Deer hunter accused of slayings pleads not guilty

[Elkhunter]

Defense considers insanity plea; September trial scheduled

<!-- date --><SCRIPT language=JavaScript type=text/javascript><!-- host = new String(location.hostname); host = host.toLowerCase(); if ( host.indexOf("edition.") != -1 ) { document.write('Wednesday, December 29, 2004 Posted: 2228 GMT (0628 HKT)'); }else { document.write('Wednesday, December 29, 2004 Posted: 5:28 PM EST (2228 GMT)'); }//--></SCRIPT>Wednesday, December 29, 2004 Posted: 5:28 PM EST (2228 GMT)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/12/29/hunters.shot.ap/index.html

HAYWARD, Wisconsin (AP) -- A man accused of shooting six fellow deer hunters to death and wounding two others after he was caught trespassing in the woods pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

Chai Soua Vang, 36, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will stand trial on six counts of murder and three of attempted murder. A judge set a trial date of September 12.

Vang's lawyer, Steven Kohn, said the defense was considering whether Vang should change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Kohn would not elaborate.

The gunfire broke out November 21 after some hunters discovered the Hmong immigrant in a tree stand -- a platform used to watch for deer -- on their land.

Vang has suggested he acted in self-defense, telling investigators the victims fired a shot at him first and berated him with racist slurs.

The St. Paul, Minnesota, truck driver is behind bars on $2.5 million bail. He could get life in prison. Wisconsin does not have a death penalty.

Prosecutors added the third count of attempted murder Wednesday, accusing Vang of two distinct attempts to kill one hunter.

Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, who is personally handling the case against Vang, appeared in court as a prosecutor Wednesday for the first time since she was elected in 2002.

The last case she prosecuted was the kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl in the late 1990s, when she was a U.S. attorney.

She has said she wants to prosecute Vang because of her "personal interest" in cases that involve crimes against people.

 

[Delw]

Hang him then shoot him.

Delw

 

[csutton7]

I'm with ya Del---chris

 

[wyomingtim]

I wonder if the AG should handle the case herself. I do not question her ability, but if the last case she personally prosecuted was in the late 1990's (at least 5 years ago) I wonder if she shouldn't let one of the assistant AG's handle it and her just be there for the knowledge she can offer.

I agree though. That man deserves to hang. You know that if he gets off, because we all know that calling someone a name now justifies murder, that his days will be numbered. I get the feeling that all the people that were killed were part of tight knit communities. They don't take it too kindly when outsiders do bad things to people they call friends.

 

[Ten Bears]

Get'a rope.

 

[les48]

he is by no means a hunter and i don't like the media referring to him as one of us. he is nothing more than a useless poacher who got caught trespassing on private property. and since the first 2 hunters were shot in the back i find it hard to believe he can even consider self-defense as justification for cold blooded murder. :MAD :MAD :MAD :MAD

 

[Whiskers]

I agree he is not a hunter, he is a criminal. HANG EM, no lethal injection for this ass wipe.