By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
According to a Kenosha County prosecutor, the trial of Andrew Obregon has been postponed until January, noting health concerns of his defense.
Obregon, of Bristol, had been scheduled to go trial this week in Kenosha County Circuit Court, where he expected to face a charge of homicide and 27 other felony counts related to his 22 days on the run from law enforcement last year.
At a Sept. 15 jury status hearing, court officials were prepared to go to trial, but according to online court records, his public defenders filed a motion to adjourn the following day.
Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman, who presided the jury status hearing, granted the prosecutor motion by phone last week, according to online court records.
Assistant District Attorney Carli McNeill, one of two prosecutors, stated via email the cause for adjournment had been due to the illness of a member of the Obregon defense.
“The state was prepared to proceed to trial as scheduled on Sept. 26,” McNeill said. “However, the trial was adjourned at the request of the defense due to the unavailability of defense counsel as a result of medical issues.”
Citing schedule conflicts, officials have put the trial on hold until January, when they expect to hold another jury status hearing Jan. 26.
“The January date was picked because the trial is expected to last two weeks and that was the soonest date that would accommodate everyone’s schedule,” McNeill added.
A new set of prospective jurors, estimated at 200, will complete a seven-page questionnaire to survey residents knowledge to improve the odds of juror availability.
In the Sept. 15 status hearing, Kerkman reported 140 of the 200 original jurors returned their questionnaires. About 40 were dismissed due to their knowledge of the case, which drew regional attention.
“Among the 140 replies, any jurors who answered question 40, ‘Yes, I have heard about the case,” Kerkman stated at the hearing. “And then on question 44, ‘No, I cannot be impartial,’ I would like to strike them from the list.”
Furthermore, the jury status hearing drew a motion to modify jury instructions, removing the words “seek truth” from a sentence that includes “seek doubt.”
Kerkman has not decided on the defense motion, McNeill stated.
In addition to Sept. 2015 homicide of 37-year-old Tywon Anderson, who was found on a Town of Paris cornfield, Obregon faces numerous other charges.
Charges include multiple vehicle thefts, eluding authorities several times, robbery of two Kenosha County convenience stores and attempted intentional homicide and kidnapping during his last attempt to flee prosecution Oct. 13.
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