News: Clark County
(Conspiracy Verdict 1984)
Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson
Email:
kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: North, Jacobson, McMahon, Gross, Fleischauer
----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (07 April 1984)
NEILLSVILLE -- Marvin North of rural Willard has been found innocent of charges
that he conspired to kill his estranged wife.
The verdict was handed down Friday in Clark County Circuit Court Branch I. The
10-man, 2 woman jury had deliberated just more than three hours before reaching
a decision.
The verdict ended a three-day trial that included testimony from 14 witnesses
including North, 36, who testified that he had no involvement in a conspiracy to
kill Eldray North in December 1981. The Norths have since divorced.
In his closing argument, defense attorney Gregory Gross raised doubts about the
testimony of Arthur Jacobson, the state's key witness.
Jacobson testified that North had agreed to a conspiracy plan and arranged for
him to get money to pay the alleged hit man. Jacobson said he gave $3,000 to
Richard McMahon in a Stoughton parking lot. McMahon was supposed to kill Mrs.
North, he testified.
McMahon, however, said he wasn't aware of any conspiracy and said the $3,000 was
money which Jacobson had owed him.
Gross said Jacobson, facing an extended prison sentence for murdering North's
sister in January 1983, had created the conspiracy story to get revenge.
Jacobson was using North as "a trampoline to get out of prison," Gross said.
Jacobson had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in connection with
the case. He agreed to the plea and to testify against North if his conspiracy
sentence was allowed to run concurrent with his 16-year murder sentence.
If found guilty, North would have faced a maximum sentence of 20 years
imprisonment.
Portage County Circuit Judge Frederick Fleischauer presided at the trial.
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