From the left, defendant Chad Jorgensen on the witness stand, Nina Bostwick, the court reporter, and Circuit Judge Fred Kawalski. |
Jury quickly convicts murder plot figure Sept. 17, 2008 A man wounded by a bitter divorce will perhaps, be spending time in the Wisconsin prison system.
Chad Jorgensen, 36, became a prime candidate for a long term behind bars Tuesday after a jury came back with a speedy decision on charges he solicited an Antigo man to kill his ex-wife. The ruling came after a two-day trial in Langlade County Circuit Court.
While the jury made easy work of the verdict, the trial was fairly complex.
Attorney James Connell, who represented Jorgensen, indicated that his client, who was in the Safety Building lock-up on divorce related issues, met up with Ryan Becker, a jail house regular.
Discussions, some involving talk of death, ensued, Becker told authorities about those meetings and subsequent sessions were tape recorded by the Langlade County Sheriff’s Department leading to the solicitation charge.
The state, represented by District Attorney Ralph Uttke, argued that Jorgensen truly wanted his ex-wife dead but Connell countered, calling the case the “most self serving fairytale told to the jury in this county.”
The panel disagreed, returning with a verdict of guilt after only 45 minutes of delibration.
Jorgensen faces a fine up to $25,000, up to 12 years in prison or both but no date for that action has been set. Until then, he will remain a resident of the Safety Building, where he has been held since March.
Uttke said he will wait until completion of a pre-sentence investigation prior to formulating a recommendation for punishment.
Jorgensen was charged with plotting to kill his former wife, Kelly, after a counselor who had been meeting with Becker and Becker himself reported to authorities that the contact about the murder project had been made. Becker and Jorgensen were cellmates in the jail at the time of the discussions and on at least two different occassions, some of those meetings were captured on audiotape.
“You know, I could get into trouble just probably talking about it, for like I’ve been joking about it for four years,” Jorgensen is quoted as saying.
There had been talk of payment, possibly cash or a van, but nothing was ever exchanged and the plot never came to fruition.
“I’m calling it off though,” Jorgensen said during another taped discussion.
Jorgensen agreed that he spoke of his ex-wife in ill-terms, even suggesting her early demise. He described the talk as “entertaining thoughts” but denied actually wanting her dead.
“I did not want Ryan Becker to commit this crime,” Jorgensen said at trial.
But the comment came too late and under cross examination, the defendent admitted that although initially believing Becker to be joking, he soon began to believe the intent to kill was serious — and still he did nothing.
“So you thought this man was going to kill your ex-wife and you did nothing. Is that correct?” Uttke asked.
“That’s correct,” Jorgensen responded.
During closing arguments Uttke stressed testimony during the trial that suggested Jorgensen meant business when discussing the death — and then the plans to cancel the deal to kill his wife — suggesting there had been a real intent.
“Even in his statements when he said he’s ‘calling it off,’ in his heart, he still wanted her dead,” Uttke said.
Connell raised the viability of the witness, and repeatedly noted Becker’s long record as a criminal and credibility problems.
He described the case as “barbershop bravado” and suggested Becker was “all talk,” stating it was simply a way for Becker to get an early release from jail.
“Ryan Becker’s plot was borrowed from the movies,” he said. “Chad didn’t solicit this crime, Ryan Becker did.”
Following the instructions to the jury by Circuit Judge Fred Kawalski, the panel started deliberations and the jury returned with the verdict less than an hour later.
Advised to be civil, the gallery was controlled when the foreman announced the guilty plea. And Jorgensen was returned to the Safety Building cell where he will wait to see what punishment follows.
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