On Point blog, page 78 of 87

§ 940.31(1)(b), Kidnapping — Sufficiency of Evidence — “Confinement”

State v. Charles J. Burroughs, 2002 WI App 18
For Burroughs: William F. Mross

Issue/Holding: The term “confine” has been defined under § 940.30 (false imprisonment), to mean compelled deprivation of free movement. ¶18. Therefore, the definition of “confine” in Wis JI-Criminal No. 1275 applies to kidnapping. ¶19. Applying that definition: physical force isn’t essential; nor is the victim required to undertake the risk presented by an opportunity to escape.

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§ 940.19(5), Aggravated Battery — First-degree Reckless Endangering Safety, § 941.30(1), Not Lesser Included Offense of

State v. Russell L. Dibble, 2002 WI App 219, PFR filed 8/14/02
For Dibble: Steven P. Weiss, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: First-degree recklessly endangering safety, § 941.30(1), is not a lesser included offense of aggravated battery, § 940.19(5), under the “elements-only” test. Aggravated battery requires intent (to cause great bodily harm); endangering safety requires recklessness (while showing utter disregard for human life). It is this last —

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§ 941.29(2), Felon in Possession of Firearm — Foreign Conviction as Felony

State v. Alan C. Campbell, 2002 WI App 20, PFR filed 1/16/02
For Campbell: Alexander D. Cossi

Issue: Whether Campbell’s conviction for forgery in another state is regarded as a felony for purposes of felon in possession, § 941.29.

Holding:

¶6. We agree with Campbell that the Ohio forgery statute is broader than Wisconsin’s, and that looking solely at the language of the Ohio statute would be insufficient to prove that Campbell was guilty of possessing a firearm as a felon.

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§ 941.30(1), First-degree Reckless Endangering Safety – Not Lesser Included Offense of Aggravated Battery, § 940.19(5)

State v. Russell L. Dibble, 2002 WI App 219, PFR filed 8/14/02
For Dibble: Steven P. Weiss, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: First-degree recklessly endangering safety, § 941.30(1), is not a lesser included offense of aggravated battery, § 940.19(5), under the “elements-only” test. Aggravated battery requires intent (to cause great bodily harm); endangering safety requires recklessness (while showing utter disregard for human life). It is this last —

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§ 943.02, Arson – Sufficiency of Evidence

State v. Dale H. Chu, 2002 WI App, PFR filed 4/23/02
For Chu: Andrew Shaw

Issue/Holding: Evidence held sufficient, despite disagreement of experts on how fire was started; the jury was required to determine whether defendant intentionally started the fire, not specifically how it was set.

¶44      Chu may instead be arguing that the verdicts should be overturned because the State’s experts could not agree on the precise method of starting the fire,

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Theft by Fraud, § 943.20(1)(d) — Elements — Agency

State v. Todd W. Timblin, 2002 WI App 304
For Timblin: Alex Flynn

Issue: Whether agency necessarily becomes an element of theft by fraud, § 943.20(1)(d), when the defendant obtains the property through an intermediary.

Holding: The intermediary must actually be an agent before an agency relationship is necessary to state’s proof. Where, as here, the intermediary acted as a mere “conduit” for delivering money between defrauded victims and defendant —

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Bail Jumping, § 946.69(1)(b) — Conviction on Underlying Crime Unnecessary

State v. Kelley L. Hauk, 2002 WI App 226
For Hauk: David D. Cook

Issue/Holding: State need not charge defendant with both bail jumping and underlying crime in order to obtain conviction for bail jumping (i.e., violating bond by committing crime). ¶¶14-18.

¶19 We therefore conclude that as long as there is evidence sufficient to allow a reasonable jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant intentionally violated his or her bond by committing a crime,

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Obstructing, § 946.41(1) — Mere denial of Culapbility of Crime under Investigation

State v. Joseph M. Espinoza, 2002 WI App 51, subsequently overruled by State v. Brent R. Reed, 2005 WI 53
For Espinoza: Steven P. Weiss, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether a suspect’s mere denial of guilt of the crime under investigation may in and of itself establish probable cause for the separate crime of obstructing, § 946.41(1).

Holding:

¶20.

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Private Interest in Public Contract, § 946.13(1)(a) — Sufficiency of Evidence

State v. Paul Venema, 2002 WI App 202
For Venema: Randall R. Garczynski

Issue/Holding:

¶20 We reject Venema’s argument that a contract has to be in existence in order for a violation to occur under Wis. Stat. § 946.13(1)(a). Such an interpretation is undermined by the plain meaning of the statutory language. The common meaning of “negotiate” is to “communicate with another party for the purpose of reaching an understanding[.]”

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§ 947.01, Disorderly Conduct — Private Mailings

State v. Glenn F. Schwebke, 2002 WI 55, affirming 2001 WI App 99, 242 Wis. 2d 585, 627 N.W.2d 213
For Schwebke: Keith A. Findley, UW Law School

Issue: Whether private, anonymous mailings to several individuals may support prosecution for disorderly conduct.

Holding:

¶26… (T)he plain language of the statute does not specifically require a ‘public’ disturbance. Instead,

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