Six months have passed since James C. Radford was arrested on charges of first-degree homicide connected to the shooting death of his wife, but Radford has yet to find an attorney.
While many cases going through the court system are on hold due to a limited number of attorneys being available to take cases, most of them are due to the public defender’s office having difficulty finding representation, especially in major charges like homicide. However, online court records show Radford does not qualify for public defender services, so the responsibility has fallen to him to hire his own attorney.
Radford told Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr. during a status conference Oct. 20 that he needs more time to hire an attorney. Another status conference was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24 in Branch II of the Shawano County Courthouse.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies responded April 11, 2016, to a residence on County Road J in the Town of Fairbanks for a report of a woman who had sustained a gunshot wound. The caller, identified as her husband, reported that his wife, Sabrina Radford, had shot herself.
At the time of the initial response, investigators were unable to conclusively determine the cause of death. However, due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident, a formal investigation was initiated.
Over the course of nine years, investigators dedicated significant time and effort to this case, according to a sheriff’s department press release. Numerous interviews were conducted with James Radford and other individuals connected to the case, and previously collected evidence was reexamined. With the aid of advanced investigative tools, evolving forensic technology and the involvement of expert witnesses, investigators determined the death of Sabrina Radford was not the result of suicide.
James Radford was taken into custody earlier this year in Waukesha County. He was subsequently transported to Shawano County, where he was booked into the Shawano County Jail and held on a cash bond of $800,000.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
