Defense Aims to Dismiss Evidence in Child Pornography Case Involving Van Meter

The defense argues that evidence found on Van Meter’s phone should be excluded from the case

Defense Aims to Dismiss Evidence in Child Pornography Case Involving Van Meter
Defense Aims to Dismiss Evidence in Child Pornography Case Involving Van Meter

Eau Claire: So, here’s the scoop. Kenneth Van Meter, 42, was involved in a tragic crash that killed Tammy Jarecki back in May 2023. He was driving way too fast, around 60-70 mph, and hit her car while it was stopped at a red light. The impact was so severe that it pushed her car into traffic poles and it caught fire.

Van Meter’s blood alcohol level was a staggering 0.342, which is more than four times the legal limit. After the crash, he was pretty out of it and didn’t even know where he was. He ended up with serious injuries, including a fractured skull and hip.

Now, the legal trouble doesn’t stop there. After the accident, police seized his cell phone, which is standard procedure in serious crashes. They found child pornography on it, leading to a 15-count indictment against him. The defense is now arguing that the search for that evidence went beyond what the original warrant allowed, claiming it violated his rights.

His attorney, Karl Schmidt, is pushing to have that evidence tossed out, saying the search should have only focused on data related to the crash. The judge, Beverly Wickstrom, is set to make a ruling on this on February 4. It’s a complicated case, and it looks like the defense is trying to limit the damage from the charges against Van Meter.

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