A Vilas County judge denied a request to modify the sentence for a man convicted in the death of his wife 20 years ago.
Genelle Plude died in October of 1999 in Land O’ Lakes.
Her husband Douglas Plude had originally been convicted of murder by a jury in 2002, but that conviction was overturned by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2008. That decision came after the credibility of one of the state’s witnesses was called into question.
Plude was then convicted of first degree reckless homicide in a plea agreement, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Plude’s motion requested his sentence be modified to 15 years, which is the time he has already served. He asked that he then be placed on probation for five years. Plude appeared via video and the victim’s parents appeared by phone.
Judge Neal Nielsen denied the motion, ruling the court could not find the defendant met the burden of proof to grant the motion to modify sentence.
Plude remains in custody at the minimum security New Lisbon Corrrectional Institution.
