All motions from the Dale and Leilani Neumann concerning their sentencing were denied Thursday in Marathon County Court. The two were convicted in 2008 of the reckless homicide of their daughter Kara who died from untreated diabetes and acute ketoacidosis. They were asking Judge Greg Huber to remove a staggered 6 months in jail from their sentence in the case. That sentence was on hold during the appeals process. The Neumanns lost a State Supreme Court appeal and their request for a hearing at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Appearing by phone, Leilani Neumann told the court that the trial and the publicity has degraded her publicly and that hardship has brought her new wisdom and light and deepened her faith in God and ADA Lance Leonhard said that all the points in the couple’s motion were already addressed at the time of their sentencing and that nothing has changed to warrant a reduction in the jail time, and that the Neumanns had never brought their sentencing up for appeal.
“Leilani Neumann’s statement was largely the same. It echoed the factors set forth in the motion and for that reason I think it was correctly rejected by the Judge as grounds to modify the sentence,” Leonhard said.
Huber denied that request, but would allow the Neumanns to start serving their sentences this September so long as all 6 months in jail are served by the end of their probation.
Leonhard says they’re aware that this will still remain controversial. “This is a very divisive issue. We saw that when the case was filed, we saw it when the cases were tried, and I think the jury verdict affirm that what the Neumanns did was in fact criminal. That was affirmed by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court.” He also added that jail time was still appropriate. “This was a 25 year prison term offense for which the Neumanns were both convicted. That was considered. Certainly the interests of justice are furthered by service of that jail term, and that was referenced by Judge Huber today.”
WSAU
