State v. John H. Thillemann ( 2023 )


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  •        COURT OF APPEALS
    DECISION                                                NOTICE
    DATED AND FILED                            This opinion is subject to further editing. If
    published, the official version will appear in
    the bound volume of the Official Reports.
    December 13, 2023
    A party may file with the Supreme Court a
    Samuel A. Christensen                  petition to review an adverse decision by the
    Clerk of Court of Appeals               Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10
    and RULE 809.62.
    Appeal No.        2022AP820-CR                                                  Cir. Ct. No. 2017CF235
    STATE OF WISCONSIN                                             IN COURT OF APPEALS
    DISTRICT II
    STATE OF WISCONSIN,
    PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,
    V.
    JOHN H. THILLEMANN,
    DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
    APPEAL from a judgment and an order of the circuit court for
    Kenosha County: BRUCE E. SCHROEDER, Judge. Affirmed.
    Before Gundrum, P.J., Grogan and Lazar, JJ.
    Per curiam opinions may not be cited in any court of this state as precedent
    or authority, except for the limited purposes specified in WIS. STAT. RULE 809.23(3).
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    ¶1       PER CURIAM. John H. Thillemann appeals a judgment of
    conviction for repeated sexual assault of the same child and an order denying his
    motion for postconviction relief.                  Thillemann argues law enforcement
    involuntarily obtained his consent to search his residence, asserting his consent
    was a condition of police allowing him access to needed medication. He further
    asserts he was entitled to an evidentiary hearing on his ineffective assistance of
    counsel claim, which was predicated upon his attorney’s failure to present
    evidence regarding the medical necessity of the medication. Next, Thillemann
    argues he gave incriminating statements while in custody and without knowingly
    and intelligently waiving his Miranda rights.1 Finally, he asserts his sentence was
    unduly harsh. For the reasons that follow, we reject Thillemann’s arguments and
    affirm.
    BACKGROUND
    ¶2       Law enforcement responded to a report of an altercation between
    two individuals and found the seventy-two-year-old Thillemann nearby.
    Thillemann flagged down the police squad and asked to get in the back seat,
    telling the officer “You’re looking for me. He said I molested his daughter.”
    Thillemann was transported a short distance and left in the back seat while officers
    interviewed the complainant, who indeed accused Thillemann of sexually abusing
    seven-year-old Layla.2
    1
    See Miranda v. Arizona, 
    384 U.S. 436
     (1966).
    2
    Consistent with the policy underlying WIS. STAT. RULE 809.86 (2021-22), we refer to
    the victim using a pseudonym. All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2021-22
    version unless otherwise noted.
    2
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    ¶3        After about forty-five minutes, deputy Michael Pittsley checked on
    Thillemann in the vehicle. As set forth in more detail below, Thillemann informed
    Pittsley he was diabetic and needed insulin. Pittsley told Thillemann he would
    retrieve the medication from Thillemann’s residence. A short time later, Pittsley
    returned and told Thillemann, “I have no problem going into your house to get
    your insulin, obviously it’s a medical reason, but … I was wondering while I was
    in there if you would mind if I just looked around real quick?” Thillemann
    replied, “No, go ahead.” Pittsley then read Thillemann his Miranda rights and a
    consent-to-search form. Thillemann signed the form.
    ¶4        Minutes later, an officer returned with the insulin and helped
    administer it.     Thillemann remained in the back seat, and after a short time
    sergeant Neil Paulsen approached Thillemann to ask about the allegations against
    him. Following a brief dialogue, Thillemann admitted that he had touched Layla’s
    vagina over her clothing “maybe three times” over the course of six months.
    During the questioning, Thillemann had interjected, “But wait a minute, don’t I
    have to have an attorney?” Paulsen responded, “No, you’re not under arrest.”
