Former Hudson lawyer leads prosecution in murder case

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A former Hudson public defender, now an assistant to the Wisconsin Attorney General in Madison, heads up the prosecution in the Aaron Schaffhausen murder trial.

St. Croix County District Attorney Eric Johnson said Gary Freyberg, who formerly served as a public defender in Hudson and is now an assistant to the attorney general, will lead the prosecution. Johnson and ADA Amber Hahn will work with Freyberg on the case. “We’ll be working together,” he said.

Johnson said he asked the attorney general’s office to lend a hand in Schaffhausen case because of, “the seriousness of the case,” and to use the “resources, expertise and experience” of the state office.

“I am appreciative for the assistance from the attorney general’s office,” said Johnson.

Schaffhausen is charged with three counts of first-degree homicide in the deaths of his three young daughters July 10 at the River Falls home of his ex-wife. He has been held in the St. Croix County Jail on $2 million cash bond since his arrest. A preliminary hearing was Tuesday, July 24.

Freyberg worked his last case in Hudson when he prosecuted Daniel P. Shonka on felony theft charges involving the sale of greyhounds from the now defunct St. Croix Meadows race track. Shonka was convicted in February 2003 and sentenced to jail, community service and fined.

Freyberg was with the Wisconsin Public Defender’s office from 1984-2001 following graduation from the UW Law School. He has been with the attorney general’s office since 2001.

John Kucinski of the Hudson public defender’s office was assigned to defend Schaffhausen. Kucinski is a River Falls resident who worked with Freyberg in Hudson.

Tags: news, crime, wisconsin