New Berlin Man Sentenced For Dog Attack

A 44-year-old New Berlin man has been sentenced to a year of conditional jail time and 18 years of probation for aiding in the vicious dog mauling of his 18-year-old son on a Campbellsport farm last August. Joel Kennedy Senior had previously been sentenced on a false imprisonment charge to 6 months of conditional jail time and 3 years of probation. Sentencing was adjourned on the failing to report a crime, substantial battery and 1st degree reckless injury charges a jury also found him guilty of last December so he could testify during co-defendant Richard Lisko’s trial. Lisko had the dog attack Kennedy’s son because he believed he stole morphine pills from him.

In sentencing Kennedy Tuesday Fond du Lac County Judge Peter Grimm said Kennedy brings to the table many difficulties and disabilities including Asperger’s Syndrome a disorder on the Autism Spectrum, which affects one’s empathy. Judge Grimm said Kennedy has a problem understanding context and subtleties and didn’t act rationally during the attack. He said Kennedy shouldn’t be punished for the way he testified at Lisko’s trial in May, that when it came to the attack it was all Lisko. District Attorney Eric Toney didn’t agree with that view. Toney said, ”Although we viewed the case differently the court we respect the court’s rational and decision as well as the court’s statements that based on what the court learned about Richard Lisko from the Joel Kennedy trial that this matter is all about Richard Lisko with all responsibility falling on Mr. Lisko.”

Kennedy has already served four months of his jail sentence so the judge rounded that up to a year of conditional jail time plus the 18 years of probation. He’s serving his time at the Waukesha County Jail. Lisko will be sentenced Thursday for his role in the attack on false imprisonment and 1st degree reckless injury charges.