Hearing set again contract killing case

By MIKE DUPRE' Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008

Photo

Joseph Chrislaw Sr. making an appearance for a preliminary hearing in solicitation of murder case at the Rock County Courthouse in Janesville.

JANESVILLE — The man accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill a Janesville City Council member and his girlfriend now has an attorney and a pending preliminary hearing.

Joseph Chrislaw Sr., 46, of 733 Kellogg Ave., No. 3, Janesville, is charged with two counts of soliciting first-degree intentional homicide.

In a hearing Tuesday, Judge James Daley determined Chrislaw to be partially indigent and appointed lawyer Robert Junig of Beloit to defend him. Chrislaw is expected to repay Rock County for the costs of his court-appointed attorney.

Daley also rescheduled a postponed preliminary hearing for 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, before Court Commissioner Stephen Meyer.

Chrislaw remained in custody Tuesday afternoon at the Rock County Jail in lieu of $30,000 cash bond, $15,000 on each charge.

The preliminary hearing will determine if there is probable cause that Chrislaw tried to hire a contract killer to kill his estranged wife, Inna M. Cheremisina, 34, and her boyfriend, Janesville City Councilman Yuri Rashkin, 33, as the criminal complaint alleges.

Chrislaw worked for a local pizzeria.

When Chrislaw thought he was talking to a hit man from the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, he in fact was speaking with an undercover Janesville police officer, according to the criminal complaint.

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