A convicted triple killer on death row in America has declared his love for a Scots gran in a letter to the Daily Record.
John Lotter defended Michele German after she was branded “deluded” and a “crazy b****” by the mother of murder victim Brandon Teena.
The 48-year-old asked JoAnn Brandon to stop attacking his partner, who firmly believes in his innocence, and urged people to “do their own research” into his case before judging him.
Lotter was handed a death sentence after being convicted of killing 21-year-old Brandon Teena, Lisa Lambert and Phillip Devine at a farmhouse in Nebraska in 1993.
His co-accused, Marvin Tom Nissen, gave evidence against him to escape the death penalty but took full responsibility for all three murders 14 years later.
Despite launching numerous appeals against his conviction, Lotter remains behind bars at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, where he wrote the email to the Record.
He said: “Michele German is my girlfriend. I love and care about her a lot. She has been a solid companion to me for many years now.
“She is in my corner 100% and that won’t change. I want to tell JoAnn Brandon and anyone out there who thinks it’s okay to attack her or call her names (deluded or crazy b****), it’s not.
“She has done nothing to you. She believes in me, loves me, and fights for me, period. So calling her deluded or a crazy b**** is just so beyond acceptable.
“Everyone has a right to believe in who they believe in and fight for them without being harassed or attacked.”
Michele first made contact with Lotter in 2017 after following his case closely for more than a decade.
She previously told the Record how she would wed him “in a heartbeat” and hopes that he will one day walk free from prison.
The 46-year-old was branded “beyond sick” by grieving mother JoAnn Brandon after she learned of her hopes to travel to America to meet Lotter in person for the first time.
She urged Michele to think again about her hope to wed the convicted killer and to consider how she would feel if her own child had been the victim of the same horrific crime.
But Lotter has continued to declare his innocence and accused JoAnn of believing “false information” which led to his conviction in 1996.
He wrote: “I appreciate there is a lot of people around the world who are interested in my case and all its twists and turns.
“And I too understand JoAnn Brandon, the mother of Brandon Teena believes in the false information (Marvin Thomas Nissen’s testimony) that was used by the prosecutors to convict me and sentence me to death.
“However she continues to say things that are not true (he beat, raped and murdered or he and Nissen assaulted and forced Brandon Teena into a car or he grabbed Brandon Teena and forced him to remove his trousers, or he became infuriated when learning Brandon Teena was transgendered).
“She continues to ignore the new facts (Nissen’s recantation that he shot and killed Brandon Teena, Lisa Lambert and Phillip Devine and he stabbed Brandon Teena) and to be so closed minded about the possibility of my innocence.
“And like many other people out in this world, she tries to prevent those who believe in my innocence from being able to help me by doing what she is doing right now, attacking them.
“I have to ask, what is she afraid of? Is the truth so scary to her? I’ve never asked anyone I know to just believe in my innocence just because I say so.
“I have always told them to do their own research (read transcripts or whatever other paperwork is out there or talk to whoever with knowledge) and come to their own conclusion.
“So I ask JoAnn Brandon and others to please stop putting up road blocks to prevent an investigation, and stop harassing or attacking Michele German or anyone else who is a supporter of mine and is only trying to help someone they believe in.”
Michele previously launched a fundraising campaign to fund her travel plans after fearing Lotter was suffering from lung cancer.
But just 48 hours later, she was relieved to discover doctors had misdiagnosed him and decided to cancel her crowdfunding attempt.
She firmly believes in her partner’s innocence and is convinced that a lack of DNA at the crime scene clears him of any involvement.
The horror deaths of Teena, Lambert and Devine took place at a remote farmhouse in Humboldt, Nebraska, on New Year’s Eve.
All three were fatally shot while transgender Brandon was also stabbed during the mass slaying.
The attack was said to have been carried out by Lotter and Nissen after they discovered Brandon had been born female but identified and had been living as a man.
The court was told that the duo had kidnapped and raped Brandon the week before, which was later reported to the police, and they sought to silence him.
Both men were found guilty of all three murders by a jury, with Nissen receiving life without parole while Lotter received the death sentence.
Nissen recanted his testimony and took responsibility for the crimes in 2007 but the American Supreme Court ruled that this did not clear Lotter of any wrongdoing.
Brandon’s murder shocked America and inspired the film Boys Don’t Cry, which earned Nebraskan actress Hilary Swank an Academy Award.
