Homicide trial continues with videos of defendant
WISCONSIN RAPIDS –
Jurors in the trial for a man charged with the 2008 shooting death of another man got to hear from the defendant Wednesday.
Joseph B. Reinwand, 55, of Wisconsin Rapids is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the 2008 shooting death of Dale R. Meister, 35, of Wisconsin Rapids.
According to court documents, a friend and co-worker of Meister found him dead in his home at Thousand Oaks mobile home park shortly after 2 p.m. March 4, 2008. An autopsy showed Meister had died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Retired Wisconsin Rapids Police Detective-Sgt. Tad Wetterau took the stand Wednesday to introduce a series of video clips of an interview he and retired Detective-Sgt. Phyllis Wesener did with Reinwand on April 11, 2008.
In the videos, Reinwand doesn't deny shooting Meister, but he continuously stated he can't remember shooting him.
Reinwand stated he doesn't remember any of the arguments people said he had with Meister, but he said they must have happened because so many people say they did, the video showed.
"I don't remember us even arguing," Reinwand said in the video of the interview. "The only cross words I ever had with him was when he wouldn't say 'please' and 'thank you' to (Reinwand's oldest granddaughter)."
Reinwand said he doesn't remember having a Jennings handgun that was described to detectives by his daughter and son, but he said he must have had it because they saw it.
Reinwand, who was in jail on unrelated charges at the time of the interview, told the two detectives interviewing him in the video that he didn't want to get out of jail, because he was afraid he might hurt someone else and not remember it.
Reinwand also said during his interview that his daughter and grandchildren should stay away from him.
Reinwand's daughter and Meister were involved in a custody dispute over the child they shared, according to court documents. Prior to his death, Meister had told several friends that, if he was found dead, Reinwand would have killed him.
Retired Wood County Investigator Mark Neuman took the stand for a short time Wednesday morning to describe how he found a piece of the handle of a handgun under the front seat of Reinwand's pickup.
William Newhouse, retired firearms and tool markings expert from Wisconsin State Crime Lab, took the stand to report on his findings in analyzing the evidence.
Newhouse has testified that bullets taken from Meister, a cartridge found in Meister's couch and an unfired bullet Wisconsin Rapids Deputy Police Chief Randy Jahns found in Reinwand's garbage are all the same type of bullet.
The bullets taken from Meister had unique characteristics that are only on bullets shot from a Jennings handgun manufactured between 1983 and 1985, Newhouse said. The handgun is the same type of handgun that two witnesses on Tuesday said they saw in places where Reinwand had access.
Newhouse also was able to match the piece of handgrip Neuman found in Reinwand's pickup to the handle of a Jennings handgun. It is the same type of gun that fired the shots that killed Meister, he said.
At a glance
Wednesday was the third day of what is expected to be a 10-day trial for Joseph B. Reinwand, 55, charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the 2008 shooting death of Dale R. Meister, 35, of Wisconsin Rapids.
Some of the major points in Wednesday's proceedings included:
• Prosecutor Vince Biskupic showed 14 video clips taken from a April 11, 2008, interview two Wisconsin Rapids detectives did with Reinwand. In the clips, Reinwand repeatedly told the detectives he wasn't denying killing Meister, but he couldn't remember doing it.
• Retired Wood County Sheriff's Department Investigator Mark Neuman testified to finding a piece of a handgun grip in Reinwand's pickup.
• William Newhouse, retired firearms and tool markings expert from Wisconsin State Crime Lab, testified that Meister was killed by a Jennings 22-caliber handgun made sometime between 1983 and 1985.
• Newhouse also said the piece of handgun grip found in Reinwand's pickup was a match for the grip of the same type of gun that killed Meister.