Vernon, Mich., resident Oswald Scott Wilder Jr. enters the court room Sept. 27, 2013, at the 54-B District Courthouse for his pretrial conference. Testimony from all four sexual assault victims was heard. Julia Nagy/The State News
—The man who admitted to committing four sexual assaults in East Lansing earlier this year will go directly to trial, according to his attorney.
Oswald Scott Wilder, 26, was expected to appear for his pretrial Monday afternoon in Ingham County Circuit Court before Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
Because of court scheduling conflicts, Wilder will not appear until his trial, defense attorney Paul Toman said.
The trial has not yet been scheduled.
When he was arrested in August, the Vernon, Mich., resident detailed four sexual assaults he inflicted on MSU students between March 30 and May 16 in a handwritten confession.
The attacks fueled fear among some area residents during the summer.
In the same confession to police, Wilder admitted to using crack cocaine prior to at least three of the four assaults. He also said that sexual fantasy abuse videos fueled the attacks.
Surveillance video footage taken from a local Meijer showed Wilder stalking one of his victims prior to the assault.
Wilder faced testimony from all four victims at a preliminary exam in September.
None of the four victims could identify Wilder based on appearance, something likely to be a key component of the defense’s case.
Wilder has been charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of assault with intention to commit sexual penetration, one count of gross indecency and three counts of unlawful imprisonment.
If convicted, he faces life in prison.
Wilder is being treated as a habitual offender.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
