Convicted serial killer appeals to Wis. high court
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee man convicted of killing seven women over a 21-year period is asking the state Supreme Court to hear an appeal of his convictions, a step his lawyer acknowledged was a "longshot."
Walter Ellis pleaded no contest last year to charges of first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. In a recent filing to the state's high court, defense attorney Richard Hart said Ellis only pleaded no contest because he didn't think he'd be able to get a fair trial.
Ellis had asked for a change of venue, citing the national publicity his case drew. He also wanted the cases to be tried separately, saying jurors might use evidence in one case to draw inferences in the other cases. The trial court judge denied both requests, and a court of appeals agreed with the judge's logic.
Hart has now filed one last appeal, this time with the state Supreme Court. The justices will decide in the next few weeks whether to take the case.
