Coronavirus
Trials decreasing in La Crosse County, on hold for now
When a Monroe County couple was sentenced last week for keeping their kids in cages, spectators filled two courtrooms in Sparta to maintain social distancing.
But that kind of live court hearing has been rare in the last few months, with more cases being conducted by video.
La Crosse County has held only 3 jury trials this year, and other pending trials have been placed on hold.
Even before COVID hit, the number of local trials went down in the past year, from 35 in 2018 to 21 in 2019.
County clerk of courts Pam Radtke says her staff is still working on ways to conduct trials where a jury can be in one place.
One trial that was supposed to be held this week stems from a murder in January of 2019, and there’s no telling when it will happen now.
Radtke says efforts are being made to furnish all six local courtrooms with video equipment, and digital recording devices also are being installed, to make up for a shortage of human court reporters.
Joe
August 13, 2020 at 7:12 am
the right to a speedy trial? hmmm… need to figure it out.