Review of a summary disposition, case activity Issues (lifted from the State’s PFR here) Did Wilson satisfy the opportunity requirement for presenting third-party-perpetrator evidence under State v. Denny, 120 Wis. 2d 614, 357 N.W.2d 12 (Ct. App. 1984) with respect to Willie Friend? If the answer to the first question is “yes,” was the error… Read more
L. Harmless Error
Mark D. Jensen v. James Schwochert, No. 11-C-0803 (E.D. Wis. Dec. 18, 2013) Judge William Griesbach of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, has ordered a new trial for Mark Jensen, who was convicted of killing his wife Julie based in part on the use of oral and written statements she made before… Read more
State v. George A. Trinka, 2013AP539, District 2, 12/18/13; (not recommended for publication); case activity A jury found Trinka guilty of 1st-dgree reckless homicide and 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety, both with use of a weapon. The issue on appeal was whether the trial court erred in allowing the State to introduce into evidence a family photograph of the victim, his… Read more
Review of unpublished per curium court of appeals decision; case activity Issue (from state’s petition for review) Whether, if it was error for the trial court to prevent a defense witness from testifying about particular facts relevant to the defense, the error was harmless. Hunt was charged with child sexual assault and causing a child… Read more
Review of unpublished per curiam court of appeals decision; case activity Issue (composed by On Point) Does harmless error analysis apply when a trial judge erroneously denies a defendant the right to testify in her own defense? Nelson wanted to testify in her child sexual assault trial, and the court engaged in a colloquy with… Read more
State v. Trenton James Dawson, 2013AP834-Cr, District 1, 12/3/13 (not recommended for publication); case activity This decision points up a problem in Wisconsin case law: How does an appellate court analyze “harmless error” in a situation where the trial court denies a motion to suppress a defendant’s confession, which then causes him to plead guilty… Read more
State v. Courtney C. Beamon, 2013 WI 47, on review of published court of appeals decision; case activity; majority opinion by Justice Roggensack Beamon was tried for fleeing an officer under § 346.04(3), which requires proof that the person knowingly fled or attempted to elude an officer in one of three ways: 1) by willful or… Read more
State v. Lamont L. Travis, 2013 WI 38, affirming published court of appeals decision, 2012 WI App 46, 340 Wis. 2d 639, 813 N.W.2d 702; case activity ¶9 The question of law presented to this court is whether a circuit court’s imposition of a sentence using inaccurate information that the defendant was subject to a mandatory minimum five-year period… Read more
