(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The Defendant
According to the criminal complaint, Mark D. Jensen is accused of first degree intentional homicide for murdering his wife, Julie Jensen in 1998. Julie was 40 at the time of her death and Mark was 39. On December 3, 1998 at 4:35 pm Pleasant Prairie Police were summoned to 9020 Lakeshore Drive in Pleasant Prairie. Sergeant Reilly asked where the victim was and Mark pointed to the bedroom. In the bedroom, Sgt. Reilly saw the deceased Julie lying in bed on her stomach with her face partially buried in a pillow. Mark wouldn’t be charged with Julie’s murder until 2002. According to then-prosecutor Angelina Gabriele, “at that point I don’t think the prosecutor was confident that he could prove that, and we’re under an ethical obligation to not bring cases forward unless we believe we can prove them beyond a reasonable doubt.”
During the three-week period preceding her death, Julie Jensen had told a variety of people who she trusted that her marriage was “in the toilet;” that she would be seeking a divorce from her husband and that she was concerned that her husband was going to try and kill her, possibly with poison. She said if anything were to happen to her, it would not be suicide, and they should suspect the defendant in the event of her death.
She wrote a letter stating similar details that was presented in the first trial, but will not be allowed in this trial after multiple courts have ruled on the issue. Jensen’s murder conviction was reversed and he was to be tried again. With the bang of his gavel, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman found Jensen guilty again without a trial, a move that a higher Court would later say was an error. America’s judge, The Honorable Bruce E. Schroeder, presided over the original trial back in 2007 and 2008.
Forensic toxicology reports show that Julie Jensen died as a result of ethylene glycol poisoning. Furthermore, the tests conducted on her stomach contents, kidneys, and blood and urine show that she received at least two doses and the final does was administered just shortly before her death when she would have been unconscious or at least, too weak to move or get out of bed herself. Ethylene glycol is the main ingredient in anti-freeze.
You can read the criminal complaint here:
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Open in new tab You can read the Pleasant Prairie Police Report here:
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The Judge
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge, The Honorable Anthony Milisauskas graduated from the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Law in 1983, and was admitted into the Wisconsin bar in 1984. Judge Milisauskas was born and raised in Kenosha. Judge Milisauskas opened a law office and worked for himself until 2005. From 2001 to 2005, he was a Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner and a guardian ad litem. He was also a Somers Municipal Judge from 2000-2005.
Judge Milisauskas was elected in 2005 and has been re-elected ever since. To all criminal defense attorneys KCE spoke with in the Kenosha County area, Judge Milisauskas is a very fair judge and a good jurist during trials. Judge Milisauskas is married and he and his wife have five children.
The Prosecution
(Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Former Kenosha DA, and current assistant DA in Portage County, Robert Jambois, will be the lead prosecutor in this trial. He tried this case back in 2007 and 2008. The trial was the longest in Wisconsin history, lasting for 31 days, or 6 weeks. Jambois graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1981 and was admitted to the bar the same year.
Deputy District Attorney Carli Mcneill will be sitting second chair for Jambois. She graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 2010 and passed the bar in the same year.
The Defense
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Bridget Krause is the Deputy Trial Division Director at the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office. She graduated from Marquette Law School in 2000 and was admitted into the bar the same year. Jeremy Perri is the regional attorney manager for the Waukesha County Public Defender’s Office and previously served as an attorney for Darryl Brooks, the convicted murderer who committed the Waukesha parade massacre. Perri graduated from The University of Wisconsin Law School in 2002 and was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar the same year. Mackenzie Renner is the regional attorney manager for the Walworth County Public Defender’s Office. She previously worked in Kenosha County. She also graduated from The University of Wisconsin Law School in 2007 and entered the Bar the same year. All three are considered talented Criminal Defense attorneys with a deal of experience in trial.
Kenosha County Eye will be present in court every day and we are one of the pool photographers. Editor, Kevin Mathewson or freelance photographer Nathan DeBruin, aka “photochad”, made famous by his photos and testimony in the Kyle Rittenhouse case, will be snapping photos each and every day of trial.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
13 Responses
You seem excited for wrongful conviction #3, Kevin. “America’s Judge?” Okay TMZ. Let’s get the scoop on a letter admitted as evidence from a deceased person. Wrong. Can’t do it but…. In Kenosha, who cares about that silly constitution. The record doesn’t lie. Jambois left town soon after he lost an election for Judge, why is he even back in Kenosha? Shades of ole’ Jim Padlock.
This didnt age well
They should just add a charge of “Possession Of A Short Barreled Rifle” (with contrary evidence) and be done with it…….
“Short barrel” is extremely vague.
WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY , ARE DA JUST CANT TAKE TH HIT THAT THEY ARE WRONG LIKE MANY OTHER CASES , THIS LADY WAS NOT METALLY STABLE AND MARRAGE WAS ON THE ROCKS , IT WAS A SET UP , THATS VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE , LET THE GUY LIVE HIS LIFE !!!!!!!
Let’s just ignore his conversations with co-workers and computer searches both at home and at work searching how to kill someone they way she died.
For the love of God, let him out! He was set up and framed by his unstable wife. She committed suicide and set him up for it. It’s just a waste of taxpayer money to re-try this case!
Read the police reports.
The face of evil. Ask anyone who ever worked with or for him what he is like, and they will either just spit on the ground or give you a very short answer like, “evil” or “piece of s**t”.
This again. Met Mark years ago. He seemed kinda strange. I think he had done enough time even if guilty. Did he do it? To this day, not sure which way I would bet
According to then-prosecutor Angelina Gabriele, “at that point I don’t think the prosecutor was confident that he could prove that, and we’re under an ethical obligation to not bring cases forward unless we believe we can prove them beyond a reasonable doubt.”
NOT bring cases forward unless we believe we can prove them beyond reasonable doubt due to ethical obligation??!!?
You all thought Rittenhouse case would be able to be proven beyond reasonable doubt? Really? Or did political pressure force this charge and trial? We know the truth. Shove your “ethics” straight up your ass.
During the “Charging Decision Briefing for Ofc. Sheskey—- Gravely spent 40minutes talking about why HE COULD NOT CHARGE SHESKEY due to uncertainty to try the case beyond a reasonable doubt. (Correct call)
While describing why Sheskey believed imminent great bodily harm to himself/others- Including description of Blake’s weapon, attacks and statements to harm— Including a highlighted video of the weapon. Gravely CLEARLY outlined a case and charges against Blake that would easily qualify as a high probability proving beyond a reasonable doubt BUT STILL CHOSE NOT TO CHARGE BLAKE.
Let that sink in. If overwhelming evidence of Blake’s harmful intent could not be described in such detail Gravely would have charged Sheskey.
Due to all the evidence, including the video, the weapon and multiple independent witnesses, Sheskey (thankfully was NOT charged). Gravely made his case against Blake but still wouldn’t charge him!!!!
Cops want to work for this guy?? What a complete sell out POS.
This didnt age well