Emotions high in courtroom as jury returns guilty verdict against Grant Fuhrman in attempted homicide of Oshkosh West school resource officer
OSHKOSH – Gasps and sobs broke out in the courtroom Friday after a jury found Grant Fuhrman guilty of attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the 2019 attack of an Oshkosh West High School school resource officer.
Since the two-week trial's start, family and friends of 20-year-old Fuhrman have filled the gallery to offer support. Emotions were high in the aftermath of the verdict's reading, with shouts and tears. As Fuhrman was escorted out of the courtroom, family members shouted words of support, including "We love you, Grant."
Fuhrman could face up to 60 years in prison.
On Dec. 3, 2019, Fuhrman attacked Officer Michael Wissink with a two-pronged barbecue fork he brought to school that morning. In response to the attack, Wissink fired his gun three times, striking Fuhrman in the chest and himself in the wrist.
Fuhrman, taken into custody as a 16-year-old high school student, has been in jail for more than three years during the course of the investigation and pretrial court proceedings.
The 12-person jury deliberated for about three hours before reaching a verdict. The verdict was read shortly after 6:30 p.m.
During jury instructions, Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Bissett informed jurors they had the option to find Fuhrman guilty of a lesser charge of first-degree recklessly endangering safety if they could not come to a unanimous verdict.
Throughout the trial, Assistant District Attorney Tracy Paider aimed to prove to the jury that Fuhrman intended to kill Wissink, or that he knew his actions were "practically certain" to cause Wissink's death. In response, defense attorneys Corey Mehlos and Tim Casper argued that Fuhrman's attack was far from lethal and was actually an attempted "suicide by cop."
Attorneys wrapped up the trial Friday with closing arguments, which lasted multiple hours. Both sides summarized evidence that was presented during the last two weeks.
Paider revisited the metaphor she used in her opening argument of a shark circling its prey before an attack to describe Fuhrman's actions the morning of the attack, as he walked through the hallways of Oshkosh West prior to entering Wissink's office. She said Fuhrman intended to kill Wissink.
"He chose and planned to take a weapon from his house, drive from his house to Oshkosh West, and sit in his first-hour class with that weapon, waiting," Paider said.
During the defense's closing arguments, both Mehlos and Casper took a turn addressing the jury. Mehlos described the circumstances in Fuhrman's life in December 2019 — including the recent death of his grandfather, side effects from ADHD medication he started taking again after a hiatus, learning that he would not be able to go out for football due to his academics, and the ending of a "toxic" relationship during which he and his girlfriend had both at times discussed suicide.
Casper went over the jury instructions with jurors, trying to persuade them why they should find Fuhrman not guilty on both the primary charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and the lesser charge of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, which would require the jury determine Fuhrman displayed an "utter disregard for human life."
Both defense attorneys also highlighted evidence they believed showed Fuhrman did not endanger Wissink's life, and suggested Wissink purposely chose to not turn on his body camera, which can capture the previous 30 seconds when the camera is activated.
Among evidence presented during the trial was a Snapchat story Fuhrman posted in the early morning hours of Dec. 3, 2019, with the words "today's the day" and "love you all." While Paider claimed this was evidence of a planned homicide, Mehlos described it as "a 21st century suicide note."
Throughout the trial, Fuhrman's defense attorneys have requested their objections be preserved for the record for appeals. They requested at least two months before the sentencing hearing.
RELATED:First week of Grant Fuhrman trial saw testimony from school resource officer, evidence disagreement
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Jury finds Grant Fuhrman guilty of attempted homicide at Oshkosh West
