Judge in Green Bay decapitation case will not move Schabusiness homicide trial out of Brown County

Taylor Schabusiness, who is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault and mutilating a corpse, appears in court for a competency hearing on Jan.  6, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis.

Taylor Schabusiness, who is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault and mutilating a corpse, appears in court for a competency hearing on Jan. 6, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis.

GREEN BAY – The woman accused of killing and decapitating a male friend in Green Bay in 2022 will be tried this summer in a Brown County court, Circuit Judge Thomas Walsh ruled Wednesday afternoon.

Walsh acknowledged that there had been substantial print, television and internet coverage of the case against Taylor Schabusiness, 25, of Green Bay, in the February 2022 killing of Shad Thyrion, 24, of Green Bay. But while he said some stories on a few internet outlets used some sensational wording in a few stories, “I don’t find there has been excessive editorializing.”

RELATED: Schabusiness seeks a change of venue, insists media coverage poisons her chances of not-guilty verdict in beheading case

“I’m convinced that this has been fairly reported, and that a fair and impartial jury can be impeached,” Walsh ruled.

Schabusiness is also charged with mutilating a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault, both felonies.

Walsh’s ruling denied two motions filed by Schabusiness’ attorney, Christopher Froelich. He had asked on March 31 for a change of venue, saying his client could not get a fair trial in Brown County because of the volume of the publicity her case has received since she was accused of killing and decapitating Thyrion last year. If Walsh refuses to move on with the trial, Froehlich asks him to allow jurors to be brought in from another Wisconsin county.

The case has been thoroughly covered by local media in the more than 13 months it has been in the court system, and the gruesome nature of the crime attracted national publicity via Internet sites like The Daily Beast.

Froelich and Brown County Assistant District Attorney Caleb Saunders argued in the motion in court Wednesday. Saunders opposed the motion, pointing out that “what the defense argues is not enough” to justify a change in venue.

“The defense argument,” Saunders said, “is confusing publicity with partiality.”

But Walsh said he had reviewed Schabusiness-related articles the defense said were prejudicial against the defendant receiving a fair trial, but that “objective, factual non-editorial reporting is not prejudicial,” and that most of what he had read, particularly from local media, was factual and objective. He said that even stories posted Feb. 14 and 15, after Schabusiness attacked then-defense attorney Quinn Jolly and had to be wrestled to the ground by a Brown County sheriff’s deputy, did not appear sensationalized.

“Publicity in this particular case seems to follow a general pattern: When there’s court, there is publicity,” he said, citing media’s use of items from the criminal complaint filed against Schabusiness. “Many of the articles that are coming out are simply stating” what’s in the criminal complaint.

Schabusiness’s trial is slated to begin with jury selection July 21.

Judges often reject change-of-venue motions, saying that lawyers can find a panel of 12 jurors who have not formed an opinion on the guilt or innocence of a defendant.

Email Doug Schneider @[email protected], call him at (920) 265-2070 and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Taylor Schabusiness’ homicide trial to remain in Brown County

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