At a Thursday status hearing, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Michelle Havas locked in a March 30, trial date for Tremaine Jones, the 22-year-old charged in the June ambush that killed Milwaukee Police Officer Kendall Corder and wounded his partner. Jones faces counts of first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety, charges that carry the possibility of life in prison. Citing the heavy publicity around the case, Havas said she wants roughly 100 potential jurors vetted and signaled she might move the proceedings to a larger courtroom at the County Safety Building, as reported by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The hearing details trace back to a March 12 status conference, where Havas made the scheduling and juror-pool decisions and asked that about 100 prospective jurors be summoned and vetted because of the case's visibility, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. WTMJ likewise lists March 30 as the trial date and lays out the pretrial timeline, according to WTMJ.
What Prosecutors Say About the June Ambush
The Milwaukee Police Department's July charging release states that Officers Corder and Christopher McCray were responding to reports of shots fired around 9:22 p.m. on June 26 when they were ambushed in an alley in the 2200 block of North 24th Place, according to the Milwaukee Police Department. The release says Corder was taken to Froedtert Hospital and died of his injuries on June 29, while his partner was left with non-fatal wounds. Courtroom coverage from FOX6 described detectives testifying that officers heard a burst of gunfire as they entered the alley and said investigators recovered an AR-15-style rifle and a backpack with identifying items at the scene, per FOX6.
Court Timeline and Defense Posture
Jones pleaded not guilty at his July 18 appearance and was bound over for trial, according to CBS58. That outlet reported that prosecutors presented scene evidence and witness testimony at the preliminary hearing, while defense attorney Russell J.A. Jones urged jurors to hold off on judgment until they hear the full case in open court, according to TMJ4.
Legal Stakes
First-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony in Wisconsin and carries a life sentence under the state's jury instructions, which describe it as the most serious form of criminal homicide. The Wisconsin Jury Instructions (Wis JI-Criminal 1010) note that a conviction for first-degree intentional homicide results in a life term. The Milwaukee Police Department's charging release also states that prosecutors say Jones could face life in prison plus additional years if convicted on all counts, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.
Community Response and What to Expect Next
Local outlets reported that the shooting and Officer Corder's death drew an outpouring of support across Milwaukee, including a public funeral and community fundraisers to aid the family, coverage that chronicled the city's grief. TMJ4 also followed the case through earlier hearings, according to TMJ4. With the March 30 trial date now locked in, the court is expected to turn its attention to jury selection and pretrial motions as it prepares for what is shaping up to be a closely watched trial.
