Wisconsin court upholds conviction in torture case

MADISON, Wis. — A state appeals court says a woman accused of helping her gang of identity thieves kill a woman and torturing the woman’s son was properly convicted.

Columbia County prosecutors accused Candice Clark of helping kill Tammie Garlin and torturing Garlin’s young son nearly to death. Clark was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2008 after reaching a plea deal on multiple charges.

She argued on appeal the judge never told her she could have argued she was a bystander in Garlin’s death, a detective threatened her during an interview and her sentence was too harsh.

The 4th District Court of Appeals ruled the judge didn’t have to inform Clark about potential defenses, the detective didn’t threaten her and the sentence was appropriate.

Clark’s attorney didn’t immediately return a message.