    ¶5        Thillemann was charged and filed a motion to suppress both the
    fruits of the consent search of the residence and the inculpatory statements he
    made while in the police squad. Thillemann argued the search of his residence
    was invalid because the administration of needed medication was conditioned on
    his consent to search.      Thillemann also argued his confession was obtained
    without a voluntary waiver of his Miranda rights, as he was suffering from low
    blood sugar at the time and did not understand the rights he was giving up.
    Thillemann’s final argument was that the waiver was involuntary because he was
    “misinformed, or at least misled,” by Paulsen’s response to his question about
    needing an attorney.
    3
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    ¶6     The circuit court held an evidentiary hearing on the motion, at the
    conclusion of which it determined that none of Thillemann’s rights had been
    violated. The court concluded Thillemann validly gave consent to search his
    residence. It also concluded Miranda warnings were unnecessary because the
    questioning was noncustodial. Finally, the court remarked that “the evidence does
    not sustain any finding on my part about the degree of impairment that he suffered
    from his diabetes.” Thillemann then entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to
    thirty-eight years’ imprisonment, bifurcated as twenty-one years of initial
    confinement and seventeen-years of extended supervision
    ¶7     Thillemann subsequently sought to withdraw his plea. As grounds,
    Thillemann alleged that his trial counsel was constitutionally deficient for failing
    to present medical evidence at the suppression hearing regarding his need for
    insulin. Alternatively, he sought resentencing because the circuit court imposed
    an unduly harsh sentence that was the “functional equivalent of a life sentence.”
    The court denied the motion, adopting in full the response brief submitted by the
    State as its rationale. Thillemann now appeals.
    DISCUSSION
    ¶8     Thillemann raises four issues on appeal. First, he argues his consent
    to search his residence was involuntary because it was procured as a condition of
    him receiving necessary medication for his diabetes. Second, he argues his trial
    counsel was constitutionally ineffective for failing to present medical evidence
    about his need for the medication. Third, Thillemann asserts the State failed to
    demonstrate that he knowingly and intelligently waived his Miranda rights.
    Finally, he contends the circuit court erroneously exercised its sentencing
    discretion by imposing an unduly harsh sentence.
    4
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    I. Voluntariness of Consent to Search
    ¶9        Consent is a well-established exception to the warrant requirements
    found in the state and federal constitutions. State v. Artic, 
    2010 WI 83
    , ¶29, 
    327 Wis. 2d 392
    , 
    786 N.W.2d 430
    . Here, there is no dispute that Thillemann gave his
    consent to search.         He argues, however, that the consent was obtained
    involuntarily.
    ¶10       Voluntariness as a concept escapes precise definition. Id., ¶32; see
    also Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 
    412 U.S. 218
    , 224-225 (1973). We must be
    satisfied that the consent was a free and unconstrained choice, not the product of
    express or implied coercion or duress.          Artic, 
    327 Wis. 2d 392
    , ¶32.      Our
    determination is a mixed question of fact and law based upon an evaluation of the
    totality of the surrounding circumstances.       
    Id.
       Several non-exclusive factors
    inform this determination, including: the police use of trickery, deception, or
    misrepresentation; whether the police physically threatened or intimidated the
    defendant or punished him or her by depriving the defendant of basic needs (e.g.,
    food and sleep); whether the circumstances attending the request to search were
    congenial and cooperative; the defendant’s response to the request to search; the
    defendant’s characteristics, including age, education, intelligence, physical and
    emotional condition, and prior experience with the police; and whether the police
    informed the defendant that he or she could refuse consent. Id., ¶33.
    ¶11       Considering the totality of the circumstances here, we agree with the
    circuit court that Thillemann’s consent to search reflects a free and unconstrained
    choice to cooperate, independent of any coercive element related to his need for
    medication. Thillemann focuses on the fact that just before he signed the form,
    Pittsley told him: “So I just want to look around just to put my mind at ease on a
    5
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    few things, and then I’ll bring your insulin out right away.” In Thillemann’s view,
    the adverb “and then” signifies that Thillemann’s consent to search was a
    condition of his receiving the insulin he requested. This, Thillemann argues,
    rendered his consent involuntary.
