Delafield man punched over tattoos death; man accused returns to court
HARTLAND, Wis. - There are new developments in the case against a Brookfield man accused of punching and killing a stranger because of his tattoos.
Prosecutors on Thursday, May 16, hoped to introduce evidence of two prior altercations to show Kevin Sehmer has an anger management problem.
Hartland police previously said they have video and audio of the incident in this case.
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Patti Pearson visits a Delafield park often. She sits on a bench dedicated to her son, Josh Davies. The disc-golf player died last summer after prosecutors say a stranger, 64-year old Sehmer, punched him outside a Hartland bar.
Josh Davies memorial
"None of us can believe it happened. Over something so stupid," Pearson said.
Investigators say Sehmer told Davies he was "going to hell" and that "God would not save him" because of his tattoos.
Davies fell backwards and hit his head on the cement. He died almost a month later.
Kevin Sehmer; Josh Davies
Prosecutors charged Sehmer with felony murder and aggravated battery.
"Our concern is that this man had a particular personality and demeanor," Pearson said. "And there’s evidence by some prior things that happened in his life of the kind of person he is."
In court Thursday, Sehmer’s attorney successfully argued two prior, unrelated verbal fights are not relevant to this case. One was with Sehmer’s neighbor in 2015, the other was at a car wash in 2022.
Josh Davies and Patti Pearson
The district attorney wanted to admit these incidents as evidence in Sehmer’s trial to show Sehmer’s state of mind.
Pearson said she watched surveillance video of the Hartland fight. While she said this latest development is a setback, she hopes a jury will ultimately deliver justice.
Delafield man punched over tattoos; man pleads not guilty to murder
The Brookfield man accused of punching a Delafield man in the head over tattoos pleaded not guilty Friday, Sept. 15. The victim later died.
"We’re here for him until the bitter end," she said.
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The trial is scheduled to begin July 30. Sehmer previously entered a not guilty plea.
Pearson said there was nothing controversial or offensive about her son’s tattoos.