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LAWSUIT FILED IN PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S RACE - UPDATED 10/28/22


   

This article has been updated.  If you have already seen this article, please scroll down to "Update - 10/28/22" to read the responses from incumbent candidate Sheriff Brian Schmidt and write-in candidate Mr. John Brylski.

LAWSUIT FILED IN PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S RACE - 10/27/22:

Incumbent sheriff, Brian Schmidt, of Prentice, has filed a lawsuit against registered write-in, John Brylski, of Phillips.  While John Brylski is not on the ballot, he is a registered write-in, and he is running for the position currently held by Brian Schmidt, which is the role of the Price County Sheriff.  Brian Schmidt is running for re-election to this position.

Attorney Robert M. Mihelich, with a law office in New Berlin, Wisconsin, filed a complaint on behalf of his client, Brian S. Schmidt.  Five posts, published by John Bryski on social media, are cited in the complaint.  The posts were made on a Facebook page, "John Brylski for Price County Sheriff," and a Facebook group, "Justice for Shelly Hansen Missing People Unsolved Crime Victims Northern WI."

The posts made by John Brylski can be read in the complaint.  The posts include information John Brylski stated he received while investigating the Shelly Hansen missing person's case and campaigning.  The posts contain information stating residents and former residents have alleged corruption and misconduct by Sheriff Brian Schmidt.  The complaint, made on behalf of Brian S. Schmidt, alleges these accusations are libelous and false.

My Price County obtained the official complaint, which is a public record.  To view the complaint, filed by Attorney Mihelich with the circuit court, scroll to the bottom of this article.  Given rumors can fly without all the information available, the public complaint is being made available to inform the public of the developing situation.

We have asked both Sheriff Brian Schmidt and Mr. John Brylski to submit their responses to this situation.  They have a set time frame to respond.  We will bring you those replies and any other updates regarding this developing situation in the coming days.  Please check back for more information.

UPDATE - 10/28/22:

SHERIFF BRIAN SCHMIDT'S RESPONSE:

Sheriff Schmidt sent us two "read receipts" confirming he got our initial request and our reminder about his response.  In our first e-mail, we stated we would put Sheriff Schmidt's response first, as he is the incumbent for sheriff and the plaintiff in this case, and then we would put Mr. Brylski's response.  We gave them each two typed pages of space, and gave them a deadline.  Sheriff Schmidt chose not to submit a response, unfortunately.

MR. JOHN BRYLSKI'S RESPONSE:

"In #7 of Brian Schmidt’s complaint of civil libel, it states he has never been disciplined, etc.  My opinion on why Sheriff Schmidt was never disciplined is because I believe the sheriff’s office failed to properly investigate complaints filed with them when he was a deputy, or his actions were done in secret while on duty so the sheriff’s office did not learn about them.  I first learned of this alleged misconduct and names of alleged victims from prior sheriffs of Price County while investigating the cold case disappearance of Shelly Hansen in 1987.  I felt once I learned of this alleged misconduct of Schmidt, some even rising to unlawful, I felt it was my duty to Price County citizens to bring these allegations forward as I had the ability to properly investigate them and could not live with myself if I did not.  I have statements from victims and people who know them.  When I refer to "victims," I am not saying “alleged” as the victims and their families believe them to be truthful, and I find them to be truthful people.  Some have stated their daughters were so traumatized and feared repercussions so they only confided in their family and friends and later, to me, as they trust me.  In my reply, I will give only a few examples of what I am speaking of from the victims themselves or from their family members, but I have a number of statements supporting what I have said.

Referring to the testimonial I have on my website and Facebook page from Patricia Talley, mother of Lisa Talley, Patricia did two video interviews with me speaking of what she witnessed happened to her daughter.  The incidents she referred to occurred in the early 1990s but none of them were officially reported, for fear of repercussions at the time, though some of it was told by Lisa in front of Patricia to a public defender at that time.  There are many more accusations concerning Schmidt’s treatment of Lisa contained on the video interviews.  I have not publicly posted the two interviews of Patricia Talley, one on 8-24-22 and one on 10-10-22.  I showed the shorter 8-24-22 video to both the Phillips Police Chief and the editor of Price Co. Review.

Concerning Sheriff Schmidt’s false allegation toward me under #16 of his complaint, my reply is as follows:  The statements made to me were from citizens I spoke with and were not coerced by me.  Their opinions were of their own.  One citizen listed in Schmidt’s complaint stated he was very aware of the corruption and behavior at Price County, mostly targeting the current sheriff.  As a result, his whole family is voting for me.  Also included in Schmidt’s complaint is a statement I have often heard while speaking to citizens who have lived in Price County for years.  Their complaints / opinions are similar.  I am not falsely asserting Sheriff Schmidt is corrupt, though I did state I mostly agreed with the citizens’ opinions.  I, by no means, believe all of the deputies are corrupt.  In fact, I know of no evidence of such and respect them as sheriff’s deputies putting their lives and mental health on the line every day they work.  I have spoken to some, and they are very friendly. 

Referencing #19, I did list this question as a fictional event and was not specifically mentioning Sheriff Schmidt or anyone, but I have often heard such assertions from different citizens, and since a name was never mentioned, I was inquiring if this woman existed stating she should contact me, which is something not uncommon for an investigator to do determine if it was true.

Referencing #22, a prior sheriff gave me the name of a woman who had a child with Schmidt.  As a result, again, I felt it important to investigate as I had already learned of the incident concerning Lisa Talley.  After phoning her, she met myself and the editor of Price Co Review the next day, telling her story concerning her contact with then Deputy Schmidt while he was on duty.  At the very least it was misconduct in office which is unlawful under WI statutes.  As a result of this sexual encounter with Deputy Schmidt while on duty, she became pregnant, which was later confirmed in a paternity test.  September 1, 2022 Facebook messages that I had with this woman confirm the truth.  She will go unnamed for her privacy.  She told me there is more to her story than what I have heard.  She further stated she has fought this battle in the past and lost.

Referencing #25, I did attempt to pass this info to county board members and met resistance.  And the allegation that I “falsely assert” he engaged in further misconduct is, in my opinion, true that he did engage in further misconduct.  I have located other people who consider themselves victims.  The one victim completed an official Price County statement stating she felt Deputy Schmidt acted inappropriately with her during a traffic stop.  I am in possession of the formal complaint that was made, but she received no response to the complaint.  The second victim told me what happened to her in Price County by then Deputy Schmidt who, in her words, spoke inappropriately with her the numerous times he pulled her over.  The victim, as she believes she is, completed a written statement for me containing more details, which I am in possession of.  I am protecting the identity of these people, so I cannot release more details, but I do have more information to prove that I am not making libelous, false statements.

I feel Sheriff Schmidt is using this lawsuit against me to silence me."

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Document Source/Credit:  Attorney Robert M. Mihelich and Wisconsin Circuit Court System

   

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(This post was last modified: 10-29-2022, 05:55 AM by My Northern Wisconsin.)