Continued: Court and class are in session

As Bianca Hall, 17, and Alecia Howard-Fogg, 16, sat in their school auditorium Thursday, neither girl whispered nor sent text messages. Instead, they paid close attention as nine adults -- seven of them wearing black robes -- discussed a real-life drama involving meth, murder, money and ill-fated brothers.

"I think he deserves a new trial because there were errors and other things [prosecutors] left out," Hall said, referring to Franklin Alan Miller of Ely, a convicted meth dealer, kidnapper and murderer.

Minnesota Supreme Court justices on Thursday heard oral arguments in Miller's appeal from Michael Cromett, an assistant state public defender, and Assistant Attorney General Kelly O'Neill Moller in front of more than 850 Hopkins High School students and staff members.

The state's top judges trek from St. Paul to high schools throughout Minnesota about twice a year to promote better understanding of the state's court system among young people, said Hopkins High teacher John Unruh-Friesen. St. Paul Central High hosted the court last year.

Before the court visit, state bar association members visited social studies classrooms to go over the case and outline common legal terms such as "exculpatory evidence" -- something that could help the defendant get off the hook, students explained.

Howard-Fogg, who said she might pursue a career in forensic science, described the session as "the real 'Law and Order' with all the work [that goes on] behind the scenes."

Miller was convicted in 2005 of the kidnapping and murder of 25-year-old Travis Holappa of Embarrass. In June 2004, Holappa allegedly had stolen Miller's truck, which contained a four-wheeler and a substantial amount of money and methamphetamine. Almost two months later Miller and two other men allegedly kidnapped Holappa from a bar in Gilbert. All four men were using meth during the time Holappa disappeared, authorities said. His body was found Sept 2. He'd been shot several times in the head.

His two co-defendants pleaded guilty to kidnapping and testified against Miller. During his appeal at Hopkins, Miller's lawyer said he deserves a new trial, mainly because prosecutors failed to disclose details about a plea deal they had made with the co-defendants, and a witness, Miller's brother, Sam, who has an extensive criminal record.

Sam Miller had told police that his brother had said he'd "emptied a clip" into Holappa.

"This record is a swamp and we're dealing with a cast of characters involved with methamphetamine," Chief Justice Russell Anderson said. "So shouldn't we give some deference to the post-conviction court?"

Miller's lawyer agreed but said Sam Miller's testimony and plea deal were clearly a case of "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

Lawyers for the state admitted to several errors in the trial but said the plea deal preceded the trial. They also noted that Sam Miller was one of several witnesses against Franklin Miller, and that other evidence such as calls Franklin Miller made while in custody were more important to the state's case.

After the oral arguments, the justices answered questions for students about their backgrounds and current workload. They couldn't discuss the case directly and won't hand down a decision on it for several weeks.

Even so, some students discussed Franklin Miller's fate as they left the auditorium. Hall said Miller's life is a perfect example of the chaos that surrounds drugs.

"It tells people who may or may not be using what could happen if they get high and decide to do stupid things without thinking," she said.

Patrice Relerford • 612-673-4395

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