Winona Area Man’s Murder Conviction Upheld

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court says a man accused of killing the owner of a La Crosse camera store and the owner's teenage son was properly convicted.

A jury in 2013 convicted Jeffrey Lepsch of fatally shooting Paul Petras and 19-year-old A.J. Petras at May's Photo in September 2012. Lepsch argued on appeal he deserves a new trial because prospective jurors were sworn in outside his presence and a clerk administered the oath rather than a judge. He also argued the jurors were biased against him.

The 4th District Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Lepsch should have objected to the swearing-in process at the time and the trial judge reasonably decided the jurors were impartial.

Lepsch's attorney, Steven Zaleski, says he plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court.