Pubdate: Tue, 23 May 2006
Source: Capital Times, The  (WI)
Copyright: 2006 The Capital Times
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/tct/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/73
Note: Usually does not publish letters from outside the state.
Author: Ed Treleven
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

WOMAN CHARGED IN HEROIN DEATH CASE

A drug charge was filed Monday against a friend of a 20- year-old 
woman found dead last week of an apparent heroin overdose at a 
Downtown apartment.

Kellie M.L. Prager, 20, who has been living with friends in Madison 
but lists her address as South Bend, Ind., told Madison police that 
she and Elise Schnitzler obtained heroin from a dealer in exchange 
for sex the night before Schnitzler was found dead at 314 S. Hamilton 
St., according to a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Verveer said in court Monday that 
Prager is not only a defendant in the case but could be a material 
witness in what might become a "Len Bias" homicide case against the 
person who supplied the heroin that killed Schnitzler.

People who supply illegal drugs that cause the death of a user can be 
charged with first-degree reckless homicide under the state's Len 
Bias law. That charge carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison.

Although drugs are suspected of causing Schnitzler's death, the 
county coroner's office is awaiting the results of tests that will 
establish the cause of her death.

The source of the heroin was identified in the criminal complaint as 
a man with the street name of "Pooh," from whom Prager told police 
she had purchased heroin many times.

Prager was charged with delivery of heroin, possession of heroin and 
misdemeanor bail jumping.

She was charged last year with disorderly conduct for allegedly 
smashing out the window of her then-boyfriend's pickup. She was 
initially in a deferred prosecution program on the charge but dropped 
out of the program and is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday on 
the misdemeanor conviction.

Court Commissioner Todd Meurer ordered Prager jailed on $6,000 bail.

According to the complaint:

Prager told police that she has known Schnitzler for about six years. 
Prager had been staying at Schnitzler's apartment for about four days.

On Wednesday night, Prager said, she called Pooh, who picked up 
Prager and Schnitzler and took them to the Red Roof Inn. There they 
each injected heroin, then had sex with Pooh. Several hours later, 
Pooh drove the two back to South Hamilton Street.

After Schnitzler's death, Detective Sidney Woods found a knotted 
baggie in Schnitzler's apartment, which Prager said contained the 
heroin that she got from Pooh.

Verveer said Prager has been working a small number of hours for the 
International Alliance of Theatre Stage Employees at the Monona 
Terrace Convention Center. He said Prager told police that she hoped 
to leave Madison to stay with her father, a South Bend, Ind., truck 
driver. Her mother lives in Round Lake Beach, Ill., Verveer said.

Attorney Gina Bosben, appearing with Prager, said that Prager has 
lived in Madison off and on for eight years.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman