Public Defender’s Office Withdraws Legal Representation for Taylor Schabusiness After Multiple Attorney Attacks

May 17, 2025 Sharon Banks

The Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office has announced it will no longer provide legal representation for Taylor Schabusiness, the woman serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Shad Thyrion, citing repeated incidents of violence against her previous attorneys.

Schabusiness was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, third-degree sexual assault and mutilation of a corpse after garroting, decapitating and dismembering Thyrion, with whom she had taken methamphetamine and engaged in sexual activity prior to the killing.

Her actions following the murder, including sexually assaulting the corpse and scattering body parts, were detailed in a disturbing criminal complaint.

She is currently appealing her conviction while simultaneously facing separate criminal charges for allegedly attacking a prison nurse with a metal tray. However, her recent request to remove her court-appointed attorney in one of these cases has left her without representation, as noted in a recent appellate filing.

The filing states that the State Public Defender’s Office will not appoint successor counsel due to repeated issues, leaving Schabusiness to either proceed pro se or retain private counsel—neither of which she has done.

THE FIRST ATTACK CAUGHT ON CAMERA

To date, Schabusiness has cycled through four public defenders across her legal proceedings:

Quinn Jolly, who represented her during the murder trial, withdrew after Schabusiness attacked him during a pretrial hearing.

Curtis Julka, who was defending her in the ongoing case involving the alleged assault on a prison nurse, also withdrew after a courtroom attack.

Christopher Froelich, who succeeded Jolly in the murder case, later stepped down following her conviction and was replaced by Gregory Petit.

Petit was ultimately dismissed at Schabusiness’ request after filing a “no merit” report asserting that her trial was fair and the conviction legally sound.

Despite Petit’s claim that Schabusiness reviewed and approved the report, she terminated his services. Petit formally withdrew on May 14, submitting a signed consent document confirming both his withdrawal and the Public Defender’s decision to stop appointing attorneys for her.

THE SECOND ATTACK CAUGHT ON CAMERA

In the separate criminal case concerning the prison nurse, Froelich has resumed representation of Schabusiness following Julka’s withdrawal. She has reportedly agreed to a plea deal in that matter and is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on June 6.

Schabusiness failed to meet the extended May 14 deadline to file appeal documents or retain new counsel in her murder case, effectively halting her ability to challenge her conviction.

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Throughout her trial, Schabusiness did not dispute the charges and entered a plea of “not guilty” by reason of mental disease or defect. She was sentenced to life in prison after the jury rejected her insanity defense, finding her mentally competent.