Court Error – Right o Confrontation

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WI Court of Appeals – District IV

Case Name: State of Wisconsin v. William B. Petty

Case No.: 2015AP641-CR

Officials: Kloppenburg, P.J., and Lundsten and Sherman, JJ.

Focus: Court Error – Right o Confrontation

William Petty appeals a judgment of conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon as a repeater and injury by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon as a repeater in connection with a shooting at an apartment. Petty also appeals the denial of his postconviction motion for a new trial. Petty argues that the judgment should be vacated and the case should be remanded for a new trial for three reasons: (1) Petty was deprived of his constitutional right to confrontation when the victim testified selectively at trial by invoking the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination; (2) the circuit court erred in admitting “other acts” evidence of Petty’s gun purchase two days before the charged crimes occurred; and (3) the circuit court erred in admitting into evidence an out-of-court identification of Petty by the seller of the gun. We address and reject each of Petty’s arguments below. Accordingly, we affirm.

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.