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Stabbing suspect to get public defender

Photo

Damen E. Leroy

LAKE GENEVA — A Lake Geneva man charged with arson and attempted murder will be represented by a public defender.

Damen E. Leroy, 31, of 1053 Mobile St. faces 100 years in prison if convicted. He is accused of stabbing 47-year-old Arthur Johnsen at Johnsen’s Delavan apartment and setting fire to the property.

Johnsen, who lives in a building of mostly elderly and disabled residents, was expected to recover from his injuries, police said.

Leroy appeared in Walworth County Court on Tuesday. He is eligible for public representation and will have an attorney assigned to him in the coming days.

He is being held on $100,000 cash bond and is scheduled to be back in court Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint:

Johnsen said he was sleeping in his apartment when he was attacked. Johnsen told officers Leroy had attacked him and "must have started" the fire.

Leroy was arrested at his home about an hour after the incident. Police said there appeared to be blood stains on his shirt, pants and both hands. He also had cuts to his right hand knuckles.

Leroy admitted trying to kill Johnsen. "I stabbed him, I was trying to kill him, and I should go to prison," he told police.

Leroy used an 11-inch knife he described as a "Rambo" knife. Johnsen was able to wrestle the knife away from Leroy. Leroy said he used books in Johnsen's room to start the fire because he wanted to burn the place and kill the Delavan man.