LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota homeowner who shot and killed two unarmed teenagers during a break-in was quickly convicted of premeditated murder Tuesday, with a jury taking about three hours to reject his claim of self-defense.
Byron Smith, a 65-year-old retiree who once set up security in American embassies for the U.S. State Department, shot Nick Brady, 17, and Haile Kifer, 18, multiple times after they broke into his home on Thanksgiving Day 2012.
Smith’s attorney said he was fearful after previous burglaries. But prosecutors argued Smith laid in wait in his basement and intended to kill the teens, with a setup so elaborate that lead prosecutor Pete Orput compared it to a deer stand. Their key evidence was an audio recording that captured the killings in chilling detail, including Smith’s taunts as the teens died.
The mothers of the teens, who were cousins, cried as the verdicts were read: Guilty on two counts each of first-degree and second-degree murder. Smith, who showed no emotion during as he heard the verdicts, was immediately sentenced to life without parole. Defense attorney Steve Meshbesher said he would appeal.
Brady’s grandmother, Bonnie Schaeffel, was among family members who addressed the court after the verdicts.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - State lawyers argued Tuesday that a foe of a new Minnesota Senate office building should be on the hook for $18.6 million if his lawsuit doesn’t succeed on appeal and construction is delayed.
Former Rep. Jim Knoblach’s lawsuit is the final obstacle to the office tower, and his attorney told The Associated Press that a court ruling requiring a bond would effectively end the case.
“We wouldn’t be able to forward the surety bond,” said attorney Erick Kaardal. “It’s too much money.”
The Minnesota attorney general’s office filed the request with the Court of Appeals, which is considering Knoblach’s appeal of an earlier legal defeat. Knoblach, of St. Cloud, has argued that the process for approving the building was flawed and the courts should block it.
The building and related parking ramp adjacent to the Capitol are projected to cost $90 million. Taxpayers would cover all but $13 million.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Before a court order can kick in, Minnesota lawmakers moved Tuesday to preserve an online voter registration system overseen by the secretary of state.
The Senate approved a bill authorizing the new registration system on a 41-24 vote, sending the measure already passed by the House to Gov. Mark Dayton. The Democrat signed the bill, which will take effect Wednesday.
On Monday, a Ramsey County judge ruled Secretary of State Mark Ritchie had overstepped his bounds by establishing the virtual sign-up unilaterally last fall. The judge ordered that the system be shut down by midnight Tuesday, absent legislative intervention.
Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, said lawmakers should be working to ease the process of voting through new technology.
“Voters across Minnesota want the convenience of being to register online,” she said.
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HERMANTOWN, Minn. (AP) - The Hermantown School Board has voted to reinstate funding for the high school’s cheer team.
The board voted 4-2 Monday to restore the money. The vote comes two weeks after the board approved to cut the team’s district dollars.
School officials said the cut was part of larger district-wide cuts. The board asked administration to cut $250,000. The cheer program was budgeted $2,500.
WDIO-TV (https://bit.ly/1fO2ZRIhttps://bit.ly/1fO2ZRI ) reports cheerleaders cheered following the vote.
Board members who supported reinstating funding said they didn’t have enough information when they made the cut at the last meeting.
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