Republican State Sen. Van Wanggaard is warning that Governor Evers’ new commutation plan would lead to the early release of four inmates who were sentenced to life without parole for murders committed as teenagers.
Gov. Tony Evers is implementing a new clemency process that could lead to the early release of four Wisconsin inmates who were sentenced to life in prison without parole for murders committed as teenagers. This initiative has drawn strong criticism from a Republican lawmaker, who described the move as “crazy” and insulting to victims’ families.
Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, released a report Thursday detailing the crimes of the four inmates and cautioning that commuting their sentences would make Wisconsin less safe. The inmates, all convicted of first-degree murder or equivalent charges as 17-year-olds, have served more than 20 years behind bars and now qualify under Evers’ April 3 order establishing the “Juvenile Life Sentence Commutation Process.”
“I believe in second chances as much as the next guy,” Wanggaard said in the report. “The idea that Evers created a whole new process to potentially let them out of jail early is crazy, and frankly, insulting to the victims and their families.”
The four cases highlighted in Wanggaard’s report:
- Jason Halda, then 17 years and 10 months old, shot Manitowoc Police Officer Dale TenHaken three times in the back — including once in the head — during a routine 1998 traffic stop for a car with no headlights or license plate. Halda had active warrants and, according to a witness, told a friend he would “kill a mother***** before I go to prison.” A jury convicted him of first-degree intentional homicide and deliberated for less than an hour before recommending life without parole.
- Jamaal Addison, then 17 years and 9 months old, opened fire with a pistol and an AK-47 on four people sitting in a parked car in a Milwaukee residential neighborhood, firing roughly 40 rounds. A 17-year-old boy was struck eight times and died at the scene; a 21-year-old man was hit six times and died a week later. The other two victims suffered permanent, life-altering injuries — one lost a foot and a hand, the other was paralyzed from the neck down. A judge described Addison as having “ice water in his veins” before imposing life without parole.
- Matthew Schumacher, then 17 years and 8 months old, beat a restaurant owner over the head with a baseball bat, then stabbed him more than 20 times with a butcher knife — bending the blade before grabbing another knife to continue the attack — during a 2001 burglary and armed robbery in Sugar Creek. Schumacher stole $350, then tried to burn down the building to destroy evidence. He pleaded no contest to first-degree murder, burglary while armed, armed robbery, and arson.
- Arvester Hawkins, then 17 years and 6 months old, killed a man during an armed robbery and while fleeing from police.
Evers’ administration has not announced specific commutation decisions. Wanggaard stated the governor plans to reveal them over a holiday weekend later this year. The report notes that eight juveniles are serving life without parole in state custody, but only these four meet the criteria under the new process after disqualifications and time-served requirements.
Wanggaard, who has supported legislation permitting judicial review of juvenile life sentences in certain cases, argued that Evers’ unilateral process goes too far.
“These four individuals did unspeakable things just before their 18th birthday. They knew what they were doing was wrong,” he said. “The idea that they are victims of an unjust system and ‘bad law’ is just bleeding-heart liberal, feel-good nonsense.”
Republicans have consistently criticized Evers for what they describe as soft-on-crime policies, including previous pardons and commutations. Wanggaard’s report presents the latest action in this trend, stating that Evers is using his clemency authority to override life sentences imposed by judges and juries who reviewed the evidence.
“Just because Evers has the power to cut short their well-earned life sentences doesn’t mean he should,” Wanggaard wrote. “And when Governor Evers announces these commutations … Wisconsin will be less safe than it was the day before.”
