Why there is no story on the trial…
When the Ken Juedes homicide trial got started over a week ago, I was excited. The excitement had actually been building within me for some time. I had been covering the saga of the 2006 murder for many years, and to watch it come to conclusion would provide me with some closure.
The opening arguments last week Tuesday were some of the most interesting things to watch as a journalist. I took copious notes and made sure to record every last word of the district attorney and the defense attorney for Cindy Juedes-Schulz. The courtroom was packed full of Ken Juedes’ relatives, members of law enforcement and curious onlookers who were looking to satisfy their need for human drama.
Unfortunately, as I was sitting there, the clock was ticking on a Tuesday — our busiest day of the week here at the newspaper. I had already spent half the day in the courtroom, waiting for the jury selection to wrap up and for opening arguments to begin. I had to make two trips to Wausau that day just to arrive at the right time to hear the prosecution and defense officially open their cases. By the time the opening arguments were done, I had to rush back to the offi ce and start laying out that week’s paper. That involves putting together all of the stories and photos that make up each week’s edition. That task took me into the early evening, at which time I started to write a story based on the opening arguments. It was a long and arduous process, describing each side’s position in a way that was both fully fair and not too long and tedious.
At the end of last Tuesday, I was more than a little tired. I made it through Wednesday morning here at the office, but by that afternoon, I needed a long nap before my next meeting that night in Abbotsford. Meanwhile, over in Wausau, the trial lumbered forward, with witness after witness testifying before the jury.
I found myself in a conundrum that I knew was coming. My schedule simply doesn’t allow me to drive over to Wausau on a daily basis in order to cover the trial I had been waiting for for over a year. This reality played itself over the next few days, as I kept finding myself occupied at the office and unable to make it to the courthouse for another day of testimony.
From almost an hour away, it’s almost impossible to figure out who may be testifying on any particular day. Committing myself to driving over 45 minutes each way without a clear plan for what I will be covering is not a good use of my time.
This is a long explanation for why there is no article this week about the trial. For that, I apologize. I will be trying to fit more trial coverage as my scheduled allows. I hope that our readers will understand that I am just one man.
OUT FOR A WALK
KEVIN O’BRIEN
EDITOR