    ¶12    Curiously, the parties omit reference to another exchange that
    occurred between Thillemann and an unidentified officer. The exchange occurred
    between the time when Thillemann had requested that Pittsley retrieve his insulin
    and the time when Pittsley returned with the consent-to-search form. Thillemann
    asked the unidentified officer about the status of his medication. After checking
    with the other officers, the unidentified officer informed Thillemann, “We’re just
    trying to figure this out. He’s just going to have you sign something to allow him
    to go in and grab it for you.”
    ¶13    Despite these two statements, law enforcement took adequate steps
    to advise Thillemann that his receipt of medication was not contingent upon him
    consenting to the search. Thillemann was present in the police squad at his own
    request and the entire encounter was cooperative. Pittsley initially made contact
    with Thillemann to ensure that Thillemann was doing okay.
    ¶14    During that initial conversation, Pittsley was receptive to
    Thillemann’s request for insulin. He asked where Thillemann’s residence was,
    where the insulin was located, what kind of dosage Thillemann required, if anyone
    else was at the residence, and if Thillemann had the keys to the residence on him.
    Thillemann responded appropriately to each question and then asked whether he
    would be “transport[ed],” with Pittsley responding that he had “no idea.” At the
    6
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    conclusion of the conversation, Pittsley appears to tell Thillemann an officer
    would get his insulin for him “right now.”3
    ¶15       The intervening statement by the unidentified officer that Pittsley
    was “going to have you sign something to allow him to go in and grab it for you”
    would be, standing alone, somewhat problematic. However, Pittsley minutes later
    dispelled any notion that Thillemann’s consent to search was a required condition
    of him obtaining medication. When Pittsley returned with the consent-to-search
    form, he told Thillemann, “I have no problem going into your house to get your
    insulin, obviously it’s a medical reason, but … I was wondering while I was in
    there if you would mind if I just looked around real quick?” Thillemann replied,
    “No, go ahead.” The foregoing demonstrates that, even before the “and then”
    statement on which Thillemann relies, he had been apprised he would receive the
    medication regardless of whether he consented to the search.
    ¶16       Events subsequent to that verbal consent also indicate that it was
    Thillemann’s free and unconstrained choice to allow the police to search while
    they were retrieving his insulin. Pittsley then described the consent-to-search form
    and told Thillemann, “[I]f you’re willing, I would like you to sign it just saying
    that you realize you’re giving me this consent.” Pittsley added that for Thillemann
    to fully understand the consent form, Pittsley was going to provide Miranda
    warnings,4 clarifying that at the time Thillemann was “not arrested, not in trouble
    3
    Pittsley’s precise words are somewhat difficult to discern in the video recording.
    4
    The consent-to-search form included a provision acknowledging that the consenting
    individual had been apprised of his or her constitutional rights.
    7
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    for anything, not being charged, but I just want you to be aware of your
    constitutional rights.”
    ¶17     After reading Thillemann the Miranda warnings, Pittsley read the
    consent-to-search       form   aloud   in   its   entirety,   including   the    provision
    acknowledging that Thillemann could refuse his consent. Immediately preceding
    the “and then” statement, Pittsley also read the provision acknowledging that the
    permission to search was “being given by me … voluntarily and without threats,
    promises or coercion of any kind.”
    ¶18     In sum, the totality of the circumstances demonstrate that
    Thillemann provided voluntary consent to search his residence.                  He did so
    verbally, before the “and then” statement which he now contends rendered his
    consent involuntary. Thillemann was then advised that police recognized the
    “medical reason” for his request for insulin and had “no problem” going into his
    residence to retrieve it. These statements, as well as Pittsley’s statement that he
    wanted to search “while I was in there,” unambiguously conveyed that Pittsley
    was going to get insulin regardless of whether Thillemann consented to the search.
