Episode Three: Fight or Flight

While Laurie remains in a Canadian prison, lawyers and politicians on both sides of the border continue to argue her case. New evidence and witness testimony presented by her Canadian legal team calls into question the very foundation of the Milwaukee prosecutors original case against her. But in order to potentially get a new trial, Laurie will have to return to Wisconsin. Ultimately she has to make a big decision. Stay in Canada with the hopes of gaining refugee status or return to the United States to seek the justice she claims she has long been denied? Either way, Laurie’s fight is far from over.

Episode Two: Guilty until Proven Innocent

Laurie Bembenek was convicted of killing her husband’s ex-wife based on what many people believed was highly suspicious and circumstantial evidence. So when she bolted from a Wisconsin prison after spending eight years incarcerated, it seemed like most of Milwaukee supported her escape. “Run Bambi run,” became her supporters rallying cry which soon turned into a media spectacle with t-shirts, bumper stickers and “Bambi” look-a-like contests. But while many felt justice had been denied, Wisconsin authorities were unwilling to re-examine the case. But when Laurie applies for refugee status in Canada based on persecution, a cross border, political tug of war ensues. Laurie’s got one of Canada’s sharpest legal minds defending her and he intends on showing that  she was wrongly convicted. He knows she is innocent and he can prove it.

Episode One: Thunder Bay

It was the summer of 1990 when a famous American fugitive was captured in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Suddenly every tabloid talk show was scrambling for the story and a media frenzy descended upon the small northern city. Since escaping from a Wisconsin

prison three months earlier, the convicted killer had gained a great deal of support and sympathy from the public. Many believed that she had been wrongly convicted and had in fact, had been framed by the Milwaukee Police Department. She had already spent eight years in prison, and her requests for a new trial had all been denied. Now she was sitting in a prison in Thunder Bay and the Americans wanted her back. What was Canada going to do with this famous American fugitive? Send her back to face justice or listen to her claims of innocence?

Her name was Lawrencia (Laurie) Bambenek, but to the world she was known as “Bambi” – Bambi Bembenek.