A Green Bay man was sentenced July 28 to two decades in prison for his involvement in a 2022 shooting that killed a 42-year-old Green Bay man.
It’s still unknown who fired the shot that killed the victim, Brown County Circuit Court Judge Samantha Wagner said at 25-year-old Jesse Dahl’s sentencing hearing. Prosecutor Wendy Lemkuil argued all of the evidence in the case pointed to Dahl being the shooter, while defense attorney Michael Covey was prepared to go to trial arguing another person had fired the fatal shot.
Dahl pleaded guilty April 25 to first-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime, meaning he was involved in the crime, but maintained he did not shoot the victim. Covey filed a Denny motion April 22, seeking permission for the defense to argue someone else committed the crime at trial, but the motion was never discussed because Dahl pleaded.
Jesse Dahl, who pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime, watches as the victim’s family members speak during his sentencing hearing in Brown County Circuit Court on July 28 in Green Bay.
On Dec. 20, 2022, the victim was found by police in an alley near the 1300 block of Day Street and had been shot in the face, according to a criminal complaint. The prosecution and defense agreed the shooting stemmed from a drug-deal-gone-wrong between two groups: Dahl and his friend, and the victim and his friend.
Members of the victim’s family said the plea was confusing and left them with questions about what happened to their loved one. The victim’s brother questioned how Dahl could say he didn’t shoot the victim and also take responsibility.
Wagner said she was left with the same questions and frustration.
“There will always be questions that this court can’t answer, that I know the family has, and frankly, I share some of that frustration,” Wagner said. “In cases where there isn’t a trial, even the court doesn’t know all of the facts of the case.”
Regardless of whether Dahl fired the fatal shot, Wagner said, his choices to engage in a criminal lifestyle led to the victim’s death. Wagner sentenced Dahl to 20 years of initial confinement followed by 10 years of extended supervision.
Prosecution describes ‘disturbing’ criminal record, defense cites mitigating factors
At 25 years old, Dahl has 17 prior convictions stemming from 14 separate cases between Wisconsin and Minnesota, Lemkuil said. He was sentenced to probation seven times, and had his probation revoked in five of those cases, she said.
Lemkuil described Dahl’s criminal record as “disturbing.” She said his record also shows Dahl has not taken advantage of opportunities he was given to rehabilitate himself.
“When you look at the fact that this individual had 14 prior cases, the five of seven revocations isn’t what sticks out,” Lemkuil said. “It’s the fact that now we’re here on another case involving this individual who didn’t learn in the 14 prior cases that he was before court, and that’s disturbing.”
Jesse Dahl, who pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime, listens during his sentencing hearing in Brown County Circuit Court on July 28 in Green Bay.
Covey pointed to trauma in Dahl’s childhood as an “enormously mitigating factor.” Trauma is not an excuse for committing crimes, Covey said, but it provides “explanation that we have to take into account.”
“I ask you to consider the totality of his life when you give his sentence, and that you don’t lose hope on him,” Covey said.
Dahl has taken responsibility by pleading guilty, Covey said. It would have been a hard case for the prosecution to prove and he would have been happy to litigate it, Covey said, but Dahl wanted to take responsibility and not go to trial.
“His remorse is heartfelt,” Covey said. “He knows he screwed up in so many different ways.”
Dahl apologized to the victim and his family in a statement to the court. He said he understands why he is going to prison and that he will use the time to better himself.
“There’s no telling how long or great his life could have affected his family, friends and the (community). Because of my actions and others, I stole that away from him,” Dahl said. “I don’t ask for forgiveness because I don’t know if I could forgive someone if they did this to my family.”
‘You have an anger inside of you’
While Dahl expressed a desire to become a better person, Wagner said, his actions don’t show it. In the time he was incarcerated at Green Bay Correctional Institution while the shooting case was pending, Wagner said he was “littered with conduct tickets” including disobeying orders and disruptive conduct.
Dahl is ingrained with anger, Wagner said, likely stemming from his traumatic childhood.
“I don’t blame you, to a certain extent, that you have an anger inside of you,” Wagner said. “Most people who go to group homes, who were involved in the juvenile justice system, who lose a parent, who are involved in drugs at young age, they are angry.”
She said she would agree with Covey that Dahl’s childhood explained his behavior, if he wasn’t “still misbehaving.”
Wagner said she hopes Dahl uses his time in prison to better himself and become a productive member of society when he is released. She also said she hopes he will one day give back to the community that he took from.
“I sincerely hope at some point that you make amends to the community as a whole, because that’s what matters,” Wagner said. “That’s the only way you can honor (the victim).”
Vivian Barrett is the public safety reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at vmbarrett@greenbay.gannett.com or (920) 431-8314.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Jesse Dahl of Green Bay sentenced to 20 years for 2022 shooting