Murder suspect goes to prison while his trial is in limbo

A La Crosse County murder trial that was scheduled for October is now off, while the search continues for a defense attorney.

Meanwhile, suspect Anquin St. Junious is being sent to prison to start a five-year term for stabbing a local bartender at John’s Bar in downtown La Crosse back in 2011.

St. Junious is charged with reckless homicide for the January 2019 stabbing death of Virgil Stewart, during a fight in the doorway of a taxi.

The defendant fired his lawyer in that case and wants to defend himself.

On Wednesday, Judge Ramona Gonzalez took the October murder trial off the calendar, saying he should have an attorney.

“To represent yourself in a homicide case is not a good idea,” Gonzalez said.

St. Junious argued that a witness who saw Stewart bleed immediately after he was stabbed has told two different versions.

He says in one version, the female witness met Stewart outside her car on 7th Street, but in the other version, Stewart walked directly from the taxi to the woman’s car.

Gonzalez also ordered St. Junious to begin a prison term, after his supervision for the earlier stabbing was revoked.