March 4, 2019 at 3:37 p.m.
Lussier considers appeal of murder conviction, charges dropped in Vilas County
Lussier considers appeal of murder conviction, charges dropped in Vilas County
By Abigail Bostwick-
James Lussier, 20, entered guilty pleas to amended charges of felony murder/battery and two counts of harboring a felon in 2018, pled down from first degree intentional homicide (with use of dangerous weapon as party to a crime) and hiding a corpse (as habitual criminal and party to a crime), the same as his brother Joseph Lussier, 27; Richard Allen, 28; Curtis Wolfe, 28; and Evan Oungst, 29. All were charged in the battery and shooting death of Wayne Valliere, Jr., 25, in the days before Christmas 2017.
Allen and Joseph Lussier were found guilty following a jury trial last August - both accused of shooting Valliere. James Lussier, who testified in that dual jury trial, was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years of prison confinement and 15 years of extended supervision in January, as well as probation and restitution. A couple weeks ago, a notice of intent to pursue post-conviction relief was filed.
Lussier also was facing several charges in Vilas County, including a case of 2017 misdemeanor charges of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct after he allegedly broke a car windshield following a fight with a former girlfriend and others in Arbor Vitae, as well as misdemeanor obstructing an officer in 2018 for reportedly giving police false information in the investigation of Valliere's disappearance before the body was found.
In court last week, state prosecutor in the case, Scott Niemi, indicating to Judge Neal Nielsen he would be filing to dismiss all charges to due to Lussier's incarceration status.
A felony charge of possession of narcotics from 2017 has already been dismissed, in which Lussier was found with a Percocet in his pocket during a criminal stop in Lac du Flambeau.
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