    Finally, the search form read to Thillemann made clear both that Thillemann could
    refuse consent and that police were not threatening him with anything to obtain his
    consent. The circuit court properly denied Thillemann’s motion to suppress the
    fruits of the search.
    II. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
    ¶19     The next issue centers on whether Thillemann was actually in
    medical distress at the time he gave his consent to search, which could affect the
    8
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    voluntariness inquiry. The circuit court, when denying Thillemann’s suppression
    motion, observed that other than Thillemann’s statements,5 there was no evidence
    presented on this front. Thillemann sought plea withdrawal based on ineffective
    assistance of trial counsel, asserting his attorney should have presented medical
    evidence to confirm that he needed insulin to treat his diabetes. He contends that,
    but for the absence of such evidence, his suppression motion would have been
    granted and he would not have pled guilty. The circuit court denied Thillemann’s
    postconviction motion without an evidentiary hearing, which he contends he is
    entitled to.
    ¶20     If a postconviction motion on its face alleges facts that would entitle
    the defendant to relief, the circuit court has no discretion and must hold an
    evidentiary hearing. State v. Bentley, 
    201 Wis. 2d 303
    , 310, 
    548 N.W.2d 50
    (1996). Whether a motion alleges facts that, if true, would entitle a defendant to
    relief is a question of law that we review de novo. 
    Id.
    ¶21     A defendant is entitled to withdraw a guilty plea after sentencing
    only by demonstrating that a “manifest injustice” has occurred. 
    Id. at 311
    . The
    denial of constitutionally effective assistance by counsel can constitute a manifest
    injustice. 
    Id.
     The two-part test under Strickland v. Washington, 
    466 U.S. 668
    (1984), applies to challenges to guilty pleas based on ineffective assistance of
    counsel. Bentley, 
    201 Wis. 2d at 311-12
    . Strickland, in turn, requires that the
    defendant demonstrate both deficient performance on the part of his or her trial
    counsel and prejudice in the sense that there is a reasonable probability that, but
    5
    While signing the form, Thillemann stated, “This is not good. I know it’s low sugar
    now,” and he was mistaken about the date.
    9
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    for counsel’s errors, the defendant would not have pled guilty and would have
    insisted on going to trial. Bentley, 
    201 Wis. 2d at 312
    .
    ¶22       Thillemann contends that he met this standard by submitting a report
    from Dr. Samantha Pabich, an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin
    School of Medicine and Public Health.                 As an initial matter, we note that
    Thillemann’s theory as to the significance of her anticipated testimony flows from
    the incorrect premise that “the officer did not provide an option for
    Mr. Thillemann to obtain his prescribed insulin without consenting” to the search.
    As we have extensively set forth, this is a flawed characterization of the dialogue
    between Pittsley and Thillemann.
    ¶23       Even beyond that, Pabich’s report fails to substantiate any kind of
    significant vulnerability or altered mental state that would affect the voluntariness
    analysis set forth above. Thillemann was prescribed 70/30 insulin,6 with thirty-
    five units to be taken in the morning and fifty-four units to be taken in the evening.
    Pabich noted that Thillemann’s first insulin dose was taken at 8 a.m.; his next dose
    “would likely have been due around 8-12 hours later with supper.” Thillemann
    highlights Pabich’s observation that he was “invested in diabetes control” and
    regularly checked his blood sugars. Thillemann also points to Pabich’s conclusion
    that he “must have believed himself to be hyperglycemic as he desired Insulin.”
    ¶24       Pabich’s report, however, takes a decidedly skeptical view of the
    notion that Thillemann was experiencing adverse diabetic effects at the time he
    provided consent to search. For Thillemann, hyperglycemic episodes “were likely
    6
    70/30 insulin is comprised of 70% long-acting insulin and 30% short-acting insulin.
