Greenfield child death cold case, jury deliberations underway
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee County jury on Tuesday afternoon began deliberations in the trial of Ronald Schroeder. He is accused of killing his infant daughter, Catherine, in 1991.
After a week of testimony, Schroeder's fate now rests in the hands of 12 jurors. They received the case just after 3 p.m.
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Prosecutors said, for 33 years, justice has been delayed for 7-week-old Catherine Schroeder. The defense said the state still did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Schroeder killed anyone.
"Tell him it ends today," said Deputy District Attorney Matthew Torbenson.
Deputy District Attorney Matthew Torbenson delivers closing argument in the trial of Ronald Schroeder
"Find Mr. Schroeder not guilty on both counts," Defense Attorney Charles Glynn said.
The state and defense rested their cases in the morning before they delivered closing arguments on Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors say Schroeder abused and killed his daughter in August 1991.
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"He shook this child a number of times on a number of occasions. That's what this evidence shows," said Torbenson.
Catherine Schroeder's death was ruled a homicide from blunt force injuries that were initially cited as the result of shaken baby syndrome. Medical experts, first responders and Schroeder's exes were among those who testified – and the state said all the evidence points to Schroeder as his daughter's abuser and killer.
Defense Attorney Charles Glynn delivers closing argument in the trial of Ronald Schroeder
"This defendant, when he abused his infant daughter, was watching what he was doing, knew what he was doing, knew the amount of force he was imparting on this little, tiny infant's body," said Torbenson.
Schroeder's defense said much of the state's case is speculation. They said there is nothing new that points to Schroeder killing his daughter.
"We do not know what he did. There's no allegation that he struck, kick," said Glynn.
Defense Attorney Kathleen Pakes delivers closing argument in the trial of Ronald Schroeder
The state highlighted testimony from Schroeder's exes, who said he abused them and other kids. The defense said Schroeder may be a bad person, but that cannot legally be used to say he abused and killed his 7-week-old daughter decades ago.
"Every bone in your body is going, ‘Well if he did all that stuff, he had to have done it.’ That's not the burden of proof. ‘He must have done it’ is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt, it had to be Ronald. That is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Defense Attorney Charles Glynn.
Schroder will not take the stand in his own defense, saying pending charges in Waukesha were a factor in that decision.