Suspect in north La Crosse murder posts $10,000 bond

A suspect in a north La Crosse murder from last winter has been released from the county jail, on $10,000 bail.

Karvel Freeman, a 35-year-old from Madison, was released from the La Crosse County jail last week.

Freeman is charged with party to first-degree homicide and party to second-degree recklessly endangering safety in the January shooting death of 36-year-old Ernest Knox, during a party at an apartment on Rose Street.

Nelson Brown, a 25-year-old from Rockford, Ill., is also accused in the Jan. 8 shooting of Knox at an apartment above the Verse Bar.

They allegedly shot about 50 times inside a stairwell. Knox died from one shot to the chest. At last report, Brown has not been captured yet.

Police say the shooting happened after Freeman knocked over a wine box at the party, and he became upset when someone told him to pick it up. Knox reportedly tried to get Freeman to calm down.

Freeman was arrested in March in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and his initial bail was set at $500,000 at his first court appearance in La Crosse County.

“The defendant is facing life in prison and has a strong incentive to flee,” La Crosse County Assistant District Attorney Nick Passe said in arguing for the $500,000 bond during the initial hearing.

Freeman’s bond was reduced to $200,000 at a hearing in June.

Freeman’s attorney wanted his client to be allowed to move home to Tennessee, where the suspect was arrested weeks after the murder.

La Crosse County Judge Court Judge Elliott Levine lowered Freeman’s bond to $10,000 on Aug. 10, and he was released from jail two days later, on Friday.

La Crosse County Judge Elliott Levine reduced the bond, but is requiring Freeman to stay in Wisconsin on house arrest while he awaits trial. Freeman would be allowed to live in Milwaukee County.

Brown remains at large.