Homicide suspects in court as trial nears

EAU CLAIRE — Two of the four men accused by authorities of involvement in a drive-by homicide were in court Tuesday to prepare for their trial.

Kemone Golden, 27, and Michael Purnell, 33, face homicide charges in connection to the 2022 death of Christopher Conner. Court records show Tuesday’s hearing was largely focused on whether a questionnaire should be set to prospective jurors.

Juror questionnaires are used in advance of jury selection to allow attorneys for both sides to have information about potential jurors’ activities, interests and background. The length and focus can vary, but there are some public examples. In the case of Derek Chauvin, the Minnesota police officer convicted of killing George Floyd, the questionnaire asked about what people knew about the case from media reports, impressions of the defendant or Floyd, and whether they had discussed the case with others, among other items.

Both sides agreed to use the questionnaire prepared for the trial of Xavier Thompson, another defendant in the case, as a template. Thompson was scheduled to go on trial in early April. It was delayed after the prosecution’s last-minute announcement of additional evidence.

The men are next due in court June 19 for a motion hearing, with trial set to begin Aug. 5.

According to the criminal complaint, Eau Claire police were called to the 500 block of Bergen Avenue shortly after midnight on Sept. 17, 2022. Connor was on the ground being tended by a bystander when officers arrived. He had been shot through the heart.

The owner of the car Connor was in hid in a wooded area after the shots were fired. He told police he, Connor and another man had been in the vehicle. Police later used surveillance video to determine two groups of people had encountered each other multiple times earlier in the evening. Investigators believe a dispute between the groups led to the shooting.

About three hours after the shooting, officers spotted a car they believed had been involved in the shooting. They watched as Purnell left a wooded area and got into the car before driving away. The officer followed for a while, then activated his car’s emergency lights.

Purnell attempted to lose the pursuing officer, speeding north on U.S. 53. The chase ended when the car’s tires were punctured and Purnell was arrested at gunpoint. Golden was arrested near Chicago several months later.