Utah woman provides hope for inmates on journey of prison advocacy

DRAPER — Paige Norton has been advocating for Utah's inmates and justice system reform since 2019. What began as a journey to free a man from incarceration has now become her life's mission.

For the first 40 years of her life, Norton had no ties to the justice system. Things changed in 2019 when her brother-in-law began to struggle with opioid addiction.

She soon learned that farming counties were some of the areas in Utah most affected by addiction. To aid those struggling with drug addiction, Norton and her family created an annual conference with unique speakers. On Facebook one day, Norton received a shared post from a man named Fonua Kimoana about addiction.

"I didn't know him or have a connection to him. I read that post and several others. I thought, 'This guy is such a good writer, he is probably a good public speaker.' I wondered when he was getting out (of prison) because I wanted him to speak at the conferences," Norton said.

She researched Kimoana online and found many stories related to his case.

As she learned more information about him, she had a gut-wrenching feeling that his story wasn't being accurately told. On a whim, she visited the prison and met Kimoana in person. On Aug. 18, 2018, Norton sat at a cafeteria-style table at the old correctional facility in Draper, anxious to meet this inmate who had reached out. When he arrived, they began talking and got to know one another better.

"All of a sudden, it was as if there was someone standing next to me, screaming, 'Get him out, get him out, get him out' ... I eventually said, 'I am going to be honest with you. I feel like I am supposed to try and help you regain your freedom," Norton recalled saying to Kimoana that day.

Kimoana was shocked and insisted it would be impossible. That day, Norton promised him that, although she wasn't knowledgeable about the justice system, she would do everything possible to get him out of prison.

They discussed his case details, and Norton began to believe that he was innocent due to the nature of the crime, others' assurance from the scene that it was not he who committed the crime, and the plea of the victim's families to release Kimoana, who had been incarcerated since 2008.

Kimoana was sentenced in 2010 to at least 15 years and up to life in prison for the murder and kidnapping of Jay Wolfinjer, whose badly beaten body was found in a West Valley shed on Oct. 9, 2008. He was first attacked at his West Jordan apartment, then kidnapped and taken to the shed. The beating and torture were believed to have been over a $750 drug debt.

Prosecutors say Kimoana personally wrapped the dying man in a sheet, threw him over his shoulder and carried him to the truck of his uncle, Pailate Lomu — who is believed to have been the leader of the group who leveled the fatal blows. But she said Kimoana also cooperated with authorities and took responsibility for his role from the beginning.

Kimoana told the judge he didn't know what was going on when his uncle called him to Wolfinjer's home. He said he was told to get money. He said, looking back, he could have done more.

The next few years were a firehose of information for Norton.

She read books, educated herself on the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, met with experts in the field and visited with Kimoana, her newfound "brother." Word quickly spread that she cared about inmates and Norton began to receive letters from others in prison.

Now, she works with prisons across the state, sending newsletters, advocating for prison reform and, of course, working to help Kimoana clear the charges against him and return home to his family.

Not without criticism

Norton's volunteer work has not come without cost. She continually takes phone calls from inmates, visits prisons, sends letters to prisons and works with families, attorneys and other advocates in the free world. Norton has also received much criticism from family, friends and acquaintances.

Norton also recognizes that although she believes the system is broken, good people are trying to help all along the way. Prison workers, members of the board of pardons, and public defenders are all inspiring to her in their own way. However, she believes that the work they do is impossible to complete thoroughly with their current workload.

"We are asking public defenders to lift a load that is way too heavy. No human being can carry the kind of case loads they have and do their job thoroughly. It's the same with the board of pardons. When you see the number of cases they are supposed to be making decisions about, it's humanly impossible to make that many decisions," Norton explained.

Although her volunteer work involves much devastation, Norton's faith has been a beacon of hope.

"The love of God is suffocating in the prisons. … At the end of the day, if I didn't know this was God's work, I couldn't continue because it is so devastating," she said.

Looking toward the future, Norton hopes to see the day Kimoana regains his freedom and returns home to his wife and two daughters. She continues to bring hope to the hopeless, free those who are wrongfully incarcerated and help try to fix some of her perceived problems in the system.

"I really am the luckiest girl on earth that this gets to be my life story. … I get to experience a love and loyalty like nothing I have ever felt," Norton expressed. "I am nothing special. I'm not an attorney, elected official or employee of the state. The only thing I really have to offer is an extreme amount of grit."

Although she is an advocate, Norton believes we need a justice system. However, she has seen the nuances that make criminal justice very difficult to navigate. Above all, she hopes to give the incarcerated a fraction of hope.

For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit the Paige Norton Society's Advocate website.

Related topics