BURNETT COUNTY, Wis. -- According to public record Jesse Marek and Samantha Stoeklen, both of Grantsburg, WI, appeared in Burnett County Circuit Court on May 24, 2017, and the Court placed both of them on signature bonds regarding their felony charges stemming from the death of their infant child.
DrydenWire.com reported on this story on April 4, 2017. The death of an infant had been reported to Burnett County Law Enforcement after an infant was brought to Burnett Medical Center for emergency care on February 1, 2016, because Marek had found the infant limp, unresponsive and barely breathing. The infant later was transferred to St. Paul Children's Hospital where he was ultimately pronounced deceased.
According to the criminal complaint, an autopsy was completed by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. The autopsy report revealed that the infant had suffered multiple injuries, including heart damage, internal bleeding, multiple rib fractures, and injuries to his upper lip.
Criminal charges of Class C Felony Child Abuse – Intentionally Cause Great Bodily Harm were filed against both Marek and Stoeklen.
Public record shows that both Marek and Stoeklen appeared in Burnett County Circuit Court on May 24, 2017, for their initial appearances on these charges. The Court set $5,000 signature bonds for each of them.
Marek and Stoeklen are both scheduled to appear again on July 5, 2017, for pre-trial conferences on their felony charges with plea hearings also scheduled for August 8, 2017.
DrydenWire.com reached out to area attorney Joseph Schieffer for some insight regarding signature bonds:
"The issue of bail for an individual accused of a crime is often one of the first rulings a judge makes in a case. There are many considerations a court must make when determining what, if any, bail shall be required of an individual accused of committing a crime in Wisconsin. When an individual is released with conditions from custody, two of the most common ways are by signature bond or cash bond. In a signature bond, the defendant signs his/her name “promising” they will abide by the conditions set by the court, including coming to all court hearings pertaining to the case without immediately posting any money. A cash bail is a condition set by the court that the defendant (or someone on his/her behalf) must post money in order to guarantee the return of the individual to the next court hearing.
"The bail process in Wisconsin is first guided by the United States and Wisconsin Constitutions, and then the applicable Wisconsin statute. The U.S. and Wisconsin Constitutions similarly state that “excessive bail shall not be required.” (1) Wisconsin legislators have further defined the excessive bail clause(s) under Chapter 969 of the Wisconsin Statutes. “Bail may be imposed at or after the initial appearance only upon a finding by the court that there is a reasonable basis to believe that bail is necessary to assure appearance in court. (2) In considering whether an individual is likely to appear in court, the statutes again guide the court by giving considerations including, but not limited to: the ability of the arrested person to give bail, the nature, number and gravity of the offenses and the potential penalty the defendant faces, whether the defendant has in the past forfeited bail or violated a condition of release, and the policy against unnecessary detention of the defendant’s pending trial. (3) There are many more considerations a court may make in determining conditions of release and none are given greater weight than the other in the Wisconsin Statutes."
DrydenWire.com will continue to update the community on this situation when any significant activity or progress develops and reminds our readers that arrested or charged individuals are presumed innocent until convicted by judge or jury.
Joseph Schieffer formerly prosecuted cases in Barron & Washington counties in Wisconsin. Currently, he is a solo practitioner in Cumberland, Wisconsin specializing in criminal defense and civil litigation in Barron, Washburn, Rusk, Burnett, Sawyer, and surrounding counties. He can be reached at joseph@schiefferlaw.com with questions or comments.
References:
- U.S. Constitution, Amendment VIII; Wisconsin Constitution Article I, Section 6
- Wis. Stat. §969.01(1)
- Wis. Stat. §969.01(4)
Last Update: May 30, 2017 6:59 pm CDT
