Crime & Safety

Curt Johnson Child Sex Assault Trial Starts April 23

Potential jurors will get a special questionnaire in the mail so attorneys can weed out possible conflicts early.

Potential jurors in Curt Johnson's sexual assault of a child trial will receive an advance questionnaire to help attorneys and the court decide if there are any candidates who should be disqualified outright. 

Johnson is charged with first degree sexual assault of the same child. His trial is set to begin April 23, and is not being moved from Racine County despite how well-known Johnson and his family are here. 

Racine County Circuit Court Judge Gene Gasiorkiewicz wants to be sure each juror is well-vetted, so instead of receiving the county's standard juror questionnaire, attorneys will work devise a special form that asks questions about people's knowledge and feelings about the defendant, his family and the company, SC Johnson. 

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"We want as constitutionally clean a jury as possible for Mr. Johnson," Gasiorkiewicz told attorneys at a Jan. 9 status hearing, giving them until Fri., March 2 to return the forms to the court. The clerk indicated the questionnaires could go out by March 15.

Attorneys from both sides agreed to use the responses to weed out undesirable potential jurors prior to the April 23 trial date to move the process along. A total of 14 jurors will eventually be seated; two will be dismissed prior to deliberation as alternates. 

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Johnson was  with first degree sexual assault of the same child. Since then, he pleaded not guilty and was released on $500,000 bail with the conditions that he remain in the state and surrender his passport. On , allowing him to go to Arizona for therapy, to travel for business and .

One of the billionaire heirs of the SC Johnson family, Johnson ran Diversey, Inc. until Feb. 2010. At that time, he stepped down citing personal problems, and his sister, Helen Johnson-Leopold took the reins. If convicted, Johnson faces up to 40 years in prison.

Also at the hearing, the parties discussed recent rulings from the Second District Court of Appeals in Waukesha pertaining to the case. 

The three-judge panel denied a request to push back the start of the trial, and said both sides must file motions by March 8. An opinion is expected in time for the criminal trial to proceed.

The parties also used the status hearing to set the last date either side has to bring pre-trial stipulations, motions, agreements and jury instructions before the court is April 2. Gasiorkiewicz highlighted the need for special jury instructions .

It is this . While it is unusual for an appeals court to hear arguments before a trial even begins, Gasiorkiewicz said the court believes the facts in this case deem it necessary in order for both sides to move forward.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Repischak asked for 30 days to decide whether or not to amend the complaint against Johnson; Gasiorkiewciz gave him two weeks. Patch left a message for Repischak seeking more information on the possible amendment, but our call has not yet been returned.

Johnson is represented by attorneys Michael Hart and Mark Richards.


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