Reckless homicide trial postponed again

By: 
NEW Media Staff

The trial of an Oconto man accused of reckless homicide in the drug overdose death of an Oconto Falls man has been rescheduled again, this time for April 25-28.

Jason Lipp, 35, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide by delivering drugs, in connection with the Aug. 2, 2020, drug overdose death of a man identified in the criminal complaint as B.S.S., and possession with intent to deliver heroin and maintaining a drug trafficking place, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred April 19, 2021.

The trial originally was set for Oct. 18-21, and then postponed to Dec. 13-14. With the Oconto County District Attorney’s office vacant for several months until Hannah Schuchart was appointed Oct. 31 — and with an assistant district attorney position still vacant — special prosecutor James Steven Kraus from the state Department of Justice was appointed to try the case. Lipp filed a demand for a speedy trial Sept. 14, after he had been in custody for one year.

During a pre-trial conference Dec. 8, Kraus told Judge Michael T. Judge that it was learned that some discovery material had been unavailable to both the prosecution and defense teams until recently, and he requested another postponement to give both sides time to review the new material before trial.

Defense attorney Kimberly Zhang objected to further delay, reminding Judge about the speedy trial demand. Judge said he found no fault with the postponement request given the circumstances in the district attorney’s office and set the April trial dates.

Pre-trial motions will be heard Feb. 6, and Judge scheduled a Dec. 13 hearing to review Lipp’s bond. Originally set at $50,000 cash, it was reduced to $25,000 cash on Jan. 5; Lipp remains in the Oconto County Jail.