by R L Bradberry

Created on: May 29, 2008   Last Updated: May 30, 2008

Montana governor, Brian Schweitzer, gave a high school commencement speech this spring to a graduating class of one, embracing the opportunity to honor the young man who had worked diligently to gain all the educational requirements necessary to graduate. Governor Schweitzer made certain this young man experienced all the pomp and circumstance his situation afforded him, showing us that each individual is important and valued. The governor's generosity of spirit to make this young man's graduation something he would not forget was the right thing to do.

Let him not stop there.

Another individual Montanan requires his attention. Barry Beach languishes in the Deer Lodge prison for a crime he allegedly did not commit. He, too, deserves a second look, and at least a second trial in the murder of Kim Nees. Too much nonsense surrounded this case from day one, and no one in the town of Poplar seems to have enough testicular fortitude to do the right thing. The lies and deceit started immediately after the Nees murder in order to protect the many involved, including Maude Grayhawk, Joanne Jackson, Sissy Atkinson and others.

Maude Grayhawk, one of the girls who admitted kicking Kim Nees in the head that night, during the savage beating, was reportedly involved in a motor vehicle accident earlier that same evening, and that was never recorded in the police log. Why? Because her father was Officer Steven Grayhawk who was on duty that night-the same man who broke the lock to and contaminated the evidence room with the lame excuse he had to pee. She was also seen by another officer the night of the murder, leaving the park in her own car around 2 a.m., around the time of the murder. The second officer reported it to her father and that information is not recorded anywhere. Maude lied and said she was home in bed by 11 p.m. when, in fact, a barmaid's testimony places her with Sissy Atkinson in a local bar until closing time. She is reported to have gone to Rose Failing's house to shower that night. Rose is now married to Sissy Atkinson's brother, Denver. And the plot thickens. Years later, Maude's ex husband died at the hands of her boyfriend after threatening to tell authorities of her admitted involvement in Kim Nees' death. And, recently, former officer Steven Grayhawk now says he was not working that night. Go figure.

Sissy Atkinson's brother, Bobby, was Chief of Police at the time. Sissy reportedly called acquaintance Dean O'Connor at 5 a.m. to say Kim Nees was dead. Kim's

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