A trial scheduled to begin Dec. 18 has been postponed in the case of a Green Bay woman accused of supplying the drugs that led to the 2021 death of a man who died at Mohican North Star Casino Resort in the Town of Bartelme.
Stephany L. French, 29, appeared before Shawano-Menominee County Court Judge Katherine Sloma on Dec. 8 for a final pre-trial conference, but defense attorney Eric Steven Maciolek asked that the trial be adjourned while negotiations continue on a possible resolution of the case.
District Attorney Gregory Parker filed an amended information removing two of the five charges against French, after Maciolek filed a motion to dismiss those two counts. Maciolek argued that one charge, delivery of heroin, should be dismissed because there was no evidence of heroin in the man’s body or the room where he was found. The other charge, delivery of a controlled substance, is already an element of the main charge, first-degree reckless homicide by delivering drugs, Maciolek’s motion said.
French is still charged with the homicide count, theft from a corpse, and a misdemeanor charge of failure to aid a victim or report a crime.
“The parties have been in negotiations, and I received an amended offer from the state very recently,” Maciolek told Sloma. “I would like to discuss it with my client and with the state, as well.”
Sloma took the trial off the calendar and scheduled a status conference for 3:45 p.m. Jan. 30. At that time, if the two sides have reached an agreement or are close to one, a plea hearing would be scheduled, and if not, the trial would be placed back on the calendar, she said.
According to the criminal complaint, the man’s body was found Sept. 3, 2021, by a housekeeper at the hotel. An autopsy listed the cause of death as fentanyl, methamphetamine and ethanol toxicity.
Shawano County sheriff’s deputies found a white powdery residue on the nightstand next to the bed, but no drugs or drug paraphernalia were located in the room, the complaint said.
Hotel registration showed that a Lynn French was listed as the man’s guest. After searching his vehicle, authorities found paperwork for the owner of the car.
When contacted the car owner stated that the victim was with his cousin, Stephany French, and alleged that she had a $400 a day heroin habit, the complaint said. The victim’s family stated that the victim liked to drink alcohol, but was not a drug user.
According to the complaint, French at first denied being in the room, but when confronted with video surveillance photos, she said she didn’t know what happened to the man but tried to revive him by pouring cold water on him.
wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com
Trial postponed in overdose death
