John Doe Bill, Cary Elwes: “As You Wish,” Valentine’s Day Desserts

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Nearly 30 years after it hit movie theaters “The Princess Bride” is still quoted and loved by fans. We speak with actor Cary Elwes about his experiences behind the scenes of the iconic film. We also learn about some dessert recipes to treat your sweetheart to this Valentine’s day, and get the story behind a bill that would limit John Doe investigations.

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  • GOP Bill Would Impose Limits On John Doe Investigations

    Republican state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would curtail John Doe investigations and ultimately make it harder to use them for most investigations into political wrongdoing.

    The new bill comes on the heels of two John Doe probes in the past five years, both involving Gov, Scott Walker.

    Patrick Marley, state government and politics reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, said Walker’s allies felt the John Doe investigations against the governor got out of control.

    “They were concerned that it had a partisan taint to it, and they just think the secrecy in particular is a problem and that they need to change the law,” Marley said.

    Rep. David Craig, one of the Republicans who sponsored the bill, refutes state Democrats who say the legislation attempts to protect crooked politicians. Craig said it’s intended “to avoid political misprosecution” and protect free speech rights.

    Wisconsin’s John Doe law went into effect before statehood in the 1830s. Unlike normal criminal proceedings, which can be initiated if there is probable cause to believe a person has violated the law, John Doe proceedings help law enforcement develop the evidence necessary to establish the existence of probable cause.

    In order to protect the innocent and prevent coordination between witnesses, the current law allows judges to place secrecy orders on officers of the court, witnesses and targets of the investigation.

    Opponents of the secrecy order say it’s a violation of free speech laws and are concerned about names leaking to the media.

    “Sometimes when you’re dealing with high-profile people, details of an investigation get out. They get thrown out in the media, the newspapers start reporting about them, and the targets who believe that they’re innocent aren’t able to defend themselves in public,” said Marley, adding that’s what happened in the John Doe cases against Walker.

    The new bill would limit John Doe investigations to only the most serious felonies and certain violent crimes, Marley said. There’s currently no limit on what types of crimes can motivate a John Doe investigation.

    The bill would also limit secrecy orders to only officers of the court.

    According to Marley, other proposed changes include prohibiting the use of special prosecutors and the use of reserve judges to oversee them, they couldn’t last for more than six months without approval. Furthermore, if investigators found evidence of a crime that was not the original target of the investigation, they would have to get approval before expanding the reach.

    Wisconsin does have a grand jury law, but Marley said it’s rarely used because it is much easier and powerful for prosecutors to use the John Doe law.

    The bill has yet to be formally introduced into the state Legislature. Marley said it’s likely to enter committees in both chambers later this month.

  • New Bill Would Curtail John Doe Investigations

    Republican lawmakers yesterday introduced a bill that would curtail John Doe investigations – making it harder to use them for most investigations into political wrongdoing. A political reporter shares details.

  • Cary Elwes: 'As You Wish'

    Actor and star of “The Princess Bride” Cary Elwes is visiting Wisconsin to talk about his experiences filming the iconic movie. We discuss the making of the movie, and why it is still cherished today.

  • Food Friday: Desserts For Valentine's Day

    Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a pastry chef talks about desserts and making that sweet treat for that special someone.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Marika Suval Producer
  • Veronica Rueckert Producer
  • Karl Christenson Producer
  • Patrick Marley Guest
  • Cary Elwes Guest
  • Shannon Berry Guest