Eric Hainstock Wants a New Trial

The nightmare for John Klang's family continues.

About a year ago, Eric Hainstock was found guilty of murdering his principal, John Klang.

Now, Hainstock wants a new trial.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Eric Hainstock's attorney, Paul G. Bonneson, has filed a motion in Sauk County Circuit Court arguing Hainstock wasn't competent to waive his rights before investigators questioned him and Hainstock's trial attorneys were ineffective because they didn't raise that issue.

Hainstock was 15 years old when he walked into Weston Schools just outside Cazenovia with guns on Sept. 29, 2006. He testified he wanted to force teachers to make bullies stop picking on him.

Principal John Klang tackled Hainstock from behind. The teenager shot Klang three times as they struggled.

Hainstock has had his day in court.

He took the stand in his own defense. The jury listened.

The members of the jury heard the evidence, deliberated, and delivered their verdict -- GUILTY of first-degree intentional homicide. He was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in 30 years.

Regarding Hainstock's competency when he waived his rights before questioning by investigators, I don't see how a new trial would change the eventual outcome.

I don't think this is a question of Hainstock's competency or the ineffectiveness of his lawyers.

Hainstock's new lawyer is simply looking for a sympathetic jury. He hopes he's able to convince a new jury that Hainstock is a victim.

Hainstock isn't in search of a new trial because he didn't receive a fair one.

He's in search of a new jury, one that won't hold him accountable for bringing loaded guns to school, shooting repeatedly, and killing John Klang.

If Hainstock is granted a new trial, I would hope that the verdict would be the same.

At Hainstock's sentencing hearing, August 3, 2007:

Sue Klang said she left her job as a hospital health education director because she could no longer concentrate on it. And she has had to deal with constant reminders of the tragedy at Weston.

"It's difficult to deal with supporters of Eric who write messages to me telling me that I'm a liar and a poor excuse for a Christian for favoring adult court for Eric," she said, "that I have not suffered an impossible loss and that I should stop spewing my venom and feeling sorry for myself."

Hainstock's fate, she said, "will be a small pittance for the pain that I and those around me have suffered and are still suffering. Everyone who was the victim of John's murder has suffered great anguish and has had problems in even trying to fathom the depth of John's loss."

It's horrible that Sue Klang has been harassed by the freakish supporters of Eric Hainstock.

Those people are truly sick. They aren't the compassionate activists they claim to be. They are demented torturers in their own right.

I'm sure this move by Bonneson will initiate a new round of harassment and activism and cruelty from Hainstock's supporters.

For the sake of Klang's wife, Sue, and their daughters, Kristi and Kerri, I hope they are spared the trauma of a second trial.