Michael Callahan’s first assignment as investigations commander in East Central Illinois in 2000 was to re-open a 1986 murder case involving a newlywed couple in Paris.

During this time, Callahan reported uncertainties and police misappropriation involving the case and about the wrongful conviction of two men for these murders.

But, he said he was told his findings were too “politically sensitive” for reinvestigation.

A book signing for Callahan’s book, which talks about details of the unsolved case and his journey to find the real murderers, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. today at the Charleston Carnegie Public Library.

Callahan said this book has been a living document within itself.

“Not a day goes by that I do not learn new information or something else unfolds involving this case,” he said. “This was an unforgivable justice by the government.”

During the time of this investigation, Callahan said he was transferred to patrol because of evidence he found that involved corruption of the case.

In 2005, Callahan said he won a lawsuit case against his two state police supervisors who said he defied his freedom of speech when speaking out on the case publicly. But, in 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public employees are not protected under the First Amendment when it comes to free speech.

Callahan said now with the Supreme Court ruling, the government is above the law.

“There are corrupt things happening with the government that no one is aware of because everyone has to be silent,” he said.

Callahan said around the time his lawsuit arose he began to think about a book that would tell his story with his dealings with the case.

“After the Supreme Court ruling, I was more dedicated than ever to do this book,” he said. “They ignored my criminal allegations.”

The book was published May 8 and Callahan said it took him about three years to complete.

He said he was hoping to give the families involving these cases some closure, especially to the two men wrongfully convicted of the crime.

“Both of the men have been set free, but none of those people got the opportunities to live life like you or I,” he said.

When Callahan set out to write the book, he said it was because he felt it was an important story for the public to know

“I think if you have a government that wants to silence’s its citizens and employees, I think that should be a frightening warning for all of us in the future to know,” he said.

Ruth Straith, director of public services for the Charleston Carnegie Public Library, said the library is hopeful that a lot of people come out to the book signing today.

“I think it’s always important for someone who knows of injustice to verbalize that,” she said.

Teresa Pennington, a librarian at Paris Carnegie Public Library in Paris, said Callahan’s book has not sat on the shelf at all since it was received in May.

“We started off with three copies and now we are up to five, and none of them are on the shelves at this time,” he said. “It never renews because there is someone who is always waiting on it.”

Besides doing book signings about three times a week, Callahan says he also does speaking engagements at colleges and universities.

“It is important to share my story with college students as well because they are going to make a difference – the people in the colleges and universities,” he said. “We have a constitution, and they need to know it is slowly being shredded by the Supreme Court in front of our eyes.”

Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.