On Point blog, page 10 of 11

Guilty Pleas – Procedure – Factual Basis – Consideration of “Whole” Record

State v. Lawrence Payette, 2008 WI App 106, PFR filed 6/30/08
For Payette: Robert R. Henak; Amelia L. Bizzaro

Issue/Holding:

¶26 As our supreme court explained in White, “[i]n applying the manifest injustice test on review, this court may consider the whole record since the issue is no longer whether the guilty plea should have been accepted, but rather whether there was an [erroneous exercise] of discretion in the trial court’s denial of the motion to withdraw.” Id.

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Guilty Pleas – Factual Basis – Particular Instances: Using Computer to Facilitate Child Sex-Crime

State v. Eric T. Olson, 2008 WI App 171
For Olson: Byron C. Lichstein

Issue/Holding: The “act other than element” of § 948.075(3) isn’t satisfied by either transmission of live video of the shirtless defendant, or by his prior sexual encounters with others he met on-line:

¶11      Accordingly, we read the statute to require that, before the State may obtain a conviction under WIS. STAT.

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Opinion & Expert Testimony – “Death Scene” Analysis

State v. Craig A. Swope, 2008 WI App 175
For Swope: Dianne M. Erickson

Issue: Whether “death scene” analysis from an FBI agent was admissible to establish cause of simultaneous death of two elderly individuals found dead in their home.

Holding:

¶25      The general field of crime scene analysis has been recognized as being a body of specialized knowledge. United State v.

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Expert Opinion Testimony re: Truthfulness of Complainant, as to Signs of Coaching or Suggestion

State v. Bryan James Krueger, 2008 WI App 162
For Krueger: Bradley J. Lochowicz

Issue/Holding:

¶15      Here, Mason was asked whether she had formed an opinion as to whether or not S.B. “was the product of any suggestibility or any coaching.” … Signs of coaching or suggestion could fall into the realm of knowledge that is outside that of a lay-person jury. [10]

¶16      However,

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Appellate Procedure: Jurisdiction/Finality of Order – (State’s) Motion to Reconsider Oral Ruling

State v. Elizabeth A. White, 2008 WI App 96
For White: T Christopher Kelly

Issue/Holding: Jurisdiction attaches to state’s appeal from denial of reconsideration of an oral ruling dismissing a count, ¶7 n. 5:

The State appeals from the written order denying the motion for reconsideration. White, citing Ver Hagen v. Gibbons, 55 Wis. 2d 21, 25,

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Newly Discovered Evidence – Renewed Effort, Based on Changes in Medical Opinion, Not Barred

State v. Audrey A. Edmunds, 2008 WI App 33; prior history: State v. Edmunds, 229 Wis. 2d 67, 598 N.W.2d 290 (Ct. App. 1999), habeas relief denied, Edmunds v. Deppisch, 313 F.3d 997 (7th Cir. 2002)
For Edmunds: Keith A. Findley, UW Law School

Issue/Holding: Presentation of expert testimony to establish, under a theory of newly discovered evidence,

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Newly Discovered Evidence – Change in Medical Opinion with Respect to Shaken Baby Syndrome – Probability of Different Result

State v. Audrey A. Edmunds, 2008 WI App 33; prior history: State v. Edmunds, 229 Wis. 2d 67, 598 N.W.2d 290 (Ct. App. 1999), habeas relief denied, Edmunds v. Deppisch, 313 F.3d 997 (7th Cir. 2002)
For Edmunds: Keith A. Findley, UW Law School

Issue/Holding: Edmunds was convicted over a decade ago of causing the death of a baby in her charge;

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Counsel – Right to – Inherent Judicial Authority – Defendant’s Burden of Proof

State v. Alvernest Floyd Kennedy, 2008 WI App 186
Pro se

Issue/Holding: Defendant did not satisfy his burden of proving indigency, for purposes of invoking inherent judicial authority to appoint counsel, where he failed to submit information regarding attempts to retain counsel as well as information relative to rental property, ¶18.

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Counsel – Right to – Defendant Must Cooperate With SPD 1st

State v. Alvernest Floyd Kennedy, 2008 WI App 186
Pro se

Issue/Holding:

¶27      We emphasize that the procedures set forth in Dean by this court suggest that the inherent power of the circuit court shall be exercised to cover situations where a defendant cooperated with the SPD’s financial analysis, was found not to be indigent under the legislative criteria, but based on the individual circumstances of the case,

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Counsel – Right to – Review of SPD Denial of Representation, § 977.06(4)

State v. Alvernest Floyd Kennedy, 2008 WI App 186
Pro se

Issue/Holding1:

¶11      Kennedy argues that the trial court failed to properly review the SPD’s determination that he did not qualify for the appointment of counsel. In reviewing this issue, the trial court’s findings of fact will not be overturned unless clearly erroneous. See id, 163 Wis.  2d at 511.

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