JAMES CLEMENT

CRYSTAL FALLS — Jurors heard opening arguments Tuesday in Iron County Circuit Court for a Crystal Falls man accused of causing the death of Ralph Schuirmann, 92, on Sept. 26, 2021.

Schuirmann, who had lived with James Oliver Clement for six years before his death, was found to have died of a brain bleed due to blunt force trauma, according to the criminal complaint.

Clement, 72, is charged with homicide-murder second degree and lying to a peace officer-violent crime investigation. The homicide charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

During his opening statement, Iron County Prosecuting Attorney Chad DeRouin stated that Clement intended to harm the victim.

DeRouin also said that while Clement cooperated with authorities, he could not provide a clear timeline and never directly answered questions or really explaining what happened.

Clement’s attorney, Daryl Waters, described Clement as someone who would give the shirt off his back. Waters stated that Clement had taken Schuirmann out of a nursing home and into his home and cared for him around the clock, taking him as far as Marquette and Green Bay for appointments.

Waters said that there was no smoking gun and that Clement, a popular entertainer at nursing homes, and Schuirmann, a former rodeo clown, had plans to do a show at a nursing home in Escanaba the next week.

The opening witness for the prosecution was Iron County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Mansell, who testified he was called to the hospital for an unnatural death. The amount of bruising on Schuirmann’s body led Mansell to launch a homicide investigation.

Mansell’s bodycam video was played for the jury, where Clement could be heard explaining that it was difficult to move DeRouin around and he bruised easily. Clement also said in the video that Schuirmann may have hit his head on the car when Clement was trying to get him into the vehicle to bring to the hospital himself.

In another video, Clement stated a lamp may have played a part in Schuirmann’s injuries.

The trial is scheduled to run through Friday, with Iron County Trial Court Judge Donald S. Powell presiding.