On Point blog, page 6 of 7

Double Jeopardy – Multiplicity: theft and concealment, §§ 943.20(1)(a) & (3)(d)5

State v. Jason J. Trawitzki, 2001 WI 77, 244 Wis. 2d 523, 628 N.W.2d 801, affirming State v. Trawitzki, 2000 WI App 205, 238 Wis. 2d 795, 618 N.W.2d 884
For Trawitzki: Donald T. Lang, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether multiple charges of theft of firearms taken at the same time, and multiple charges of concealing those firearms, violated double jeopardy.

Holding: Multiplicity is a two-part test: determine whether the offenses are identical in both law and fact;

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Theft of Identity, § 943.201(2) — Continuing Offense

State v. Alfredo Ramirez, 2001 WI App 158, PFR filed 7/11/01
For Ramirez: Elizabeth A. Cavendish-Sosinski

Issue: Whether § 943.201(2) creates a continuing offense such that, as applied to Ramirez, it did not violate the ex post facto clause even though the statute was promulgated after he commenced the activity that formed the basis for the charge.

Holding:

¶18. We hold that Ramirez obtained money in the form of wages,

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§ 943.10, Burglary (Entry with Intent to Commit Felony) – Elements

State v. Earl Steele III, 2001 WI App 34, 241 Wis. 2d 269, 625 N.W.2d 595
For Steele: Timothy J. Gaskell

Issue: Whether felon in possession of firearm may be the underlying felony to burglary (entry with intent to commit felony), § 943.10(1)(a), when the defendant-felon was already in possession of the firearm before entry.

Holding: “(A) person commits a burglary when he or she unlawfully enters the premises with the intent to commit a felony while on the premises,

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§ 943.10, Burglary – Sufficiency of Evidence – Fingerprint Evidence

State v. Dennis E. Scott, 2000 WI App 51, 234 Wis. 2d 129, 608 N.W.2d 753
For Scott: Joseph E. Redding

Issue: Whether the evidence was sufficient to support conviction for burglary/theft.

Holding: Evidence that defendant’s fingerprint was found on the “dock station” from which a lap-top was stolen from an office that sold only to other businesses and was not open to the public; and that defendant neither had worked nor had permission to be there sufficed to support the conviction.

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§ 943.10(1)(a), Burglary – Entry to Commit Felony (Bail Jumping, § 946.49(1)(b))

State v. Jerome G. Semrau, 2000 WI App 54, 233 Wis. 2d 508, 608 N.W.2d 376
For Semrau: John D. Lubarsky, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether the commission of felony bail jumping, by entering the complainant’s home in violation of bond conditions, supports burglary-entry of dwelling with intent to commit felony.

Holding: The underlying felony component of burglary must be a crime against persons or property; Semrau’s “core conduct”

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§ 943.38, Forgery – Endorsement with Fictitious Name as Commercially Acceptable Practice

State v. Scot A. Czarnecki, 2000 WI App 155, 237 Wis.2d 794, 615 N.W.2d 672
For Czarnecki: Patrick M. Donnelly, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether use of an assumed name in endorsing a check may subject the endorser to forgery charge.

Holding:

¶7        In further support of his challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, Czarnecki argues that even if he endorsed the checks with the surname “Dougan,” there was nothing false or unlawful about these endorsements. 

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§ 943.30(1), Extortion – Threatening Interference with Education

State v. Richard L. Kittilstad, 231 Wis.2d 245, 603 N.W.2d 732 (1999), affirming State v. Kittilstad, 222 Wis.2d 204, 585 N.W.2d 925 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Kittilstad: Richard L. Wachowski

Issue: Whether threats to interfere with educational opportunity may amount to extortion under § 943.30(1).

Holding: A threat to interfere with education is tantamount to a threat to a “calling or trade,”

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§ 944.32, Prostitution – Soliciting Voyeuristic Acts

State v. Richard L. Kittilstad, 231 Wis.2d 245, 603 N.W.2d 732 (1999), affirming State v. Kittilstad, 222 Wis.2d 204, 585 N.W.2d 925 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Kittilstad: Richard L. Wachowski

Issue: Whether offering money in exchange for the opportunity to watch sex acts may amount to soliciting prostitution under § 944.32.

Holding: The statute requires that the defendant “solicit” someone “to practice prostitution.”

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§ 943.23(1r), Carjacking: Operating Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent Resulting in Death — Sufficiency of Evidence, Causation

State v. Earl L. Miller, 231 Wis.2d 447, 605 N.W.2d 567 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Miller: Eduardo M. Borda

Issue: Whether an act may satisfy the “substantial factor” test for causation element if it merely plays a prominent rather than lone role in the proscribed result.

Holding: Causation is satisfied by any significant, not necessarily the sole, factor resulting in death.

Miller was convicted of operating a vehicle without owner’s consent resulting in death (carjacking),

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§ 943.32, Armed Robbery – sufficiency of evidence

State v. Keith Jones, 228 Wis.2d 593, 598 N.W.2d 259 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Jones: Edward J. Hunt

Holding: In the course of making their get-away, Jones’s shoplifting codefendant allegedly threatened Shogren, a pursuing guard. Notwithstanding the codefendant’s acquittal, Jones’s conviction for armed robbery is sustained against a sufficiency of evidence challenge.

Here, there was sufficient evidence to convict Jones.  That the jury acquitted Patterson does not necessarily mean that it discounted Shogren’s testimony. 

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