Woman accused of killing friend with eye drops files motion to dismiss homicide charges
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Franklin woman accused of using eye drops to kill her friend filed for a motion to dismiss homicide charges before trial.
Jessy Kurczewski, 38, is facing one count of first-degree intentional homicide after allegedly killing a friend she had been taking care of in 2018. Prosecutors said Kurczewski also stole money from the victim.
The defendant's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the homicide charges before trial. They presented three witnesses.
The first witness was Lydia Biedrycki, a Waukesha medical examiner. The defense questioned Biedrycki's qualifications as she supposedly never ruled the chemical tetrahydrozoline as a cause of death before. Tetrahydrozoline is the chemical found in eye drops.
"In my field in forensics which I'm actually going to say is the broadest field in medicine considering I autopsy fetuses to geriatric patients, natural disease and every injury. It's really not uncommon to have firsts. I mean I've been doing this for 36 years," said the medical examiner.
The defense also brought in Dr. Sherri Kacinko, a licensed toxicologist, and Henry Spiller, also a toxicologist.
Kacinko said she's reported deaths due to a great amount of the chemical, while Spiller said he has not.
Kacinko did clarify that toxicologist do not confirm cause of death when asked why she'd never suggest a that a medical examiner's cause of death is wrong.
"Opining to cause of death is outside of the practice of a toxicologist," said Kacinko.
The motion to dismiss the homicide charge will continue. A court hearing is scheduled on January 5th.
The defendant is being held on a $1 million bail. The trial is currently scheduled to begin in February.