MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Timothy Hauschultz, charged with the murder of his 7-year-old great-nephew in 2018, is expected to enter an Alford plea in connection with Ethan Hauschultz's death, according to court records.
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If approved by the court, Hauschultz would face no additional prison time beyond the three years and three months he already served in jail awaiting trial. He was released on bail in May 2022.
The case shocked the Manitowoc community when details emerged that the young boy was punished to death for not knowing his Bible verses.
Under the proposed agreement, prosecutors are offering Hauschultz reduced charges of child neglect and failure to act, down from the original murder charge. An Alford plea allows defendants to maintain their innocence while the court finds them guilty based on evidence.
Local defense attorney Brett Kaehne, who is not connected to the case, called such a deal "rare."
"If the judge accepts his plea, the case will no longer proceed to trial," Kaehne said.
Both the defense and prosecution recommended that Hauschultz be sentenced to "time served," meaning his jail time would be credited toward his sentence under the proposed agreement.
"Each and every day is counted as sentence credit," Kaehne said.
If the agreement is accepted, the court will then decide if any further supervision is necessary.
"It appears that the defendant is getting a tremendous benefit of reduced charges," Kaehne said.
Kaehne expects the judge to hear from both sides before accepting or denying the plea.
"I anticipate in court before there is even an acceptance of the plea, if there is, that one or more parties have to explain why it's in the public's best interest," Kaehne said.
The maximum penalties for the reduced charges include up to six years in prison and a fine of $10,000 for the first charge, and up to three years and six months with a $10,000 fine for the second charge.
The plea hearing for Hauschultz is scheduled for November 10. If the judge does not accept the agreement, a trial is set for February 23, 2026.
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