Not-guilty plea entered in fatal Waukesha shooting

By Mike Johnson of the Journal Sentinel

Waukesha - A plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect was entered Wednesday on behalf of Steven P. Osburn, accused in the Aug. 6 shooting death of his best friend.

Osburn's attorney, Gerald P. Boyle, entered the plea for Osburn and told Waukesha County Circuit Judge Mark Gundrum he had retained a doctor who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder due to combat to evaluate Osburn, a military veteran.

Gundrum ordered a separate mental health evaluation of Osburn, according to online court records, and set a hearing for Jan. 28 to review the evaluations.

Osburn, 24, of Waukesha is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Zachary S. Gallenberg, 23, of Waukesha.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the case and Waukesha police, Osburn had called police at 3:34 a.m. Aug. 6 and said that he had been assaulted by his best friend and that if police did not come, he would shoot or kill his roommate.

A woman who witnessed the shooting told police that Gallenberg had hit Osburn in the face twice, the complaint says.

The woman told police that the shooting occurred outside Osburn's residence in the 2000 block of Cliff Alex Court South after Gallenberg had embraced Osburn in a bear hug. Osburn shoved him off, turned and shot him, the woman told investigators.

The woman told police that Gallenberg and Osburn had been drinking all night at a bar and at the residence.

Sometime before the shooting, Osburn had choked her and Gallenberg had pushed Osburn off her, the complaint says.

Osburn also is charged with strangulation/suffocation, intimidating a victim/threatening force and intentionally pointing a firearm at someone.

According to the complaint, police have had contact with Osburn at the residence in the past and Osburn suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.