State high court refuses to hear old slaying

By: Associated Press//February 27, 2012//

Listen to this article

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from an Ashwaubenon man convicted of killing a go-go dancer 36 years ago.

A jury in 2009 convicted Thomas Niesen of first-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Kathleen Leichtman in Fond du Lac in 1976.

Prosecutors accused Niesen of luring Leichtman out of the bar where she danced and slashing her throat. The case went unsolved until early 2009, when DNA tests showed Niesen had sex with Leichtman up to 26 hours before she died.

Niesen, now 56, argued prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to convict him.

Last October a state appeals court ruled that the jury properly convicted Niesen. Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court denied his petition for review.

Niesen’s attorney didn’t immediately return a message Monday.

Select Region or Brand

Upcoming Event