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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.

SVP – Postdisposition: Supervised Release – “Treatability”

State v. Reuven Seibert, 220 Wis. 2d 308, 582 N.W.2d 745 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Seibert: Jane Krueger Smith

Issue/Holding: “(W)hether the proceeding is one under the initial ch. 980 commitment or a later petition for supervised release under § 980.08, there is no constitutional or statutory requirement that the State prove the person is treatable.”

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Attenuation of Taint — Consent — Following Illegal Entry

State v. Jason Phillips, 209 Wis.2d 559, 563 N.W.2d 573 (1997), reversing 209 Wis. 2d 559, 563 N.W.2d 573
For Phillips: Arthur B. Nathan

Issue/Holding: Entry into defendant’s bedroom was preceded by a concededly illegal entry into defendant’s living area, in basement of house. The court holds that any taint was dissipated by the time consent was given, though “only a few minutes [had] elapsed.”

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Consent — Independent Appellate Review — Voluntariness

State v. Jason Phillips, 209 Wis.2d 559, 563 N.W.2d 573 (1997), reversing State v. Phillips, 209 Wis. 2d 559, 563 N.W.2d 573
For Phillips: Arthur B. Nathan

Holding: Consent to search is question of constitutional (as opposed to historical) fact, and therefore subject to independent review on appeal. Defendant consented to warrantless search of bedroom: agents went to house to investigate drug transaction;

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Jury – Bias / Disqualification – Inaccurate / Incomplete Response During Voir Dire

State v. Carlos Delgado, 223 Wis.2d 270, 588 N.W.2d 1 (1999), reversing State v. Delgado, 215 Wis.2d 16, 572 N.W.2d 479 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Delgado: Joseph E. Schubert

Issue/Holding: The supreme court reverses Delgado’s child sexual assault convictions, because a juror’s misleading responses during voir dire indicate her inferred bias against Delgado. During voir dire, the juror failed despite ample opportunity to disclose that she had herself been the victim of a sexual assault as a child.

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Voluntary Statements – Generally

State v. Scott Kiekhefer, 212 Wis. 2d 460, 569 N.W.2d 316 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Kiekhefer: Linda Hornik

Issue/Holding:

In determining whether a statement (confession) was voluntary, courts must independently examine the record and apply the totality of circumstances test. See Arizona v. Fulminante, 499 U.S. 279, 286-87 (1991). “In examining all the surrounding circumstances to determine if in fact the consent to search was coerced,

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Presentence Report – Conflict of Interest – Author Married to Defendant’s Prosecutor — Showing Actual Bias not Required – Remedy (Strike PSI) / Harm (Must Show Unfair Influence over Sentencing Process)

State v. David W. Suchocki, 208 Wis. 2d 509, 561 N.W.2d 332 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Suchocki: Martha A. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

Requiring any defendant to demonstrate that the marital relationship actually influenced the writer’s impressions and recommendations would present an insurmountable hurdle to any defendant attempting to challenge a PSI. The reasons for an agent’s impression may operate at a subjective level of which the report’s author is unaware.

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Presentence Report — Role in Sentencing — In General

State v. David W. Suchocki, 208 Wis. 2d 509, 561 N.W.2d 332 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Suchocki: Martha A. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

Our supreme court has acknowledged the importance of the PSI to the sentencing process. See State v. McQuay, 154 Wis.2d 116, 130-31, 452 N.W.2d 377, 383 (1990). The integrity of the sentencing process demands that the report be accurate,

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Presentence Report — Bias, Demonstration of — Defendant’s Homosexuality

State v. David W. Suchocki, 208 Wis. 2d 509, 561 N.W.2d 332 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Suchocki: Martha A. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

Suchocki claims that his due process right to a fair sentencing hearing was violated. Accordingly, he must demonstrate both bias in the PSI writer and that the sentencing process was prejudiced by such bias. See State v. Coulthard,

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Presentence Report — Use / Challenge to Factual Accuracy

State v. David W. Suchocki, 208 Wis. 2d 509, 561 N.W.2d 332 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Suchocki: Martha A. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

The use of a PSI is a matter within the court’s discretion. The court has discretion to order a PSI and to determine the extent to which it will rely upon the information in the PSI. State v. Skaff,

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Consecutive Sentences — No Authority to Impose, Relative to Jail Time as Condition of Probation in Another Case — Remedy of Resentencing

State v. Daron E. Maron, 214 Wis. 2d 384, 571 N.W.2d 454 (Ct. App. 1997)
For Maron: Susan E. Alesia, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding1:

… We conclude that § 973.15(2), Stats., does not give the trial court authority to order that the sentence be served consecutive to jail time already being served as a condition of probation. …

Subsequent amendment to § 973.15,

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