State v. Jeffrey P. Lepsch

2017 WI 27, 892 N.W.2d 682, 374 Wis. 2d 98, 2017 WL 1217217, 2017 Wisc. LEXIS 165
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 31, 2017
Docket2014AP002813-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 2017 WI 27 (State v. Jeffrey P. Lepsch) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Jeffrey P. Lepsch, 2017 WI 27, 892 N.W.2d 682, 374 Wis. 2d 98, 2017 WL 1217217, 2017 Wisc. LEXIS 165 (Wis. 2017).

Opinions

[106]*106ANNETTE KINGSLAND ZIEGLER, J.

¶ 1. This is a review of an unpublished decision of the court of appeals, State v. Lepsch, No. 2014AP2813-CR, unpublished slip op. (Wis. Ct. App. Nov. 19, 2015) (per curiam), which affirmed the La Crosse County circuit court's1 judgment of conviction of defendant Jeffrey Lepsch ("Lepsch") and order denying Lepsch's motion for postconviction relief.

f 2. A jury found Lepsch guilty of killing two individuals during an armed robbery in La Crosse, Wisconsin.2 Lepsch was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison. Before this court, Lepsch argues he is entitled to a new trial due to alleged errors pertaining to jury selection and the jury Lepsch received.

¶ 3. More specifically, Lepsch presents the following arguments: (1) Lepsch's right to a trial by an impartial jury was violated because certain of the jurors in his case were subjectively and objectively biased; (2) Lepsch's right to due process of law was violated because of circumstances that created the likelihood or appearance of bias and because of alleged deficiencies in the circuit court's investigation into and mitigation of these circumstances; (3) Lepsch's right to be present at a critical stage of his proceedings, right to a public trial, and right to a jury properly sworn to be impartial were violated because the La Crosse County Clerk of Courts administered the oath to the prospective jurors in Lepsch's case outside of Lepsch's pres[107]*107ence;3 and (4) Lepsch's right to receive the proper number of peremptory strikes, to full use of those strikes, and to have biased jurors removed for cause was violated by the circuit court. Lepsch explains that "all of the issues litigated in this appeal have been raised via a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel."4

¶ 4. We conclude that each of Lepsch's claims fails, and that he is not entitled to a new trial. Consequently, we affirm the decision of the court of appeals.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶ 5. On September 15, 2012, police were dispatched to a store in La Crosse, WI. The bodies of P.P. and A.P had been discovered by a family member at the store; each had been shot in the head. There were also signs of a robbery.

¶ 6. On October 10, 2012, Lepsch was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, contrary to Wis. Stat. § 940.01(1)(a). The following day, an amended complaint was filed additionally charging Lepsch with armed robbery with use of force, contrary to Wis. Stat. § 943.32(1)(a) and (2), and possession of a firearm by a felon, contrary to Wis. Stat. § 941.29(2)(a). On October 25, 2012, at Lepsch's arraignment, Lepsch [108]*108stood mute and the circuit court entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf. A few months later, the case was set for a jury trial.

¶ 7. Jury selection in this case proceeded as follows. Prior to the date of jury selection, prospective jurors completed paper questionnaires asking dozens of questions on subjects ranging from the jurors' favorite television shows to the jurors' views on various legal propositions. These questionnaires required a signature under the following statement: "I affirm, under penalty of perjury, that I have given complete and honest answers to all of the questions above." The parties agreed to excuse about two dozen prospective jurors at least in part on the basis of the answers provided. On July 23, 2013, jury selection itself occurred. Prospective jurors gathered in the "jury assembly room," where they were sworn by the La Crosse County Clerk of Courts. The parties seem to agree that neither Lepsch nor his attorneys were present when the oath was administered.

¶ 8. Certain prospective jurors were then brought into the courtroom for individual questioning in the presence of the court, Lepsch, and his attorneys. A number of prospective jurors were excused. Next, remaining prospective jurors were brought into the courtroom as a group and questioned in the presence of the court, Lepsch, and his attorneys. Finally, Lepsch and the State were each given six peremptory strikes and a panel of 15 jurors was selected.

¶ 9. From Wednesday, July 24, 2013, to Friday, July 26, 2013, and from Monday, July 29, 2013, to Tuesday, July 30, 2013, Lepsch was tried before the jury. There is no dispute that this jury was properly sworn by a clerk in Lepsch's presence in court at the start of his trial. On July 30, 2013, the jury returned a [109]*109verdict of guilty as to all counts charged. On September 3, 2013, the circuit court sentenced Lepsch to two life sentences without extended supervision for the homicide charges, a 40-year term of imprisonment for the armed robbery charge, and a 10-year term of imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a felon charge, all to be served consecutively. On September 4, 2013, the judgment of conviction was entered.

¶ 10. On November 25, 2013, Lepsch filed a notice of intent to seek postconviction relief, and on July 15, 2014, Lepsch filed a postconviction motion for a new trial. In his motion he challenged the convictions asserting that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. On September 4, 2014, the circuit court held a Machner hearing on Lepsch's motion. See State v. Machner, 92 Wis. 2d 797, 285 N.W.2d 905 (Ct. App. 1979). On November 14, 2014, the circuit court denied Lepsch's motion.

¶ 11. On December 2, 2014, Lepsch filed a notice of appeal. On November 19, 2015, the court of appeals affirmed the circuit court's judgment of conviction and order denying postconviction relief in an unpublished, per curiam opinion. Lepsch, unpublished slip op., ¶ 1.

¶ 12. On December 4, 2015, Lepsch filed a petition for review in this court. On May 11, 2016, this court granted the petition.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 13. "A claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is a mixed question of fact and law." State v. Ortiz-Mondragon, 2015 WI 73, ¶ 30, 364 Wis. 2d 1, 866 N.W.2d 717 (quoting State v. Carter, 2010 WI 40, ¶ 19, 324 Wis. 2d 640, 782 N.W.2d 695). We review the [110]*110circuit court's findings of fact under a clearly erroneous standard, but independently determine the legal question of whether counsel's assistance was ineffective. Id. (quoting Carter, 324 Wis. 2d 640, ¶ 19).

¶ 14. We "review [] constitutional questions, both state and federal, de novo." State v. Lagrone, 2016 WI 26, ¶ 18, 368 Wis. 2d 1, 878 N.W.2d 636 (quoting State v. Schaefer, 2008 WI 25, ¶ 17, 308 Wis. 2d 279, 746 N.W.2d 457).

¶ 15. Other applicable standards will be discussed below.

III. ANALYSIS

¶ 16. Lepsch's appeal focuses on his ineffective assistance of counsel claim.5 Lepsch possesses state and federal constitutional rights to the effective assistance of counsel. U.S. Const, amends. VI, XIV; Wis. [111]*111Const. art. I, § 7;6

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Bluebook (online)
2017 WI 27, 892 N.W.2d 682, 374 Wis. 2d 98, 2017 WL 1217217, 2017 Wisc. LEXIS 165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-jeffrey-p-lepsch-wis-2017.