WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Cornelius Russell pleaded not guilty Tuesday for allegedly shooting another Little Wolf River rafter.
Russell faces three charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, for the July 25 incident.
A police detective testified at a preliminary hearing Tuesday. Russell was bound over for trial, and immediately entered a not guilty plea. No trial date was set; Russell returns to court Oct. 19 for a status conference.
According to the criminal complaint, “Officers learned that the victim and Russell were in the same tubing group that consisted of about eight people from the Green Bay area. Witnesses indicated that victim and Russell were not fighting prior to the shooting.”
The victim, who is not named, offered this account: “Victim recalled Russell calling his name and when he looked over toward Russell he showed him a gun. Victim asked why he would bring that here? Victim estimated approximately 30 people tubing in the area when the gun was displayed. The next thing he knew he was climbing up the bank and a lady was telling him to “just lay still”. Victim positively identified the shooter as Cornelius Russell and indicated he had known him for about eight years.”
While the sheriff’s department indicated the shooting victim had complained to Russell about littering of beer can, the criminal complaint makes no mention of that detail.
The victim’s fiancée “indicated that victim had not made any aggressive movement towards Russell prior to him shooting. It looked to her that they were discussing something before he shot. She had not met the shooter prior to that day,” the complaint states.
Two nurses who heard the gunshot attended to the victim, who was bleeding from the head and suffering seizures. He recovered enough to later talk to police, although the complaint does not include specific details of the injuries.
Russell also faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and obstructing an officer.
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