    10
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    rare or non-existent.” Pabich therefore found it unlikely that Thillemann believed
    himself to be in a life-threatening situation due to hyperglycemia.
    ¶25    While Pabich allowed that Thillemann could have experienced mild
    hyperglycemia, she opined that he was not suffering from severe hyperglycemia,
    which “would have required advanced medical intervention for symptoms to
    resolve.” Moreover, Pabich concluded Thillemann’s blood sugars were unlikely
    to be high or low enough to cause an “altered mental status.” Pabich stated the
    insulin was not designed to treat acute hyperglycemia or to be taken without food,
    “so using it in these situations would be inappropriate.” In conclusion, Pabich
    opined that the “degree of hyperglycemia he was experiencing (though this exact
    number is unknown) was unlikely to cause significant alterations in judgment, and
    would likely have been inappropriately treated with the type of insulin he was
    hoping to access.”
    ¶26    Based on the contents of Pabich’s report, Thillemann has failed to
    demonstrate a reasonable probability that his suppression motion would have been
    granted had Pabich’s opinions been introduced into evidence, and he has therefore
    failed to demonstrate a reasonable probability that he would not have pled guilty.
    The postconviction motion fails on its face to establish a manifest injustice that
    would warrant plea withdrawal, and the circuit court properly denied it without an
    evidentiary hearing.
    III. Validity of Miranda Waiver
    ¶27    Relying on Paulsen’s response to his “don’t I have to have an
    attorney” question, Thillemann next argues his inculpatory statements to police
    should have been suppressed as being elicited without a valid Miranda waiver.
    The threshold question in this analysis is whether Thillemann was subjected to
    11
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    “custodial interrogation,” which triggers the obligation to safeguard the person’s
    privilege against self-incrimination. See Miranda, 
    384 U.S. at 444
    .
    ¶28    A person is in custody for Miranda purposes if there is a formal
    arrest or restraint on freedom of movement of a degree associated with a formal
    arrest. State v. Dobbs, 
    2020 WI 64
    , ¶53, 
    392 Wis. 2d 505
    , 
    945 N.W.2d 609
    . To
    make this determination, we review the totality of the circumstances, including the
    defendant’s freedom to leave; the purpose, place, and length of the interrogation;
    and the degree of restraint. Id., ¶54.
    ¶29    The standard is an objective one; we do not credit the subjective
    view of the suspect, who may assume that he or she is being arrested because there
    are grounds to do so. State v. Quigley, 
    2016 WI App 53
    , ¶42, 
    370 Wis. 2d 702
    ,
    
    883 N.W.2d 139
    . Whether a person was in custody for purposes of Miranda is a
    question of law that we review de novo. Dobbs, 
    392 Wis. 2d 64
    , ¶28. However,
    we will uphold the circuit court’s findings of fact unless they are clearly
    erroneous. 
    Id.
    ¶30    Thillemann concedes he was not in custody when he invited himself
    into the back of the police squad. He argues, however, that the situation became
    custodial because he was seated in the squad car for about an hour, officers were
    always nearby when the squad doors were open, he was administered Miranda
    warnings, and he was questioned in the vehicle.
    ¶31    For the reasons set forth in the State’s brief, we conclude Thillemann
    was not in custody when he incriminated himself in the police squad. During the
    initial dialogue with Pittsley, Thillemann insinuated he might be “transport[ed],”
    to which Pittsley responded, “I have no idea.” Pittsley told Thillemann less than
    12
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    fifteen minutes prior to the questioning that he was not under arrest or even in
    trouble for anything at that time.
    ¶32    The circumstances did not suggest otherwise to Thillemann. His
    presence in the squad was by his own volition; in fact, when Pittsley asked him to
    get out of the vehicle, Thillemann declined. Officers never used force, displayed
    their firearms, or handcuffed Thillemann. The squad doors were closed while
    officers were speaking with the complainant, but otherwise the doors were
    “frequently” open. Officers stood near the vehicle while they were speaking with
    Thillemann, but Thillemann never tried to leave the vehicle.
