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On Point is a judicial analysis blog written by members of the Wisconsin State Public Defenders. It includes cases from the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of Wisconsin, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
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OWI — reasonable suspicion for traffic stop and OWI investigation
State v. Tony L. Wyatt, 2013AP728-CR, District 2, 8/28/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity A sheriff’s deputy stopped the car Wyatt was driving after checking the license plate of a car driving in front of the deputy and determining the car’s owner—a female—didn’t have a valid driver’s license. If the […]
Restitution for theft may include items defendant denies stealing
State v. Deborah A. Schicker, 2013AP651-CR, District 2, 8/21/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity Schicker pleaded guilty to a single count of theft. Of the multiple items listed as stolen in the complaint, she admitted to taking only the two items recovered before she was charged. (¶¶2-3). After a restitution […]
OWI — collateral attack on prior conviction; awareness of minimum penalty
State v. Jaime M. Salomon, 2013AP577-CR, District 2, 8/21/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity Salomon collaterally attacked his second OWI conviction under State v. Ernst, 2005 WI 107, 283 Wis. 2d 300, 699 N.W.2d 92, arguing his waiver of counsel in the case was invalid because he was not aware […]
Dog sniff and search of car were unlawful because officer unreasonably extended the duration of the stop
State v. Kenneth C. House, 2013 WI App 111; case activity House was stopped for operating with a suspended registration. After running House’s license and learning he was on probation for a drug offense, the officer returned House’s license and issued him a warning for the suspended registration. The officer then retrieved his police dog […]
Sentencing — exercise of discretion in denying eligibility for ERP
State v. Brandon M. Pokey, 2012AP2412-CR, District 2, 8/14/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity The sentencing court did not erroneously exercise its discretion when it made Pokey, who was convicted of armed robbery of a bank, ineligible for the Earned Release Program. At sentencing the court based its decision on […]
OWI — probable cause to arrest without field sobriety tests
State v. Scott E. Bartelt, 2013AP110-CR, District 2, 8/14/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity ¶1 …. During his investigation of a bar fight, a village of Butler police officer came to the conclusion that Bartelt should not drive home and offered to give him a ride. Bartelt declined […]
Sufficiency of evidence — bail jumping; stipulation to bail status. Self-defense — failure to ask for instruction
State v. Adrian Castaneda, 2012AP1596-CR, District 1, 8/13/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity Sufficiency of evidence to support felony bail jumping conviction The state and the defense stipulated to the fact that Castaneda had been charged with a felony and agreed the jury would be told only that Castaneda had […]
Judicial bias — sentencing after revocation
State v. Anthony M. Teller, Jr., 2013AP502-CR, District 3, 8/13/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity The sentencing court exhibited objective bias in the form of the appearance of bias based on its statements at the original sentencing hearing: ¶21 …. The court told Teller he had “bad news” in the form […]
Ineffective assistance of counsel — inadequate presentation of defense of misidentification
State v. William M. Grunwald, 2012AP2531-CR, District 4, 8/8/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity Grunwald was charged with reckless endangerment for kicking Stevens, who was lying on the ground after being beaten by Houghton. Grunwald’s defense at trial was that he was mistakenly identified by eyewitnesses to the incident. After […]
Plea withdrawal granted because bargain was “illusory”
State v. Myron C. Dillard, 2013 WI App 108, petition for review granted, 2/19/14, affirmed, 2014 WI 123; case activity Dillard accepted a plea bargain under which a persistent repeater allegation was dismissed, thus apparently reducing his maximum penalty exposure by avoiding a mandatory life sentence without prospect of release. But Dillard was not really […]
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On Point provides information (not legal advice) about important developments in the law. Please note that this information may not be up to date. Viewing this blog does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Wisconsin State Public Defender. Readers should consult an attorney for their legal needs.