BARRON, WIS. _ The man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents last fall made a brief appearance Wednesday morning in a northwestern Wisconsin courtroom and is scheduled to return to court next month when he will have an opportunity to enter a plea to the charges.
Jake T. Patterson, 21, remains held in lieu of $5 million bail on two counts of first-degree murder, and charges of kidnapping and armed burglary after allegedly targeting the Closs family home just outside the city of Barron on a late night in mid-October.
With the Closs family filling the seats on the right side of the courtroom Wednesday, Patterson entered with his hands cuffed in front of him and wearing orange jail clothing. He looked over at his family briefly and quietly said something to them before taking a seat. It was the first time he appeared in court in person _ his first court appearance last month soon after his capture came via closed-circuit video.
Patterson is accused of holding Jayme captive for nearly three months in his family's cabin an hour's drive north of the Closs home until Jan. 10, when she escaped and quickly was helped to safety by a woman walking her dog. Patterson was soon apprehended by law enforcement as he drove in the area, apparently looking for the girl, authorities have said.
Wednesday's hearing before Judge James Babler in Barron County Circuit Court was a preliminary hearing. Patterson said he was waiving his right to such a proceeding. He answered "yes" when asked by the judge whether he understood the charges against him.
Babler then scheduled arraignment for March 27 and adjourned court after 3 minutes.
Patterson answered "yes" or "no" to a series of routine questions from the judge, nodding and swiveling in his chair at times behind the defense table as he conferred with attorneys. After adjournment, he gave a brief nod to his family and supporters, who lingered for a moment afterward.
Patterson's relatives left the courtroom without commenting, and were escorted to their cars in the parking lot by Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald and other officers.
Patterson has yet to enter a plea to the charges. An arraignment is when a defendant can enter a formal plea to the charges: either guilty or not guilty. If a defendant declines, the court enters a "not guilty" plea on the defendant's behalf.
The criminal complaint filed against him says he confessed to the killings and kidnapping under questioning by a Barron County sheriff's detective. What has yet to surface is a motive for the crimes.
According to the complaint, Patterson shot Denise Closs, 46, and James Closs, 56, at their home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15, grabbed Jayme from the residence and held her captive at the cabin outside Gordon, Wis., in southern Douglas County.
Prosecutors from Douglas County initially said they were considering additional charges against Patterson for any crimes he may have committed there. Late last month, however, they announced no further charges would be filed for now, possibly out of concern for Jayme's privacy in light of the high-profile nature of the case. Jayme's name and photo appeared on many media platforms around the world as part of the massive search for her.
In any event, additional charges may not be needed. The two counts of first-degree intentional homicide that Patterson faces each call for a sentence of life in prison. The kidnapping and armed burglary charges call for 40 years and up to 15 years in prison, respectively.
