First conviction, sentence comes from backlogged testing of sexual-assault kits

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A Waupaca County court handed down the first conviction and sentence resulting from the testing of a backlog of thousands of sexual-assault kits in Wisconsin.

In November, a Waupaca County judge sentenced 51-year-old Leroy Whittenberger to 25 years in prison for the assault of a teenager in July 2012. Attorney General Josh Kaul said the victim’s sexual-assault kit was tested as part of the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in 2017.

The state Justice Department completed testing on a backlog of nearly 4,500 sexual assault kits in November. The results led to a dozen criminal cases, including the case against Whittenberger.

Kaul and victim advocates are calling on Republicans to take action on a bill meant to prevent future backlogs of tests of sexual-assault kits. The proposal would set new timelines and protocols for nurses, victims and members of law enforcement.

The Senate approved the measure in October, but action hasn’t been taken on its Assembly counterpart. On Tuesday, Kaul asked Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, a Republican and the chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, to hold a hearing on the bill. Follow @WLJReporter