Possible October trial set for triple murder case

By GINA DUWE ( Contact )   Thursday, April 23, 2009
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James C. Koepp during his Rock County Court House appearance at a preliminary hearing  in the triple homicide.

James C. Koepp during his Rock County Court House appearance at a preliminary hearing in the triple homicide.

— A two-week trial in October is set for accused triple-murderer James Koepp, though it could be delayed until January depending on when the defense can submit expert analysis.

Koepp, 50, appeared in Rock County Court on Wednesday afternoon for a motion hearing. He is charged in the January 2007 slayings of Danyetta Lentz and her teenage children, Nicole and Scott.

The trial date is dependent on when assistant public defender Walter Isaacson can provide prosecutors with information from an expert to allow enough time for review before trial.

The court made no orders but discussed several motions including:

-- Change of venue. Isaacson is seeking a change of venue because the amount of media coverage would make it impossible for Koepp to get a fair trial with jurors from Rock County, Isaacson argued.

He presented Judge Alan Bates and District Attorney David O'Leary with a box of newspapers and CDs of radio and television broadcasts.

-- DNA analysis. O'Leary said the defense presented him with a statistical analysis of the DNA analysis that prosecutors already have tested, but didn't provide a name of who did the report or an explanation of what it means.

O'Leary wants to know what underlying assumptions were drawn from the analysis.

-- Previous cases. O'Leary is seeking to introduce evidence from three prior cases involving Koepp to help establish proof of plan, motive and intent, he said.

A deadline of May 6 was set for responses to the motions. Koepp next will be in court on June 30.







reader COMMENTS (13)
hannah
Apr 24, 2009 at 10:29 a.m.
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is over 2 years really concidered sreedy?

i remember thekid said nice skullette. yes creapy guy. THat is the same pic from long ago. he hasnt changed still creapy.

woody
Apr 24, 2009 at 7:18 a.m.
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Amendment 6 - Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses. Ratified 12/15/1791.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

evelynjeep
Apr 24, 2009 at 3:52 a.m.
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Your right he does look like Charles Monson I thank that is the look he is going for. I can not stand to look at him,he makes me sick. And now we have another one in there for killing his x-girlfriend what is this town coming to. It will probley take them five years to put him away to.What the hell is going on it just makes me sick.

evelynjeep
Apr 24, 2009 at 3:43 a.m.
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This man should of been put away for good by now. This is just crap. They are wored about a fair trial. That poor family did not get a say in ther death now did they. Put him away and get it over with. But you know Janesville they can not do any thang write,it would not suprist me if he do get off. It should not take this long to put some one away. When are those poor people going to be able to rest in peace come on.

areyouevenlistening
Apr 23, 2009 at 11:31 p.m.
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Is it just me or does this idiot look like Charles Manson now? He seemed to have looked very different when he was arrested WAY BACK WHEN! So much for A speedy trial hey.

wHaTeVeR
Apr 23, 2009 at 5:07 p.m.
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Wouldn't it be nice if a killer could just admit what he has done? Instead of wasting everyone's time and money? Just goes to show how self centered they really are. Let's hope the jury can see the truth and put this pig away for good.

RummageSalesRock
Apr 23, 2009 at 2:24 p.m.
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Oh gosh, so soon?

h0rselvngrl
Apr 23, 2009 at 1:39 p.m.
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I still can't believe they do not have enough evidence, etc. to put this man away for good.....
*
Keep on milking...

SwissChick
Apr 23, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.
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Thanks. It's all coming back to me. Probably a reason I don't want to remember. Sicko.

janesvillean
Apr 23, 2009 at 12:02 p.m.
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"Koepp is a registered sex offender. He served prison time for a 1982 assault in Dane County in which he forced two women at knifepoint to perform sex acts, including intercourse with him."
http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/jan/11/...

SwissChick
Apr 23, 2009 at 11:53 a.m.
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I forgot. What did he do in Madison? I remember reading something about it, but don't recall the details.

hannah
Apr 23, 2009 at 11:35 a.m.
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i would never be a good juror. i would convict him. so what if he didnt do it(which i believe he did do it) youre finally going to pay for what you did to those women in Madison. he should still be in jail for that.

rosewood
Apr 23, 2009 at 10:27 a.m.
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Give me a break-I know the law is innocent until proven guilty-but we all know he did it. He is milking the system and we the taxpayers are paying the bill.

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