Person of interest in Wetterling case gets pretrial hearing

Published 9:28 am Thursday, April 28, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS — Attorneys for a man authorities have called a person of interest in the 1989 kidnapping of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling went to court Wednesday trying to suppress evidence that led to his being charged with possession of child pornography in a separate case.

Danny Heinrich, 53, of Annandale, has pleaded not guilty to the federal child pornography charges. He’s due to go on trial in July. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo Brisbois said at the close of a two-hour hearing Wednesday that the date might get pushed back if the evidentiary issues aren’t resolved in time.

Heinrich is not charged in the disappearance of Jacob, who was abducted from near his home in St. Joseph. Heinrich has denied any involvement in the Wetterling case, which remains one of Minnesota’s highest-profile unsolved crimes.

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