Michael Ingold earned himself a contempt ruling March 25 after he left the library at the Shawano County Jail during his initial appearance for facing 10 counts of threatening law enforcement and attorneys and refused to return to the hearing.
Portage County Circuit Court Judge Louis Molepske Jr. took on the case after the judges in the Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court recused themselves, because the victims in the case are involved in the local court system. Molepske said he has never seen a defendant leave a court proceeding like that and noted that, if Ingold had appeared in person, courthouse security would have brought him back and kept him in his seat for the entire hearing.
The hearing was held entirely via Zoom due to the judge being in Portage County, the special prosecutor being in Winnebago County and Ingold in Shawano County. Ingold exited the library after making a comment and shaking his fist as attorney Eric Sparr discussed with Molepske about whether bond should be set, because Ingold did not have representation at the hearing.
When Molepske demanded that Ingold be brought back, a lieutenant at the jail said that Ingold told him he would not proceed in any court hearing until his attorneys could be present. The lieutenant told the judge that, in his view, jail staff would not use force to return him to the library.
“I’ve never seen a defendant leave a courtroom before as if he can just walk out,” Molepske said. “I understand why you made the decision not to bring him back in kicking and screaming, but I would ask that at the next hearing you have him handcuffed to a table.”
In Ingold’s absence, Molepske sentenced Ingold to an additional 10 days in jail for the contempt charge, which pales in comparison with the life sentence he faces on the charge of first-degree homicide and a six-year prison sentence for each of the threatening charges.
During the discussion about setting bond, Molepske said it was standard procedure to do so at the first court hearing, finding that there was probable cause for the arrest. He added that a review of the bond amount could take place at a later date.
Molepske agreed to Sparr’s recommendation of a $250,000 cash bond for the current case, noting that Ingold is already sitting in jail for a $1 million bond set in the homicide case from 2022 where Ingold is accused in the death of his girlfriend. The trial for that case is set for April 7 and expected to last through the end of the month.
Molepske set an adjourned initial appearance for 10 a.m. May 4 in the hopes that Ingold will have representation for the threatening case. He also told the jail lieutenant that security measures would need to be in place to make sure Ingold doesn’t walk out again.
“This judge does not allow inmates to leave court — I don’t care where they’re appearing from — without the court’s permission,” Molepske said.
Prior to Ingold walking out of the hearing, the judge asked the defendant if he’d read through the court documents about the threatening charges. Ingold replied that he hasn’t read it, but he has let the public defenders handling the homicide case know about it. He said his attorneys have not responded, and he did not want to proceed without any representation.
So far, the public defender’s office has made 91 inquiries to attorneys to find Ingold representation for the threatening case with no success, according to court records. Ingold currently has two public defenders for the homicide case, but it is unclear whether they could take on the new charges, as well.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
Eric Sparr
Louis Molepske Jr.
