But in a letter sent from prison to The Associated Press, notorious cop killer Ted Oswald endorsed Judge Randy Koschnick's candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.,”MADISON, Wis. (AP) &mdash This is not an endorsement any candidate wants — especially one running as tough on crime.

But in a letter sent from prison to The Associated Press, notorious cop killer Ted Oswald endorsed Judge Randy Koschnick's candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Oswald said Koschnick did "exceedingly productive and good work" as his defense lawyer in 1994 and 1995 and his background as a public defender would be valuable on the court.

"If Judge Koschnick is selected for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, his voluminous first-hand knowledge of defense cases and the personalities of accused criminals would bestow to that court a fairer, more effective and more trustworthy perspective," Oswald wrote. "I only observed his practice on one case, but I would be inclined to see it his way."

Koschnick's defense of Oswald has become an issue in his race against Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson in the April 7 election. Some critics, including a popular radio host, have said the link makes him unelectable.

Koschnick has predicted his opponents will exploit the case, but said he is proud of his work as a defense attorney.

Notified of Oswald's endorsement, Koschnick didn't return his former client's praise.

"He is free to say whatever he wants, but his endorsement is no honor to me," the Jefferson County judge said in a statement.

Oswald is serving a life prison term for killing a Waukesha police captain in a 1994 crime spree. Oswald, then 18, and his father robbed a bank and were pulled over. They then opened fire on police with semiautomatic rifles. They took a woman hostage and injured two other officers before they were arrested.

A federal judge has called the crime the most notorious in Waukesha County history, and conservative candidates such as Koschnick need to run up big margins in the county to win statewide elections.

Koschnick, then a public defender, was assigned to represent Oswald along with colleague Samuel Benedict. They argued that Oswald's abusive father brainwashed him into participating in the crime spree. But Oswald was convicted.

After 14 years as a public defender, Koschnick has served as a judge since 1999. He has tried to position himself as the candidate of law enforcement, and his campaign routinely announces endorsements from police chiefs, sheriffs and district attorneys.

Koschnick pointed to those endorsements in response to Oswald's letter.

"These front-line leaders, whose job it is to keep us safe, think I'm the best choice for the court, and that's what I think is important," he said.

The Oswald endorsement came to AP in a letter from Waupun Correctional Institution. He wrote that Oswald and Benedict "excelled in attempting to have the (1995) case tried in accordance with clearly established state and federal law."

"Judge Koschnick and Attorney Benedict respectfully carried out their duty to a defendant's cause," he wrote.

He also issued a lengthy defense of public defenders, who have come under scrutiny in recent Supreme Court elections. Last year, opponents of former Justice Louis Butler cited his work as a public defender in the 1980s to argue that he was soft on crime. Butler lost his bid for re-election to current Justice Michael Gableman.

Oswald wrote that defendants have a constitutional right to defense lawyers, who help prevent government prosecutors from overstepping their bounds.

"Public defenders, such as Judge Koschnick was, are vital constituents to the political structure that is the buttress of American law and civilization," Oswald wrote.

Koschnick said he agrees with that view, as does the "vast majority of the public."

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