Weather Warnings Derail Trial of UWRF Professor

The trial of 42-year-old UW–River Falls professor, Thomas Barnett, accused of child sexual assault and false imprisonment was postponed this morning as St. Croix County readied itself for the impending snowstorm.

Defense attorney Tim O'Brien, Barnett and Assistant District Attorney Frank Collins held a phone conference Tuesday morning to confirm the postponement of Barnett's trial and reschedule it for April 11 at 9 a.m. 

"The trial was postponed solely because there was a concern about the weather that was coming in," O'Brien told Patch. "We didn't want to get this trial started and not be able to get back for a second day or have witnesses or jurors not be able to make it to the courthouse on the second day."  

He also said April 11 was the first day available on the court calendar.

"Of course now it looks like the storm will bypass us and we could've gotten it done, but that's the way it goes sometimes," O'Brien concluded.

Barnett is facing two felony charges stemming from an .

The latest legal maneuver in the case was a motion in limine filed by Collins on Feb. 24. The motion outlined seven actions which, if taken by the defense during trial, will warrant objections from Collins. 

If Judge Eric Lundell grants Collins' motion, the defense is forbidden from highlighting the sexual history of the complaining witness prior to Aug. 16, 2011, or speculating on the meaning of a collected at the scene.

Collins was not available for comment on Tuesday.