WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsJury deliberating in Grand Chute murder case

Jury deliberating in Grand Chute murder case

APPLETON, Wis. (AP) -- The case of a former Appleton firefighter who admitted to killing his estranged wife is now in the hands of a jury.

Closing arguments were delivered Wednesday in the case of Scott Schmidt, and the jury began deliberating after 4 p.m. WLUK-TV reports that deliberations were continuing into the evening.

The 39-year-old Schmidt doesn't dispute that he killed his estranged wife, Kelly Wing Schmidt, or that he shot and wounded her mother, Barbara Wing. But he claims his actions last April in Grand Chute were not intentional.

WBAY-TV says a judge decided Wednesday the jury can consider lesser charges of first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree reckless homicide charges, along with the more serious charges indicating intent.

First-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence. The lesser charge has a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison and Schmidt could be eligible for parole.

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