Posted on 04/11/2024 9:46:47 AM PDT by xxqqzz
The St. Croix County jury convicted Nicolae Miu, 54, of reckless homicide for fatally stabbing Isaac Schuman, 17, at the popular recreation spot in western Wisconsin. He was also convicted of recklessly endangering the safety of four other people he stabbed.
A St. Croix County jury has convicted Nicolae Miu of first degree reckless homicide for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Isaac Schuman during a 2022 confrontation at the Apple River in western Wisconsin that turned violent.
The jury of six men and six women also found Miu, of Prior Lake, guilty of four counts of recklessly endangering safety for stabbing four other people in Schuman's group. He was also found guilty of one count of battery.
Prosecutors had sought a higher charge of first degree intentional homicide against Miu, but also asked the jury of six men and six women to consider the lesser charges.
Schuman was from Stillwater. Also stabbed in the confrontation on June 30, 2022 at the recreation spot near Somerset were Alexander Martin, Dante Carlson, Anthony Carlson and Rhyley Mattison. Miu was also convicted of battery against another in the group, Madison Coen.
Miu had argued he was acting in self-defense.
The jury had briefly returned to the courtroom first thing Thursday to review video of the confrontation captured by Jawahn Cockfield, who was part of the group that included 17-year-old Isaac Schuman.
Jurors reviewed the video from the one-minute mark, when Miu first spoke to Coen, who told Miu to leave after Schuman's group accused Miu of "looking for little girls." Miu testifed that he pushed Coen because she was yelling and in his personal space. Witnesses said Miu punched her, starting the brawl.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
I wasn’t on the jury, but this is far from Murder 1.
I would have acquitted on all charges then charged the mob.
We live in dangerous times folks. Even if you defend yourself, legitimate self defense......the woke Government and mob will come after you. Makes one think twice about ever using anything to stop a threat......just run I guess. Just run..
Miu didn’t help himself by leaving the scene, getting rid of the knife and lying about it.
Having said all that, I guess he was just supposed to let 13 drunken idiots assault him at will?
A lot of blame to go around on this but I really do feel for him.
“just run I guess. Just run”
In this particular case it woulda been kinda hard do do in knee deep water....especially a guy that has had quadruple bypass heart surgery.
The jury came out with a compromise verdict. It certainly wasn’t first degree murder which was ridiculous to charge him with. Personally I consider what he did self defense.
reckless?
But it was intentional. So what is that?
Agree, but my point was, it’s a different world. A woked out younger generation could care less about things like self defense, stand your ground, right to use deadly force, etc.
Maybe it’s just better to get the hell beat out of you if you can’t run than spend the rest of your life in prison. That was my point.
And I believe the prosecutors added those lesser charges literally yesterday! the defense was incensed......throw everything against the wall and see if anything sticks......and lo and behold.....something stuck.
Sad for that man. He is a good man. Hopefully he’ll be out in a few, maybe write book. He’s been in for 2 years so that’s time served. I may try and contact him and encourage him.
As a potential juror, I hereby pledge that I will never convict anyone of any crime for taking out the trash.
I actively try to get on juries for that same reason.
It is pretty common to charge with more serious offenses in cases like this. Then the jury can convict of lesser. What is not common is charging with murder 1.
IMO opinion it is close whether he was guilty of manslaughter. However, I would never vote to convict, as those kids had it coming.
Yeah I get your point.
All he was doing was looking for a lost phone and gets attacked by 13 drunken idiots....many of which weren’t even old enough to even BE drinking in the first place........a little fact that not only got lost in this mess but nobody will ever be held accountable for either.
Yes, but they only added the lesser charges yesterday. For the whole trial it was murder 1. The defense was irate and he brought it up in his closing statement.
I feel bad for the attornies too. They were superb. Couldnt have done a better job.
Had they not added those lesser charges, he’d be free. They voted NOT GUILTY on the murder 1 charges. The original and only charges.
53-year-old man who never before had any kind of criminal record, not even a speeding ticket according to his lawyers.
The way those kids taunted him and shoved him around in the water for no good reason is despicable. In that situation, he evidently completely lost it, but if the kids only left him alone, none of this would have ever happened and this man would likely have continued living a law-abiding life.
Kids have no respect for adults these days. This verdict will only result in more of this behavior.
As for the friend who told him to bring his knife that day (in order to cut twine on the rafts), what a horrible thing to have to live with. I think it was the same friend who lost his phone in the water, which is why Miu was over there in the first place.
This is just a crap situation all around. If anything , the friends of the guy who was killed should be charged with manslaughter.
Not to mention they had him completely surrounded.
Adding charges after the trial starts? Totally unfair—that should be grounds for overturning the verdict.
“Yes, but they only added the lesser charges yesterday. For the whole trial it was murder 1. “
That almost seems like a reversible era. The defense had zero opportunity to mount a defense against the other charges. Their defense was completely structured to murder 1.
Good point. Didn’t think of that. Hopefully the appeal this BS move.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.