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    • Maxwell Anderson’s lawyers want to examine Sade Robinson’s cell phone
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    Maxwell Anderson’s lawyers want to examine Sade Robinson’s cell phone

    Pabio Posted on

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    Lawyers for accused murderer Maxwell Anderson are still trying to access the cellphone belonging to Sade Robinson that was recovered after his brutal death in April.

    The revelation came Friday during a pretrial hearing that focused on instructions for potential jurors and a checklist of expert witnesses expected to testify.

    Anthony Cotton, one of Anderson’s attorneys, said he received a phone containing cloud data belonging to Robinson, but it is encrypted so his office has not had a chance to examine its contents. An arrest warrant was obtained in September, but the device was not decrypted until earlier this month.

    A report on its contents should be available late Friday.

    Anderson is charged with the murder and mutilation of Robinson, a Milwaukee Area Technical College student he met for a date on April 1. Prosecutors believe he killed her at her Milwaukee home, dismembered her and threw away parts of her body.

    Anderson was in court for the hearing Friday, but did not speak.

    Cotton and Deputy Prosecutor Ian Vance-Curzan told Circuit Judge Laura Crivello stay on track for trial on December 9. However, another scheduling conference has been set for December 2 to finalize the questionnaire that will be given to potential jurors.

    Vance-Curzan said a DNA and imaging report in the case was finalized in October and sent to the defense, but a crime lab scene report on what was discovered at the home of Anderson during a search remained pending Friday. He said he expected that report to be available before the trial.

    Vance-Curzan said he plans to have several scientific experts testify, including a forensic pathologist, an anthropologist, a fingerprint analyst and a DNA expert. An individual with expertise in collecting and processing cell tower data may also be recruited.

    Cotton said he plans to present a representative from Garrett Discovery in his client’s defense. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Garrett is a digital investigations firm whose work has factored into debunking claims made in 2022 that Elon Musk fired a Twitter executive on air as the billionaire was about to buy the social media platform.

    Cotton said his team plans to argue that someone other than their client killed Robinson.

    Robinson, 19, worked at a pizzeria on Milwaukee’s east side while attending school. She was about to graduate when police said she was killed on a first date and her body dismembered.

    Anderson, 33, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other crimes in connection with her death. He pleaded not guilty.

    Robinson’s mother Sheena Scarbrough showed up to court for the hearing wearing a knitted sweater embroidered with images of her daughter, with the words “Justice for Sade Robinson” written in cursive on the front.

    The trial is scheduled for December 9. Jury selection is expected to begin that day.

    Crivello said she expects to consider a jury of about 80 people for the case. Typical jury pools include around 30 to 40 people.

    Pabio
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