Homicide cases

By TED SULLIVAN ( Contact )   Sunday, October 18, 2009 - 10:26 p.m.

Two Janesville homicide suspects could stand trial in January, but Rock County jurors might not hear either case.

James Koepp, 49, suspected of murdering three people in Janesville, has been granted a change of venue because the judge decided he can’t get a fair trial due to pretrial publicity.

His trial will be in Rock County, but the jury pool will be drawn from an outlying area.

Meanwhile, Kyle E. Hicke, 37, Milton, accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend in Janesville, has asked for a change of venue for the same reason. The judge has yet to decide the issue.

Attorneys in both cases claimed local media reports made it impossible for their clients to get a fair trial in front of Rock County jurors.

What do you think?

Should these men stand trial in front of Rock County residents?

Could attorneys find impartial jurors from here?

Let us know.

reader COMMENTS (22)
lovelystephanie
Oct 28, 2009 at 8:31 a.m.
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I know this is getting old...especially for us...but this man will pay for what he's done to my family as well as his own.

koeppjoseph
Oct 21, 2009 at 10:57 a.m.
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let them draw from outside -give them NO excuss or find reason for mistrial.

truecitizen
Oct 21, 2009 at 12:23 a.m.
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Both of these subjects are a waist of air-literally and they are guilty obviously.....BUT. We have a system in place and I agree they will not get a fair jury selection. The members should be chosen outside of this venue. Otherwise those two cause us to break our system of 'fair jury selection'. Let another county body-selection find those two devils guilty! Then we win while playing by the rules!

gray_ghost
Oct 20, 2009 at 11:13 a.m.
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HANG EM HIGH!

SwissChick
Oct 20, 2009 at 9:40 a.m.
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BTW - With local jurors.

SwissChick
Oct 20, 2009 at 9:38 a.m.
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carlitosway - You bet!! I totally agree.

janesvillecomments
Oct 20, 2009 at 2:25 a.m.
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From Silverado:
Cobb: "We're gonna give you a fair trial, followed by a first class hanging."

ms_sassy_wi
Oct 19, 2009 at 11:28 p.m.
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I would love to believe that Justice Will Prevail, but time and reason grants that innocent until proven guilty sometimes allows the guilty to walk free. Incredibly frustrating! I'd hate to see them "get" the wrong guy (like in the first Avery case), but if they can prove they are guilty, please don't let them walk on a technicality!

gray_ghost
Oct 19, 2009 at 6:50 p.m.
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it does not matter where the jury is from. the truth will prevail.

JohnDoe
Oct 19, 2009 at 5:10 p.m.
Suggest removal

"They should stand trial where they committed the crime"

Carlito....actually, he will....

The third sentence of the article states...
"His trial will be in Rock County, but the jury pool will be drawn from an outlying area."

SarahB1
Oct 19, 2009 at 2:10 p.m.
Suggest removal

I think Koepp has a point about the pretrial publicity; I don't feel the same about Hicke.

JAYT
Oct 19, 2009 at 1:46 p.m.
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We should move the court location to a state that has death penalty. It doesn't matter where they go for court, they will end up in HELL

Inyafaze
Oct 19, 2009 at 12:03 p.m.
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Get them in court and get these two losers gone for life... Both are some twisted crazy's

browneyedgirl3528
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:20 a.m.
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I dont think it matters where they get a trial. Murder is murder it doesnt really matter where the jury is from or where the trail is held. If your gulity, your gulity.

hannah
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:02 a.m.
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I dont think it matters when they have all the evidence they need. It seems obvious to me from what I read both are guilty. I dont know how the Hickie guy would even think to try to get off!!

fishingal
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.
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I agree with BBB and will add I feel they will be found guilty no matter where the trial is held. Maybe my opinion shows just why they should be tried outside our district.

carlitosway
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:32 a.m.
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Also I believe they find impartial jurors within the county. The news of both cases were not only local they were publicized to many areas within the state and out of state by press and television.

carlitosway
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:24 a.m.
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They should stand trial where they committed the crime. the public they were a threat to should not have to travel to see the trial and verdict. They had guts enough to committ the crime here, let them have guts enough to face their music here......Did their victims have a choice as to where they were to die? They were the judge, jury and executioner of the victims and the victims will never get an appeal as they were sentenced to death without having a choice or chance to live.....

sannio
Oct 19, 2009 at 7:50 a.m.
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Killing women is pretty much murder anywhere they go to trial except maybe Saudi Arabia.

BBB
Oct 19, 2009 at 7:06 a.m.
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As much I would like them to be judged in Rock County the lawyers will have a case for retrial. They will claim they did not get a impartial jury.

tibetrin
Oct 19, 2009 at 2:23 a.m.
Suggest removal

Jury of your peers. Yes, they should stand trial in Rock County and the jurors should also be from Rock County.

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