also enjoys dancing, and says he is "the best dancer in Kansas City." Fritz said he did not feel like his time was wasted in prison. In fact, because of his experience, he has been able to help others. Through his work to help his own case he was able to help fellow prison mates too. It was a learning experience, a horrible one, but an experience nonetheless. Fritz's experience allows him to see between the lines and really read what is going on. He senses danger and knows you must "pick the people you hang around with very carefully." Today Dennis Fritz has written a book entitled Journey to Justice, and is planning on writing a sequel, Life After Incarceration. Fritz works with the Innocence Project, and helps fight for others who have been wrongfully accused.