C. Chs. 939: Inchoate offenses

on review of published decision; case activity Issues (composed by On Point):  1. Whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain conviction for conspiracy-theft by fraud, in that: no conspirator expressly made a false representation; and in any event, Steffes joined the conspiracy after it had already been set in motion. 2. Whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain… Read more

State v. Frederick L. Lucht, 2011AP1644-CR, District 4, 9/27/12 court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity The record supports the existence of an agreement between Lucht and another to commit the crime of first-degree intentional homicide. ¶28      Lucht refers us to cases standing for propositions that a conspiracy cannot be based on a… Read more

State v. Scott E. Schmidt, 2012 WI App 113 (recommended for publication); case activity Adequate Provocation Defense, §§ 939.44(1),  940.01(2)(a) – Test for Admissibility The “some evidence,” rather than Schmidt’s proposed less stringent “mere relevance,” standard controls admissibility of evidence of adequate provocation that would reduce first- to second-degree intentional homicide: ¶9        When applying the some evidence… Read more

State v. Roshawn Smith, 2012 WI 91, reversing in part, affirming in part unpublished decision; case activity Standard of Review: Sufficiency of Evidence  ¶29  We understand Smith’s central argument regarding the standard of review on the evidentiary question to be summed up in the proposition that a jury verdict of guilt[9] must be reversed on appeal if “[t]he inferences that… Read more

Question Presented: Whether withdrawing from a conspiracy prior to the statute of limitations period negates an element of a conspiracy charge such that, once a defendant meets his burden of production that he did so withdraw, the burden of persuasion rests with the government to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was a member… Read more

State v. Matthew R. Steffes, 2012 WI App 47 (recommended for publication), petition for review granted, 10/16/12; for Steffes: Jeffrey W. Jensen; case activity Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Fraud, §§ 939.31, 943.20(1)(d) – Sufficiency of Evidence  Evidence held sufficient to sustain Steffes’ conviction for conspiracy to commit theft by fraud, based on his participation in… Read more

State v. Sean T. Powell, 2012 WI App 33 (recommended for publication); for Powell: Richard L. Kaiser; case activity Conviction for CCW, § 941.23, requires proof of a “dangerous weapon,” which is in turn defined under §  939.22(10) to include “any firearm.” The pattern instruction, Wis JI-Criminal 910 embellishes the definition: “A firearm is a weapon… Read more