John Maloney is appealing the decision of a Brown County judge to keep him behind bars. Last week, Judge Peter Naze rejected Maloney's request to overturn his murder conviction.

Maloney argued that his defense team was ineffective during his trial. Judge Naze disagreed, saying Maloney got a fair trial.

Four years ago, Maloney was convicted of killing his estranged wife, Sandy, and setting her body on fire.

Wednesday afternoon, Maloney sat down with our Natalie Arnold at Dodge Correctional in Waupun, where Maloney is serving his sentence and vowing to never give up his fight.

It wasn't long ago that Maloney was protecting and serving the community of Green Bay as an officer of the law. Now he is wearing quite a different uniform and the court expects him to, for at least 20 years.

"I don't understand where the justice in this is. There isn't. There hasn't been any," Maloney said.

Maloney says he is innocent, yet the news for him only gets worse. "It was like hearing the verdict all over again," he said.
  
A Brown County judge saw no reason to overturn Maloney's murder conviction. Without a doubt, Maloney wants to get out of prison-- but he also wants to clear his name and get the chance to prove Sandy's death was an accident, not murder.

"I'm not saying that. I know--" he said, strongly emphasizing the word "know"-- "that categorically I had nothing to do with Sandy's death."

During the trial, Maloney's defense lawyers argued that his girlfriend-- now his ex-girlfriend-- could be the killer. Maloney contends there was no killer at all. He points to evidence that was never presented to the jury.

Maloney says that evidence suggests his wife's will to live was low, that she was heavily intoxicated, and that she passed out with a lit cigarette.

Maloney says all he needs is the chance to show this information to a new jury.

"I fully plan on going to whatever level I have to prove that I had absolutely, absolutely nothing to do with Sandy's death."

Maloney is asking the state court of appeals to overturn his conviction. If it refuses, he says he will take his case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and is thinking about appealing to a federal court.