Wisconsin man accused in serial killings seeks to have 7 cases tried separately
Associated Press
11/11/09 1:05 PM EST
MILWAUKEE — A man accused in a string of Milwaukee killings is seeking to have the cases tried separately. If granted, that would be harder for prosecutors to link details from the seven cases.
The motion was filed Wednesday by attorney Russell Jones, who represents 49-year-old Walter Ellis of Milwaukee. Ellis was charged with killing seven women from 1986 to 2007, after police connected him through DNA evidence. He has pleaded not guilty.
The motion says the crimes aren't similar enough to justify being lumped together. It also says they occurred over too long a period and lack enough overlap of evidence.
District attorney John Chisholm did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Online court records say a hearing on the motion is set for Dec. 23.
