SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - The parade of people who witnessed a fight in the city of Sheboygan last January, which culminated in a fatal stabbing, continued to describe the scene for the jury in Sheboygan County Court. 23 year old Michael Lemerande of Oshkosh is on trial on a charge of reckless homicide for that stabbing. The defense is trying to establish that it was self defense and that Lemerande was trying to protect his friend, Shawn Farmer, when he stabbed 43 year old Nicholas Lehrke to death as he fought with Farmer. The prosecution contends that it was just a scuffle and Farmer was in no danger.
During testimony Tuesday morning, Farmer's wife testified that the two were pushing and shoving in the street in the 1400 block of South 12th Street. Jason Clark testified that he was there and saw the two exchanging punches when Lemerande rushed out of a nearby house and stabbed Lehrke in the lower back.
Afternoon testimony had jurors watch two police dash cam videos of the crime scene on the 1400 block of South 12th Street after the incident. Sheboygan Police Officer Brian Inger described what was being shown, along with his own account of what occurred and what he found after he arrived. Jurors also heard two other accounts of events prior to and during the stabbing incident. Both Justin Paaramann and Shawn Farmer described how confrontations the previous evening and moments before the fatal fight between a group of people that included them, Lehrke and Lemerande, eventually led to the incident where Lehrke was stabbed and killed.
A jury of 7 men and 6 women will ultimately decide the case. The jury is down to one alternate after a pregnant juror called in on Tuesday morning to say she had been sick and was up all night. She was excused by Judge James Bolgert. Testimony will continue with the prosecution continuing to call witnesses on Wednesday.