Maxwell Anderson trial, Sade Robinson killed: Tuesday, May 27
Attorney weighs in on Day 1 of Maxwell Anderson trial
FOX6 News talked with the attorney for Sade Robinson’s estate in an exclusive interview.
MILWAUKEE - The trial of Maxwell Anderson, the Milwaukee man accused of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson, began with jury selection on Tuesday, May 27.
Jury selection
What they're saying:
The jury of 15 people – 12 jurors and three alternates – was selected by the end of the day. The jury is made up of 12 women and three men.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
The jury selection process tries to get to the root of whether a juror can be impartial and set aside any preconceived facts, opinions or biases they may have about the case, law enforcement or defendants.
Maxwell Anderson
A pool of 40 jurors was brought in for the selection process on Tuesday. That number was whittled down from more than 70 at the start of the day. The goal then was to narrow that pool to 15 people who could be fair and impartial.
"Jury service is, I believe, your highest form of civic responsibility that you will have as citizens of Wisconsin or as citizens of the United States of America," said Judge Laura Crivello. "If you are ever charged with a crime, or you’re ever a victim of a crime, you will truly understand how important it is to have fair and impartial jurors listen to the evidence and apply facts to law."
Robinson's family attorney weighs in
Only On FOX6:
FOX6 News talked with the attorney for Sade Robinson’s estate in an exclusive interview. She was in Crivello's courtroom as the jury was selected on Tuesday.
"The hope is you see a young innocent man versus the criminal that you see in the photos," Attorney Verona Swanigan said of the defense's effort.
Attorney Verona Swanigan
"I marked off what I thought the prosecution was going to do," she said. "I marked off what I thought the defense would do. We came out pretty much equal."
Swanigan said both sides were able to talk directly with the jury and begin to make their cases.
Legal expert Julius Kim talks Maxwell Anderson trial day 1
Attorney Julius Kim of Kim & LaVoy weighs in on the first day of Maxwell Anderson's trial.
"I think the defense laid out that their position is going to be that it wasn’t him," she said. "It was a wrong place, wrong time incident, and that he didn’t have anything to do with it. Will that work? I don’t believe so."
Anderson’s parents were in the courtroom, as were Robinson’s. She said the trial is already taking a toll.
"When your child is deceased, that’s like getting punched in the stomach repeatedly and then being told don’t cry about it," Swanigan said.
Robinson killed, dismembered
The backstory:
Anderson is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson of property other than a building. He is accused of killing Robinson after a date, dismembering her and dumping her body parts across Milwaukee County. One of her arms was later found on an Illinois beach.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Prosecutors said Anderson and Robinson showed up at a Menomonee Valley bar on April 1, 2024 – the night she was last seen or heard from. The next day, Robinson's burned-out car was found near 30th and Lisbon in Milwaukee. Surveillance photos show a man investigators believe is Anderson walking away from the area, and who was later seen on a bus heading back towards his home on the city's south side.
Anderson had planned to kill Robinson weeks before her death, according to a statement from a "confidential informant" noted in court filings FOX6 News obtained. A search warrant also revealed prosecutors believe Anderson tried to cover up Robinson's death with a text message.
Sade Robinson homicide; Timeline of events leading to criminal charges
It's been more than a year since body parts surfaced throughout Milwaukee, which prompted a massive search for a missing teenager, Sade Robinson.
Complete coverage
Dig deeper:
FOX6 News is streaming the entire Anderson trial each day on FOX LOCAL. The app is free to download on your phone, tablet or smart TV. Jury selection cannot be streamed. Once testimony begins, some content may not be suitable for all viewers.
- Sade Robinson homicide: Timeline of events leading to criminal charges
- Sade Robinson homicide: Parents navigate grief ahead of trial
- Sade Robinson homicide: The psychology behind the murder
- Sade Robinson homicide: Lasting legacy, from tragedy to advocacy
- Open Record: A Date With Death
The Source: FOX6 News was in court for the Anderson trial. Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, Wisconsin Circuit Court, and prior FOX6 coverage of the case.