Change of venue ruling expected in Shaffhausen case

Talk about it

HUDSON -- A motion for change of venue filed by the defense is expected to be among several set for a ruling Thursday morning, Jan. 17, in the Aaron Schaffhausen murder case.

Public defender John Kucinski filed the motion Dec. 27 on behalf of his client who faces three counts of homicide in the deaths of his three young daughters in their River Falls home last summer.

A change of venue for the three-week trial scheduled to start April 1 could go one of two ways, St. Croix Count Clerk of Court Lori Meyer said.

“Either a jury from another county is brought in or the judge, court reporter, clerk, etc. in St. Croix County travel to another county for the trial,” she said Tuesday.

Either way, Meyer expects the cost to the county in the neighborhood of $200,000.

“The county pays jury fees, witness fees, meals for jurors, lodging, if necessary, plus if psychological exams are ordered for the defendant, the county pays for that,” Meyer said.

“It might cost a little less for the necessary court personnel from St. Croix County to travel to another county, but I suspect travel, lodging and meal expenses would about make it even,” she said.

Another motion hearing is set March 1 for Schaffhausen as well as a final pre-trial hearing, according to court records.

Schaffhausen, 35, Minot, N.D., is charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of arson in connection with the July 10 incident. His three daughters, Amara, 11, Sophie, 8, and Cecilia, 5, died from sharp force injuries to their necks, an autopsy report from the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office said.

Schaffhausen has been held on a $2 million bond on suicide watch in the St. Croix County Jail since July.

Tags: river falls, crime, courts, wisconsin, news