A 6’5″ man walked into Judge Bruce Schroeder’s court room today, towering over two of the Sheriff’s larger Deputies, with the intention of standing trial for armed burglary, armed robbery and a slew of other serious felonies. Joshua Ziminski appeared a little differently today. The 37-year old man with “SIN” tattooed on the back of his head and a satanic upside-down-cross on his forehead, wore two crosses in the correct orientation around his neck – rosaries. His hair, slicked back covering many of his scalp tattoos including “SIN”. His longer beard was covering his neck tattoos from view.

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Ziminski told Judge Schroeder that he was converting to Catholicism and that he hoped “God would help the Jury see the truth in this case.” Ziminski, however didn’t proceed to trial today. The case was adjourned until February 27, 2023 for a few reasons.

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First, Joshua didn’t have street clothes to wear for the trial. His wife, Kelly Ziminski is a co-defendant in this case. She hadn’t been appointed an attorney as of the start of the hearing today. Joshua was charged with felonies armed burglary, armed robbery, intimidation of a victim, false imprisonment, ID Theft, and bail-jumping – all felonies as a party to a crime. Kelly was charged with the same felonies, without the bail-jumping charge. She was not out on bail like her husband, but was on extended supervision, which is similar to parole. Kelly will likely have her extended supervision revoked, and go back to prison on her earlier charges that are unrelated. Both were also charged with misdemeanor battery. They are both holding in the county jail on $100,000 cash each.

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According to the criminal complaint:

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On August 26, 2022 at about 2:00am, a Kenosha Patrol Officer encountered a 54-year-old man, the alleged victim in this case. He told police that two men and a woman he knew as “Bonnie” just robbed him. “Bonnie” is Kelly Ziminski’s porn-star name. He said he met Kelly a week before and she cleaned his home for money. The alleged victim told police that he heard a knock at his door at about 1:20am that night and it was Kelly. She asked to use the bathroom and he allowed her in, but then Joshua and a third man followed her in. Joshua then grabbed the man at knife-point and demanded all the man’s money in the home. The man told Joshua that he didn’t have any money in the home but had some in his bank. Joshua then put the knife to the man’s back and pushed him outside into a full-sized GMC. The man tried to dial 9-1-1 but Joshua took the phone away. They demanded the man’s PIN number and ATM card. They then proceeded to drive to Lou Perrine’s, Speedway, Kwik Trip and Chase, all on Washington Rd. Each time, the transaction failed. They ended up back at Lou Perrine’s. The man then escaped at the gas station even with the men trying to stop him. The victim was able to pick Ziminski out of a photo line-up. Ziminski and the other man threatened to kill the man and bury him where no one would find him. The Ziminskis told police that the reason for their actions is that the man raped Kelly.

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Joshua is facing almost 59 years in the Wisconsin Prison system if convicted and Kelly is facing almost 53 years.

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Joshua wanted his wife to testify on his behalf, but Judge Schroeder wasn’t comfortable with allowing her to waive her right to counsel and her fifth amendment right to remain silent, without advice from an attorney. Schroeder had his bailiffs search the courthouse for an attorney that he could appoint for Kelly, and was almost successful. Attorney Philip Marry had agreed to represent Kelly, but decided to “pass” after learning more details. Schroeder has, however authorized her to be appointed a county-funded attorney, opposed to a state-funded attorney.

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Kelly wrote a letter to Schroeder on November 17, 2022 saying in part, “I’m writing today to get a joint trial with Joshua Ziminski.” She also asked to have Barth represent both of them, which is difficult to do without conflicts of interest. “She won’t plead the fifth,” Ziminski said out of turn.

Now that Kelly will be represented, her new attorney will likely advise her plead the fifth at her husband’s trial, but it is ultimately her decision. As Ziminski left the court-room, he asked this author if he was “going on the front page again?” What Ziminski doesn’t know, is every KCE story is “front-page material.”

Ziminski still hasn’t faced trial for his participation in the Kenosha Riots. Joshua and his wife were caught on camera rioting on August 25, 2020, the night Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two men in self defense. Ziminski shot his pistol in the air during the riots, moments before Kyle killed Joseph Rosenbaum. Joshua also lit a trailer on fire. Kenosha County DA Mike Graveley went easy on Ziminski. He could have been charged with “recklessly endangering safety.” He was out on bail at the time of this arrest for the Arson.