On Point blog, page 6 of 6

Admission of toxicology report on which pathologist relied was harmless error

State v. Peter T. Heine, 2014 WI App 32; case activity

Heine was charged with reckless homicide for supplying heroin to a young man who died after using the drug. (¶1). Tranchida, the pathologist who conducted the autopsy, concluded the victim died of a heroin overdose based both on his findings during the autopsy and on a toxicology report, which was prepared by an outside lab.

Read full article >

Failure to record portion of juvenile’s confession doesn’t require suppression

State v. Raheem Moore, 2014 WI App 19, petition for review granted, 5/22/14, affirmed, 2015 WI 54; case activity

Moore, a 15-year-old charged with homicide, made incriminating statements to police 11 hours after he was arrested. His most incriminating statement–that he was the shooter and not merely an accomplice–came during a portion of the interrogation that was not recorded as required by § 938.195,

Read full article >

Court of appeals discerns the rule of State v. Forbush

State v. Jesse J. Delebreau, 2014 WI App 21, petition for review granted, 5/23/14, affirmed, 2015 WI 55; case activity

You remember State v. Forbush, 2011 WI 25, 332 Wis. 2d 620, 796 N.W.2d 741? That’s the one that considered whether Montejo v. Louisiana, 556 U.S. 778 (2009),

Read full article >

Applying Daubert standard only to ch. 980 cases filed after adoption of the standard does not violate equal protection or due process

State v. Ronald Knipfer, 2014 WI App 9, petition for review granted, 5/23/14, affirmed, 2015 WI 3case activity

In this follow-up to the recent decision in State v. Alger, 2013 WI App 148, ___ Wis. 2d ___, ___ N.W.2d ___, the court of appeals rejects two constitutional challenges to the legislation that limits the newly-adopted Daubert standard for the admission of expert testimony to ch.

Read full article >

Capitol rotunda singer gets civil pre-trial discovery in State’s action to collect forfeiture

State v. Anica C. C. Bausch, 2014 WI App 12; case activity

Bausch participated in a “Solidarity Sing Along” at the State Capitol in the fall of 2012.  The Capitol Police cited her for violating Wis. Admin. Code ADM sec. 2.14(2)(v). Bausch pled “not guilty” and served the State with requests for admissions, interrogatories, and production of documents.  The State responded with a “Motion in Opposition to Application of Civil Discovery.”

Read full article >

Grant of continuance under speedy trial statute also continued deadline for trial under Intrastate Detainer Act

State v. Malcolm A. Butler, 2014 WI App 4; case activity

The 120-day deadline for trying a case under the Intrastate Detainer Act, § 971.11(2), is explicitly “subject to” the speedy trial statute, § 971.10; thus, the Intrastate Detainer Act incorporates the provision of the speedy trial statute that allows for continuances for good cause, § 971.10(3)(a), and those continuances may go beyond the 120-day deadline.

Read full article >

Court to State: Ends of adult court jurisdiction don’t justify means violating juvenile code

State v. Cody Phillips, 2014 WI App 3; case activity

This case reached the court of appeals via a petition for leave to appeal a non-final order.

The State’s juvenile delinquency petition alleged that Phillips committed one count of 1st-dgree sexual assault of child by use or threat of force and a second count of 2nd-degree assault of a child.  At the State’s request, the juvenile court waived Phillips into adult court on both counts and ultimately pled no contest to two counts of 2nd-degree sexual assault of a child. 

Read full article >

Aggregating 289 thefts as 1 continuous offense then dividing by 8 = no multiplicity violation

State v. Tina M. Jacobsen, 2014 WI App 13; case activity

Jacobsen was charged with 8 offenses for stealing $500,000 from her employer, and she was convicted on 3 counts.  The charges were based on 289 individual thefts occurring over 3 years.  On appeal she claimed her trial lawyer was ineffective for failing advise her that, and for failing to seek dismissal because, the charges were duplicitous or multiplicitous.  

Read full article >

Defendant must file a separate § 973.195 sentence adjustment petition for each sentence to be adjusted

State v. Jeffery Polar, Jr., 2014 WI App 15; case activity

The court of appeals holds that the plain language of § 973.195(1r)(a) requires a defendant serving multiple sentences to file a separate sentence adjustment petition for each individual sentence the defendant is seeking to adjust.

Polar’s governing sentences consisted of two consecutive terms, one with 7 years of confinement, the second for 3 years of confinement.

Read full article >