Joel Kennedy Sr., 43, of New Berlin, was found guilty of false imprisonment, personal duty to aid a victim/report a crime, substantial battery and first-degree reckless injury, all as a party to the crime.
Kennedy was also charged with resisting/obstructing an officer and injury by negligent use of a dangerous weapon, both as a party to the crime, but was found not guilty by jurors.
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| Joel Kennedy Sr. |
The 18-year-old man, Joel Kennedy Jr., testified for State prosecutor Dennis Krueger. Jurors also viewed a video of Kennedy Sr.’s initial interview with Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office detectives. Defense attorney John Swimmer argued Kennedy did not try to help his son because he was afraid and felt threatened by the friend whose dog was attacking Joel Kennedy Jr.
Prosecutors said Kennedy and his son, Joel Kennedy Jr., visited Richard Lisko's home for the Labor Day weekend, and Lisko began accusing the teen of stealing Lisko's morphine pills. He then commanded his pit bull, Bubba, to attack, the criminal complaint said.
The teen told investigators Lisko then tied the dog leash around his ankles, and Lisko and his father suspended the teen from a porch rafter. He said the dog was ordered to attack him further, and that he was kept upside down for about an hour.
The teen suffered cuts and punctures to his neck, ears and scalp that investigators said appeared consistent with dog bites and scratches. He also had rope burns around his feet and ankles.
"My dad helped the guy tie me up," the teen told WISN-TV. "I was dripping blood everywhere, all over the place. I kept thinking 'What's going to happen to me? What's going to happen to me?'"
Kennedy told detectives he didn't try to stop Lisko "because he was paralyzed with fear that Lisko was a member of the Outlaw bikers," the complaint said. "He also stated that he felt his son needed to be taught a lesson."
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| Richard Lisko |
Joel Kennedy Jr. was attacked by Lisko’s dog for about two hours before officers arrived to Lisko’s Campbellsport home, according to the complaint. Joel Kennedy Jr. received stitches for dog bite wounds.
Joel Kennedy Sr. is scheduled to be sentenced by Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Peter Grimm, who oversaw the jury trial.
Lisko’s trial in this case is scheduled for Feb. 11 through Feb. 14, 2013.
(Fond du Lac Reporter - Dec 22, 2012)
