The placement of a Racine County sex offender in a Wheatland home has been stayed by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department issued the following media release Friday:
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II, has ordered that the circuit court’s May 24th, 2016, order is stayed, pending appeal, regarding the placement of sex offender Michael McGee. McGee was to be placed in a house located in the Town of Wheatland in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.”
The May 24 ruling by Racine County Circuit Court Judge Allan Torhorst upheld the placement of McGee under the supervised release program at a Wheatland residence on Highway 50. That decision was appealed by Kenosha County and the town of Wheatland.
The case relates to the state’s proposed placement of McGee of Racine County in a Wheatland house in the 32200 block of Highway 50 starting May 20. McGee is part of the state Department of Health Services Supervised Release program. The state had not been able to find a residence for McGee in Racine County and was ordered by a Racine County judge to look in Kenosha County. The state contacted the landlord of the Highway 50 home because they had used it for sex offenders before and found it was available. But local government and law enforcement officials mobilized to block the placement, in part because a one year old lives next door to the subject property.
Todd Terry, Wheatland’s prosecuting attorney, said this ruling will stay the placement for several months while the appeal is heard.
The ruling cites issues around recent legislation — Chapter 980 — regarding placement of sex offenders as a reason for granting the stay.
“I am hopeful the time this stay allows the state legislature, once back in session, to review the placement procedures under 980,” Terry said.
The stay could be appealed to the State Supreme Court, but that court would not have to consider the case.
The Court of Appeals ruling issuing the stay is available here.
Just put him on an island with no food, water or electricity, and let him figure it out till the end. Cheap!