Suspected Serial Killer Wants Separate Trials

Man Charged In Connection With 7 Slayings

Published On: Nov 11 2009 11:59:01 AM CST   Updated On: Nov 11 2009 12:16:16 PM CST
MILWAUKEE -

The lawyer for a man accused in a string of Milwaukee killings has filed a motion seeking to have the cases tried separately.

The motion was filed on Wednesday by attorney Russell Jones, who represents Walter Ellis, 49, of Milwaukee. Ellis is charged with killing seven women from 1986 to 2007.

The motion says the crimes aren't similar enough to justify being lumped together. It also says they occurred over too long a period and lack enough overlap of evidence.

A message left Wednesday with district attorney John Chisholm wasn't immediately returned.

Online court records say a hearing on the motion is set for Dec. 23.

Ellis was charged with the killings this summer after police connected him through DNA evidence.

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