The Oconto Falls woman who shot and wounded a police officer in August 2021 has withdrawn her plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, ending the need for a trial that would have started April 1.
Alisha Kocken, 31, will be sentenced June 11 for attempted first-degree intentional homicide, resisting an officer with the consequence of substantial bodily harm, battery or threat to a law officer with a dangerous weapon, and disarming a peace officer.
Last August, Kocken pleaded no contest but not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in connection with the Aug. 6, 2021, incident outside her apartment on Elm Avenue. She stood convicted of the crimes, and the trial was to determine her mental condition at the time.
She withdrew the mental illness aspect of her plea during a March 28 hearing in Oconto County Circuit Court that originally was called as a final pre-trial conference to argue motions and prepare for jury selection the following Monday. Instead attorneys met privately for more than an hour, at one point calling Blaskowski, her husband and victim witness coordinator Rachael Race into the conference.
When Judge Michael Judge finally convened the hearing in open court, he announced he had been informed a plea agreement had been reached.
Special prosecutor Mark Williams said the state and defense had agreed to jointly recommend a 13-year prison sentence.
“The defendant understands that each day of those 13 years under Wisconsin law, she would have to serve in the Wisconsin state prison, minus the time that she has done in the Oconto County Jail,” Williams said.
Kocken has been in custody since her arrest nearly two years and eight months ago.
Sentences usually include prison time followed by extended supervision, formerly known as parole, but Williams said the state would leave a determination regarding extended supervision “in the good wisdom and discretion of the court.”
Williams added that the state will have no objection if the prison system determines that Kocken should more appropriately serve her time in the Wisconsin Resource Center, a facility for prisoners with mental health needs.
Blaskowski was consulted and accepted the recommendation and she plans to make a statement at the sentencing hearing, Williams said.
As Judge went through a series of questions to verify that Kocken fully understood the implications of withdrawing her plea, she responded “Yes, your honor” or “No, your honor,” clearly and firmly, and called out “Thank you, your honor,” as the hearing ended.
The sentencing hearing was scheduled for 1 p.m. June 11, and Judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation. Defense attorney John Miller Carroll asked if the defense could prepare its own pre-sentence investigation if it chooses, and Judge set a June 1 deadline for submission.
According to the original complaint, Blaskowski responded after a woman called 911 to report her child was being kidnapped, then hung up. Kocken answered the door at the second-floor apartment and told the officer she wanted her “dad” removed from the home. The man, who turned out to be Kocken’s boyfriend, voluntarily stepped into the hallway, and Kocken slammed the door on him and the officer, according to the complaint.
The man told Blaskowski he had taken the child to a nearby park and Kocken had come to the park and accused him of kidnapping the child. Kocken eventually opened the door, and the child went downstairs to a neighbor’s apartment.
At that point, Kocken exited her apartment and started down the stairs, accusing others of trying to kidnap the child. Toward the bottom of the stairwell, Blaskowski tried to hold Kocken and calm her down, but the woman yelled “Don’t touch me!” and tried to lunge aggressively at the officer, according to the complaint.
In the ensuing struggle, Kocken managed to get hold of Blaskowski’s 9 mm duty handgun and fire three shots. One bullet struck Blaskowski’s ballistic vest, a second bullet went through a wall into a closet, and the third struck the officer above the right eye, causing a laceration at the hairline.
She was airlifted to St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, where she was treated and released after several days.
wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com
Kocken withdraws insanity plea