    ¶33    Thillemann also relies on the fact that he was not permitted to
    retrieve the insulin from his apartment himself. Based on our review of the
    appellate record, it appears no one ever forbid Thillemann from returning to his
    apartment to get his insulin; he asked an officer to retrieve it for him. To the
    extent that exchange suggests Thillemann viewed himself as being in custody, his
    subjective views are irrelevant.
    ¶34    Nonetheless, the State appears to concede that Thillemann would not
    have been permitted to return to his residence if he had tried. But Thillemann’s
    inability to access his apartment during an active investigation does not establish
    he was in custody for purposes of Miranda. As the circuit court observed, he was
    not prevented from leaving to go elsewhere, including a pharmacy. The totality of
    the circumstances demonstrates that Thillemann was not subjected to custodial
    interrogation while in the police squad.
    13
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    IV. Exercise of Sentencing Discretion
    ¶35    A circuit court has the authority to review its sentencing
    determination to decide whether it erroneously exercised its discretion by
    imposing a sentence that was unduly harsh, excessive, or unconscionable. State v.
    Klubertanz, 
    2006 WI App 71
    , ¶32, 
    291 Wis. 2d 751
    , 
    713 N.W.2d 116
    .                 “A
    sentence is unduly harsh or unconscionable ‘only where the sentence is so
    excessive and unusual and so disproportionate to the offense committed as to
    shock public sentiment and violate the judgment of reasonable people concerning
    what is right and proper under the circumstances.’” State v. Cummings, 
    2014 WI 88
    , ¶72, 
    357 Wis. 2d 1
    , 
    850 N.W.2d 915
     (quoting Ocanas v. State, 
    70 Wis. 2d 179
    , 185, 
    233 N.W.2d 457
     (1975)).
    ¶36    We review the circuit court’s conclusion that the sentence it imposed
    was not unduly harsh or unconscionable for an erroneous exercise of discretion.
    Id., ¶45. We will uphold a court’s exercise of discretion as long as it applied the
    proper legal standard to the facts of record and, through a rational process, reached
    a reasonable conclusion. Id.
    ¶37    Because Thillemann was age seventy-two when he was sentenced,
    the parties focus almost exclusively on the initial confinement portion of the
    sentence.    Thillemann argues that the twenty-one-year period of initial
    confinement is the “functional equivalent” of a life sentence given his age and
    reduced life expectancy as a result of his diabetes. Citing State v. Ninham, 
    2011 WI 33
    , ¶75, 
    333 Wis. 2d 335
    , 
    797 N.W.2d 451
    , Thillemann asserts that a sentence
    of life without parole is the “most severe penalty recognized under Wisconsin
    14
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    law” and should be reserved for the most culpable offenders who commit the most
    serious offenses.7 In general, Thillemann highlights the mitigating factors of his
    case, such as the fact that he had only two prior misdemeanor offenses, was
    cooperative, and was assessed as a low risk of recidivism during the presentence
    investigation.
    ¶38      We conclude Thillemann’s sentence was not unduly harsh, nor does
    it violate the principle that the court should impose the least amount of
    confinement consistent with the protection of the public, the gravity of the offense,
    and the defendant’s rehabilitative needs. See State v. Gallion, 
    2004 WI 42
    , ¶44,
    
    270 Wis. 2d 535
    , 
    678 N.W.2d 197
    .                  The twenty-one-year period of initial
    confinement was about half of the maximum initial confinement term available to
    the circuit court. See WIS. STAT. § 973.01(2)(b)1. (forty-year period of initial
    confinement available for a Class B felony). A sentence well within the maximum
    is presumptively not unduly harsh. State v. Grindemann, 
    2002 WI App 106
    , ¶32,
    
    255 Wis. 2d 632
    , 
    648 N.W.2d 507
    .
