BARRON, Wis. — Jake Patterson, accused of kidnapping Jayme Closs after allegedly killing her parents, appeared in person Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court, where he waived his…
BARRON, Wis. — Jake Patterson, accused of kidnapping Jayme Closs after allegedly killing her parents, appeared in person Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court, where he waived his preliminary hearing.
Patterson, in orange Barron County Jail coveralls, responded to Circuit Judge James Babler’s questions Wednesday with one-word answers. He said «yes» when the judge asked if he understood he had a right to a hearing, and whether he still wanted to waive it.
Otherwise, Patterson said little. A family member in the courtroom’s front row said what sounded like «I love you» as sheriff’s officials escorted him into the courtroom; Patterson nodded in response.
Patterson had made his initial court appearance Jan. 14 via video from the county jail.
Babler set a March 27 date for Patterson to return to court for arraignment, and adjourned the hearing three minutes after it began.
Neither prosecutor Brian Wright nor Patterson’s defense attorneys, assistant state public defenders Charles Glynn and Richard Jones, answered questions from reporters after the court appearance.
Nor did members of Patterson’s family, nor the more than a dozen relatives and supporters of Closs.
