Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Yes, defendants in felony cases are routinely apprehended out of state and extradited back to WI under the Interstate Compact for Extradition of Fugitives. DNA evidence is not required at this stage of the proceedings, rather only a witness telling the police that the crime occurred (which legally constitutes probable cause to believe that a crime occurred and that the defendant probably committed it, allowing either arrest or extradition. Technically, DNA evidence is not required at any stage of the proceedings, as long as the jury believes that the defendant is guilty beyond any reasonable doubt, the defendant can be convicted and sentenced. as a practical matter, however, once the defendant is apprehend, DNA samples would normally be taken and analyzed if the verbal or physical evidence suggests that they would be useful. If you are this potential defendant, yuo need to seek the advice of an experienced felony attorney as soon as possible. Additionally charges are possible just for fleeing, so there may be benefits in surrendering yourself voluntarily before formal arrest and extradition occur. My comments here are not legal advice, nor do they create an attorney client relationship between us. However, you are welcome to contact my office to discuss retaining me or to set up a free initial consultation at my office in Racine.