Posted on 05/12/2005 5:51:18 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Chai S. Vang, the St. Paul man charged with killing six deer hunters and wounding two others last fall, can get a fair trial in Sawyer County, Wis., the Wisconsin attorney general's office argued in documents filed Wednesday.
The state's attorney argued against motions filed earlier by Vang's attorneys, who said that heavy publicity and negative attitudes toward nonwhites in the county would make it difficult to select an impartial jury for Vang's trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 12.
"The mere fact that a case has been covered extensively in the media is not a sufficient basis to justify a change of venue," Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager wrote, adding that the coverage was "primarily informational and not inflammatory" or prejudicial. Lautenschlager rejected the defense's contention that "racial and cultural overtones" in Sawyer County would make it impossible for Vang to be tried fairly there. While acknowledging that a small number of people may have made some "offensive and deplorable" comments about Vang and his attorneys, Lautenschlager said there's no evidence that such views are widespread or that jurors from the county couldn't be impartial.
Vang, 36, who is being held in lieu of $2.5 million bail, has pleaded not guilty to six counts of intentional homicide and three counts of attempted intentional homicide. The Nov. 21 shootings occurred after a group of hunters confronted him about being on private property and using one of their tree stands.
In its filings, the state asked Sawyer County Circuit Judge Norman Yackel to deny a defense request to suppress Vang's alleged confession. The defense said investigators shouldn't have interviewed Vang because he requested an attorney. Lautenschlager countered that while Vang did request an attorney, he changed his mind 15 minutes later and in writing waived his right to remain silent.
(Excerpt) Read more at 24hour.startribune.com ...
You or I could try Vang and get a conviction with no legal degree whatsoever in any state in the nation.
Peg is so transparent. This man needs to fry, but it's such a political slam-dunk...and the socialist dupes of Wisconsin will lap it up like cream and continue to re-elect this drunk. *Rolleyes*
I'll be posting the "fawing over Peg" articles that appear in my local rags. Let the Games Begin!
He shot half the jury now what??
I think it should be moved also...........TO BARRON County.
That was the home of most of the victims.
Too bad they can't try him in the fed system where the chair would be an option.
Well, he didn't eat them. Remember, the Packer Grill is in Colorado, not Wisconsin.
"Too bad they can't try him in the fed system where the chair would be an option."
I know. In this case, I would set aside any reservations I had about Wisconsin's lack of a Death Penalty.
BUT...thanks to Ex-Governor Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin law DOES have teeth, and Life does mean LIFE.
I do hate to see Lautenschlager re-gain one OUNCE of credibility on the bodies of six dead hunters, though. :(
This is pretty typical of Great Lakes area criminal mentality forgiveness. Three hots and a cot for life at our expense, not including legal fees. I'm glad I won't be around in a few more decades to see how wretched our society (legal and otherwise) has become.
Toby's got it about right :
"Grandpappy told my pappy, back in my day, son
A man had to answer for the wicked that he done
Take all the rope in texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street for all the people to see that
Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
We’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses
We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
We’ve got too much corruption, too much crime in the streets
It’s time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send ’em all to their Maker and He’ll settle ’em down
You can bet He’ll settle um down "
They could but they won't and we know why.
He didn't break any federal laws, so the state court is the only place they can try him, but with 6 counts of murder Wisconsin can put him away for life.
They could try him under federal hate crimes laws.
What would they have to do to try him under federal hate crime?
ping
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/statutes.htm#anchor86062
2) Prohibits willful injury, intimidation, or interference or attempt to do so, by force or threat of force of any person because of race, color, religion, or national origin and because of his/her activity as:
a) A student or applicant for admission to any public school or public College;
b) a participant in any benefit, service, privilege, program, facility, or activity provided or administered by a state or local government;
I believe hunting would be covered by any reading of b) above.
I agree
Oops, my apologies. It's the same article I posted the other day.
Thanks for ping anyways.... I will be following this.
Hey - we'll host the trial here in Arkansas - and we have the death penalty!!! (OK - I know it still has to be in the same state.... Just making a point.)
I enjoyed reading it just as much this time too . . .
[grin]
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