On Point blog, page 234 of 262

First-Degree Intentional Homicide – Sufficiency of Evidence; Evidence – Habit, § 904.06(1)

State v. Thomas C. Niesen, 2010AP1864-CR, District 2, 10/5/11

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Niesen: James A. Rebholz; case activity

Evidence held sufficient to sustain conviction § 940.01(1), court rejecting argument that State failed to prove that Niesen inflicted the fatal knife wound. (Niesen made certain damaging admissions; he met the description of the man last seen with the victim; his sperm was found in the ¶¶2-21.

Read full article >

Sex Offender Registration – Delinquency Proceeding

State v. Timothy J. K., 2011AP1091, District 2, 10/5/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Timothy J.K.: Eileen A. Hirsch, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

The trial court’s requirement of sex offender registration, § 301.45(1m)(d)(1), is upheld against an argument that the court misconstrued an expert’s recommendation of no registration.

¶9        Timothy fails to clear the first hurdle of the Tiepelman standard.  

Read full article >

Search Incident to Arrest – Automobile, Probable Cause to Search

State v. Cindy R. Billips, 2009AP2493-CR, District 2, 10/5/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Billips: Timothy R. Muth, Amy Lynn MacArdy; case activity

Following OWI arrest supported by probable cause, the officer was authorized to search the vehicle for evidence relevant to the OWI arrest:

¶9        Here, it was reasonable for Kinservik to believe that further evidence related to Billips’ OWI arrest might be found in the vehicle.  

Read full article >

TPR – Grounds – CHIPS Order

State v. Anastasia S., 2011AP1423 / State v. Lemar T., 2011AP1403, District 1, 10/4/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Anastasia S.: Kevin M. Long, Brandon Gutschow; case activity; for Lemar T.: Jane S. Earle; case activity

¶18      “Grounds for termination [of parental rights] must be proven by clear and convincing evidence.”  Ann M.M. v. Rob S.,

Read full article >

Reasonable Suspicion – Abandonment of Property

State v. Rodney D. Johnson, 2010AP2470-CR, District 1, 10/4/11

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Johnson: Richard L. Kaiser; case activity

Acting on a drug tip, police targeted Johnson, and saw him driving a car with a cracked windshield. After Johnson got out of the car, the officers approached, and “asked” to talk to him, but he walked away. The officers then “asked” him to take his hands out of his pocket,

Read full article >

Repeated Sexual Assault of Same Child, § 948.025(1)(a) – Mandatory Minimum Sentence – Jury Instructions

State v. Carlos G. Comas, 2010AP2687-CR, District 4, 9/29/11

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Comas: Steven D. Grunder, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

Although Comas was charged with § 948.025(1)(a), repeated sexual assault of the same child by acts of sexual intercourse, the case was in effect tried under § 948.025(1)(ar) ,which requires acts of sexual intercourse or contact. Comas received a confinement term of 25 years,

Read full article >

Sexual Assault; Charging Document; Excited Utterances; Newly Discovered Evidence

State v. Dion M. Echols, 2010AP2626-CR, District 1, 9/27/11

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Echols: Amelia L. Bizzaro; case activity

Evidence held sufficient to establish “great bodily harm” element of 1st-degree sexual assault, § 940.225(1)(a), where the harm was inflicted a short time after the assault.

¶23      In this case, the trial court properly determined that Echols’ shooting M.F. subsequent to the nonconsensual sexual contact constituted great bodily harm.  

Read full article >

Mental Commitment – Probable Cause Time Limit – Lost Competency to Proceed

Outagamie County v. Paul S., 2011AP920, District 3, 9/27/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Paul S.: Shelley Fite, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

¶9        Wisconsin Stat. § 51.15(5) provides an individual may “not be detained by the law enforcement officer or other person and the facility for more than a total of 72 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays” without a hearing.  

Read full article >

Terry Stop, Compared with Arrest

State v. Daniel R. Doyle, 2010AP2466-CR, District 4, 9/22/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Doyle: John C. Orth; case activity

Transport of drunk driving suspect 3-4 miles to local police station for purpose of administering field sobriety tests didn’t covert Terry stop into arrest, given that extreme, adverse weather conditions rendered impractical such testing at the scene.

¶11      Terry is codified in Wis.

Read full article >

Search Warrant – Probable Cause – Anonymous Informant

State v. Anastasia A. Lusty, 2010AP2827-CR, District 2, 9/21/11

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Lusty: Chandra N. Harvey, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

Independent police investigation sufficiently corroborated enough details of tips from anonymous informants to support probable cause for a search warrant.

¶9        We reject Lusty’s argument.  Based on our reading of the record, we are more than satisfied that the facts before the magistrate,

Read full article >