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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.

§ 904.01, Relevance – “Profile Character” (Richard A.P.) Evidence (Absence of Sex Offender Characteristics)

State v. Richard A.P., 223 Wis.2d 777, 589 N.W.2d 674 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Richard: Robert Henak

Holding: The trial court reversibly erred in refusing to allow an expert psychologist to testify that defendant “did not show any evidence of any diagnosable sexual disorder. … [and] that absent a diagnosable disorder, it is unlikely that such a person would molest a child.”

This evidence was relevant: “[Psychologist] Lodl’s testimony may well have assisted the jury in determining whether Richard,

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Plea Bargains — Breach: By Prosecutor — Revocation of Probation for Failure to Admit Offense After Alford Plea

State ex rel. Phillip I. Warren v. Schwarz, 219 Wis.2d 615, 579 N.W.2d 698 (1998), affirming State ex rel. Warren v. Schwarz, 211 Wis. 2d 708, 566 N.W.2d 173 (Ct. App. 1997)
State v. Phillip I. Warren, 219 Wis.2d 615, 579 N.W.2d 698 (1998), on certification
For Warren: Ralph A. Kalal.

Issue: Whether “the State breached the Alford plea agreement and thereby violated his right to due process when it revoked his probation solely on his continued assertion of innocence.”

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Impeachment — Witness’s Mental Condition

State v. Richard A.P., 223 Wis.2d 777, 589 N.W.2d 674 (Ct. App. 1998).
For Richard: Robert Henak.

Issue/Holding: Diagnosis of multiple personality disorder, to impeach witness: evidence of mental impairment does not, without more, affect witness’s credibility. Without evidence that this condition affected the witness’s recall ability, it is irrelevant.

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Guilty Pleas – Required Knowledge – Collateral & Direct Consequences – Alford plea – probation condition requiring admission of guilt

State ex rel. Phillip I. Warren v. Schwarz, 219 Wis.2d 615, 579 N.W.2d 698 (1998), affirming State ex rel. Warren v. Schwarz 211 Wis. 2d 708, 566 N.W.2d 173 (Ct. App. 1997).
State v. Phillip I. Warren, 219 Wis.2d 615, 579 N.W.2d 698 (1998), on certification
For Warren: Ralph A. Kalal

Issue: “(W)hether the circuit court’s failure to inform Warren at the time of his Alford plea that he would be required to admit his guilt during a sex offender treatment program rendered that plea unknowing and involuntary in violation of his right to due process,”

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Hearsay — Statement — Truth of Matter Asserted — Probative Value

State v. Michael A. Sveum, 220 Wis. 2d 396, 584 N.W.2d 137 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Sveum: Robert T. Ruth

Issue/Holding: Where the defendant sought admissibility of a statement by a non-testifying declarant on the basis that it was not offered for its truthfulness, but the statement would have probative value only if offered for truth of the matter asserted, it was inadmissible hearsay.

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Foundation — Videotape — Same Requirement as Still Photo — Expert Unnecessary

State v. William R. Peterson, 222 Wis. 2d 449, 588 N.W.2d 84 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Peterson: Donna L. Hintze, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

The State provides no authority to support the trial court’s imposition of a requirement that, as a matter of law, expert testimony is necessary to establish a foundation for video images, and we are aware of none. Wisconsin case law does not impose such a requirement for the admission of still photographs.

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Authentication — Voice on Tape

State v. Gary Curtis, 218 Wis. 2d 550, 582 N.W.2d 409 (Ct. App. 1998)
For Curtis: Arthur B. Nathan

Issue/Holding:

Next, Curtis claims that the tapes admitted into evidence at trial were not properly authenticated. At trial, Poivey, a party to the conversations on the tapes, testified that the voices on the tapes were his and Curtis’. This type of voice identification is a valid avenue of authentication.

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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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