The Wisconsin case was tainted by secret tapes, unreliable witnesses and a supposed ‘hit’ plot against Winnebago County District Attorney Joe Paulus.
Author Archives: Phoebe Petrovic / Wisconsin Watch
Phoebe Petrovic is an investigative reporter on a two-year fellowship with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. She previously covered disinformation and democracy at Wisconsin Watch and was a 2022-2023 Law & Justice Journalism Project fellow. As a Report for America corps member from 2019 to 2022, Petrovic reported, produced and hosted “Open and Shut,” a podcast series co-published with Wisconsin Public Radio examining the power of prosecutors. Petrovic previously worked at WPR as a Lee Ester News Fellow, “Reveal” from the Center for Investigative Reporting as an editorial intern and NPR’s “Here & Now” as a temporary producer. Her work has aired nationally on all of NPR’s flagship news magazines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Yale University.
Posted inJustice & Safety, Open and Shut
The rise and fall of Winnebago County District Attorney Joe Paulus reveals the immense power of prosecutors – and how it can be abused
This is the second installment of Open and Shut, a seven-part podcast and online series investigating the virtually unchecked power of prosecutors. See the entire project at wpr.org/openandshut Episode 2 – The Golden Boy Remember the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic? Way back in 2020, when everyone was stocking up on hand sanitizer and toilet […]
Posted inJustice & Safety, Open and Shut
Prosecution included questionable witnesses, racial stereotype, in 2000 arson trial of Dale Chu
The Outagamie County case featured District Attorney Vince Biskupic who called one of his key witnesses ‘credible’ — then charged him with perjury 10 days later.
Posted inJustice & Safety, Open and Shut
Open and Shut: Podcast preview
Watch and listen to a preview of “Open and Shut,” the new podcast from Wisconsin Watch and WPR that shines a light on how prosecutors do their jobs — and the danger of allowing that power to go unchecked.
Posted inNews about Wisconsin Watch
Behind the scenes: reporting Justice Deferred
Investigative journalism is resource intensive work. Help support it today!
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
‘Skipping the middleman’: Defendants faced shifting demands in Outagamie County judge’s one-man drug court
The judge says it met a need, but the self-styled program lacked structure and meant longer punishments for some.
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
Judge’s rigorous collection of court-ordered debt atypical in Wisconsin — even in his own county
Outagamie County Circuit Judge Vincent Biskupic has held dozens of review hearings stretching over years to push defendants to pay overdue court costs
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
Man decries lengthy ‘de facto probation’ in Outagamie County
Beau Jammes filed a complaint against Judge Vincent Biskupic, arguing that being subject to the judge’s scrutiny for months was ‘illegal’ — and unhelpful.
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
‘Why do you keep harassing me?’: An Outagamie County judge controls defendants after sentencing
A Wisconsin Watch and WPR analysis shows Judge Vincent Biskupic is the top user of this ‘de facto’ probation, which raises questions of judicial authority — and fairness.
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
Justice Deferred: Glossary of legal terms
This piece was produced for the NEW News Lab, a local news collaboration in Northeast Wisconsin. Microsoft is providing financial support to the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region to fund the initiative. Civil judgment — A civil ruling against a person requiring satisfaction of financial obligations. In criminal cases, sometimes issued […]
Posted inJustice & Safety, Justice Deferred
Behind the story: How we reported on a judge’s unusual sentencing practices
The analysis required help from a court data firm and intense scrutiny of 142 cases.
Posted inNews about Wisconsin Watch
Investigative reporting is resource intensive work. Help support it today!
Investigative reporting requires tens of thousands of hours and dollars. Its societal benefit may be incalculable, but the cost of getting it done is not.