KENOSHA, Wis. — The state called more witnesses Friday in the re-trial of Mark Jensen, a Pleasant Prairie man whose murder conviction was vacated.
In 2008, Jensen was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide for poisoning his wife, Julie Jensen.
On Friday, Jensen's former co-worker, Edward Klug, took the stand first for the state. He gave testimony about a night of drinking after a conference in 1998, the year Julie died. Klug claims that during their conversation, Jensen told him about his plans for Julie.
"I couldn't believe someone would talk about the topic of killing their wife. It was unbelievable," said Klug.
Klug said Jensen brought up the use of antifreeze. Toxicologists would later find ethylene glycol — the active ingredient in antifreeze — in Julie's body.
The defense on cross, questioned Klug about his drinking at the conference.
"So today, you don't remember what you drank that night?" asked Defense Attorney Mackenzie Renner. Klug testified that he drank at happy hour before continuing to drink late into the night in a bar with Jensen.
On two occasions Friday, Judge Anthony Milisauskas erupted at the defense. He claimed they were attempting to introduce material that the parties had agreed not to present.
For some witnesses who are unable to attend in person, the court is playing video testimony from the first trial in 2008.
Friday afternoon was dedicated to the lengthy video testimony of Ronald Kosman, a former Pleasant Prairie police officer.
Kosman said he spoke to Julie many times. According to Kosman, she reported to police an extended campaign of harassment — someone was leaving printed pornographic images outside her home.
"She sounded confused, and a little afraid," Kosman said of one of their contacts.
The state has claimed Mark Jensen — burned by his late wife's affair and seeking to be with his new girlfriend — printed the harassing images. The defense argues that Julie was mentally ill and took her own life.
Judge Milisauskas wrapped just after 4 p.m. on Friday before they got through the full video of Kosman's testimony.
"We're not going to make it. I think we've done enough this week, I really do. These [testimonies] are not easy to watch. And I'm not criticizing anybody," he said.
Court will resume on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. with the remainder of Kosman's 2008 testimony.
The trial began on Wednesday with opening statements, followed by witness testimony. On Thursday, the judge and jury listened to testimony from Eric Schoor, the best friend of Jensen's son, David Jensen.
The state called several more witnesses before playing 2008 testimony from Ted Wojt, who was unable to appear in court Thursday. He was a friend and neighbor of Julie who talked to her daily.
Watch the court proceedings live:
Case background:
Mark Jensen, 63, was convicted in 2008 of killing his wife, Julie Jensen, at their home in the Kenosha County village of Pleasant Prairie and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
But a Kenosha County judge vacated his conviction in April 2021 after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Jensen deserved a new trial. The court found that a letter his wife wrote incriminating him in the event something should happen to her could not be used by the prosecution.
Prosecutors allege that he began poisoning his wife with antifreeze in December 1998, drugged her with sleeping medication, and later suffocated her to death over a three-day period.
Jensen has maintained his innocence, with his attorneys arguing that Julie Jensen was depressed and killed herself after framing her husband.
Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Cafferty closely followed the case. He explains that under the U.S. Constitution, a defendant has the right to question an accuser, which is impossible if the accuser is testifying with a letter and essentially "from the grave."
Still, even without the letter, Cafferty believes the defense has a tough road ahead considering the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution.
