MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WSAU) - Accused serial killer Walter Ellis changes his mind and doesn't plead no contest to killing seven women over a 21-year period.

At the hearing in Milwaukee Thursday it was expected that the case would be resolved. Ellis had indicated he was ready to make the no contest plea. The change even caught Ellis' attorney by surprise.

District Attorney John Chisholm left the courtroom when the plea wasn't entered, but outside he said his office was ready to go to trial -- and it was still ready to go to trial.

As it stands now, the case is scheduled to be tried starting in April.