The Brief
- Convicted cop killer Ted Oswald is seeking early release after serving 32 years for a deadly 1994 bank robbery and shootout that killed Waukesha Police Captain James Lutz.
- Oswald claims he was a “misguided 18-year-old” at the time and qualifies for consideration under a new state commutation board rule for inmates who have served at least 20 years of a life sentence.
- Former Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher, who prosecuted the case, strongly opposes the request and vows to do everything he can to keep Oswald in prison.
WAUKESHA, Wis. – Convicted cop killer Ted Oswald is petitioning to be let out of prison early. But the district attorney who prosecuted the case in the 1990s vows to fight it.
Petition for release
What we know:
In January, Ted Oswald sent a letter to Waukesha County court saying he was a “misguided 18-year-old” at the time of the crime spree he committed with his father, James. Both were convicted and are serving life sentences.
The Oswalds robbed a bank and were responsible for a deadly shootout near Rolling Ridge and Meadowbrook in Waukesha on April 28, 1994. They killed Waukesha Police Captain James Lutz, and put many more lives in jeopardy that day.
Paul Bucher was the Waukesha County District Attorney in 1994, and tried the Oswald case. He said Gov. Tony Evers’ recent executive order to create a Commutation Advisory Board means Ted Oswald can be considered for early release. One of the stipulations of the process is that an individual must have served at least half of their incarceration term, or at least 20 years of a life sentence.
In his letter, Ted Oswald said he has served 32 years without any problems in prison. …