Haase Throws The Book At Mosher

by Tony Palmeri

December 11, 2002

(Oshkosh) Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Robert Haase today sentenced former Oshkosh North Drama teacher Laurie Mosher to 6 years in the Wisconsin prison system, including 30 months behind bars and extended supervision. Mosher, who admitted earlier this year to having sexual relations with a 17 year old North student, cried hysterically as the sentence was read.

In making the sentence, Haase said he focused on three issues: (1) the seriousness of the crime, (2) Mosher's rehabilitation needs, (3) the need to protect the public. Haase seemed unmoved by the crowd of Mosher supporters in attendance. In fact, when Mosher's attorney protested that a $10,000 cash bail to release Mosher while she appeals was excessive, Haase said that the supporters in attendance should just "chip in" and they could easily raise the cash.

Mosher's attorney argued before the sentencing that the crime was on the "lower scale of seriousness" given the fact that the victim was seventeen and a half at the time the sexual relationship started, and that Mosher should be sentenced to probation. He argued also that the press ran Laurie and her husband Mark "out of town." He also said that as a result of the newspaper coverage of the case, Mosher has received obscene mail including a nude photo of a man who included a pornographic letter.

Judge Haase argued that the age of the victim was not as important as the fact that he was a student and Mosher a teacher. The judge said that the public trust had been violated by Mosher's actions, and that part of protecting the public includes deterring such crimes from happening in the future.

Laurie and Mark Mosher both delivered tearful statements to the court, with Mark Mosher saying that if the law would allow he would serve his wife's sentence. Judge Haase was sympathetic but in the long run sentenced Mosher to a strict sentence.

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