MN Supreme Court Reverses Appeals Court Ruling on Proctor Murder Conviction
MN Supreme Court Reverses Decision of Appeals Court in Proctor Bar Murder
“Every once in awhile, our faith in the justice system is renewed and restored. Today is such a day,” said St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin.
In the case of State of Minnesota vs. Paul Welle, the Minnesota Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision authored by Justice Alan Page, reversed a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision that had overturned Mr. Welle’s convictions for Second Degree Murder and First Degree Manslaughter in connection with the death of 60-year old Dale Anderson in 2011.
In a trial presided over by Judge Mark Munger, and prosecuted by Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Rebekka Stumme, Mr. Welle had been found guilty and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals had opined last year that the Trial Court committed reversible error by improperly admitting evidence of other crimes.
In this decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court has now reversed the opinion of the Court of Appeals and upheld the original convictions.
The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office was assisted by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, in particular Matthew Frank and Karen Andrews, who wrote the appellate briefs and argued the appeal.
Welle claimed he acted in self-defense.
At trial, Judge Munger allowed the State to introduce other crime-evidence showing a pattern on the part of Welle to shift blame and falsely assert self-defense after being the aggressor in prior altercations.
The Supreme Court concluded:
“Welle’s past conduct had a tendency to make more or less probable the fact that Welle had an actual and honest belief of danger or great bodily harm. Therefore, we conclude that evidence of Welle’s pattern of shifting the blame and falsely asserting self-defense is relevant to one or more of the elements of Welle’s self-defense claim.”
“While this important Supreme Court ruling might lead to resurfaced feelings of grief from Mr. Anderson’s family and friends, it is our hope that the finality of this process brings peace,” said Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Rebekka Stumme.
