After learning of today's news regarding his international legal standing, it almost seems that Eric Volz may never again find himself feeling totally free.

I met Volz in Nashville, Tennessee late last year while passing through the city, one of the touch-down locations for the Millennials Changing America tour. With thoughtful eyes and soft-spoken delivery, he explained that despite being out of jail for coming on 10 months, his release still feels like it was just yesterday. Volz was prosecuted and sentenced to 30 years in prison by a Nicaraguan court for raping and killing Doris Jiménez, his ex-girlfriend, despite substantial evidence pointing towards his innocence. He was imprisoned for more than a year before finally being released after an appeals court overturned the charge.

Eric's case, which had garnered a good deal of national and international attention, was very popular thanks, in part, to the Internet advocacy prowess of his mother (headmistress of www.friendsofericvolz.com) and in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, he explains that she, in fact, saved his life. I was on a research tour that explored, in part, how Millennial activists use the Internet in order to engage with their audience, their cause. In Volz, I found a Millennial who's mother-turned activist used the Internet to save her son. Bonus.

As of January 13th, however, despite the overturning of his case, Volz continues to find himself in limbo. A statement from his website states:

A hearing was held on Nov 17, 2008 in a rogue effort to overturn the ruling of NOT GUILTY by the anti-American judges presiding. The court is given 30 days (as stated in the Nicaraguan Penal Code) to announce a verdict and yet it has been almost two months with no formal opinion in sight.

Volz's case piqued my interest because it was an interesting success story with regard to leveraging the Internet in order to achieve a particular end. Volz himself, his drive, warmth and passion helped to sustain that piqued interest. Here's to wishing Volz well in this this time of grave uncertainty.