    ¶39      Thillemann has not persuaded us that the presumption is overcome
    in this case.       The circuit court acknowledged the mitigating factors that
    Thillemann raises—including that Thillemann had “a decent working history and
    he served our country honorably in combat in Vietnam.”                         The court also
    acknowledged Thillemann’s scant offense history, although it noted Thillemann’s
    disorderly conduct conviction arose from circumstances in which Thillemann
    7
    The court in State v. Ninham, 
    2011 WI 33
    , ¶75, 
    333 Wis. 2d 335
    , 
    797 N.W.2d 451
    ,
    observed that life without parole is actually the second-most severe penalty available generally at
    law. The “most severe penalty” and “extreme culpability” language Thillemann relies on was
    derived from the court’s discussion of Roper v. Simmons, 
    543 U.S. 551
     (2005), which was a
    death penalty case.
    15
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    exhibited “grooming-type behavior” toward two minor females.                 The court
    nonetheless determined that “the conduct for which he is here now … demands
    that he be dealt with very sternly.”
    ¶40     Thillemann’s reliance on life expectancy tables to dictate the
    contours of the circuit court’s exercise of discretion produce an absurd result in
    this case. Thillemann notes that the life expectancy of a seventy-year-old white
    male is eighty-four, and his diabetes diagnosis reduces his life expectancy by up to
    ten years. If we were to treat this information as controlling, almost any period of
    initial confinement for the seventy-two-year-old Thillemann could be regarded as
    a “life sentence.” Yet Thillemann urged the circuit court to limit the term of initial
    confinement to between seven and nine years, explicitly acknowledging that even
    this amount of time “create[d] the very real possibility that he is [g]oing to die in
    prison.” While the twenty-one-year initial confinement term imposed increases
    that likelihood, we reject the notion that an erroneous exercise of discretion occurs
    by definition when an elderly offender commits a serious crime and is sentenced
    accordingly.
    ¶41     Thillemann counters that his twenty-one-year sentence was longer
    than necessary to protect the public given the potential availability of a WIS. STAT.
    ch. 980 commitment.8 Thillemann’s data pertaining to the effects of aging on
    recidivism is of limited persuasive value when the index offense occurs at age
    8
    WISCONSIN STAT. ch. 980 authorizes the indefinite commitment of sexually violent
    persons who are more likely than not to reoffend in the future.
    16
    No. 2022AP820-CR
    seventy-two, an age at which—according to the very report Thillemann relies
    on—most individuals have aged out of criminal conduct.9
    ¶42     Moreover, while a WIS. STAT. ch. 980 commitment might ameliorate
    future dangerousness, it does not address other valid sentencing objectives,
    including punishment, rehabilitation, and deterrence. See Gallion, 
    270 Wis. 2d 535
    , ¶40. The circuit court in fact emphasized these other objectives, reasoning
    that Thillemann’s conduct warranted a significant sentence “not only as a lesson to
    him and as a safeguard for the population, but as an example to others who are
    motivated to do something like this.”
    By the Court.—Judgment and order affirmed.
    This    opinion     will    not     be   published.        See    WIS. STAT.
    RULE 809.23(1)(b)5.
    9
    See U.S. SENTENCING COMM’N, THE EFFECTS OF AGING ON RECIDIVISM AMONG
    FEDERAL OFFENDERS 11 & n.12 (2017) (documenting 2016 arrests by age). Additionally, the
    2.1% recidivism rate cited in Thillemann’s reply brief is inaccurate. According to the report, the
    rearrest rate for study offenders age 60 or older was 16.4%. Id. at 22. The table to which
    Thillemann refers shows the composition of the recidivism study group, 2.1% of which were age
    65 or older at the time of release. Id. at 14.
    17
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 2022AP000820-CR

Filed Date: 12/13/2023

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 9/9/2024