UPDATE
St. Paul murder defendant says he killed in self-defense at age 14By Emily Gurnon
egurnon@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/20/2012 10:58:09 PM CSTMurder defendant Jerry Vang took the witness stand in his own defense Friday, giving contradictory statements about whether his admitted shooting of a teen rival in 2001 was in self-defense.
Vang has admitted he shot 15-year-old David Vang behind the 900 block of East Minnehaha Avenue in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood of St. Paul. He has argued through his attorney in the Ramsey County trial that he had no other choice.
There had been a history of trouble between the two Vangs, who are not related, and their respective younger brothers. Jerry Vang was 14 at the time he shot the victim.
In response to questions from defense attorney Terrence Duggins, Vang said that on the afternoon of the shooting, Aug. 7, 2001, he spotted David Vang and others in the alley. Both families lived on the same block.
Jerry Vang was riding in friend Kor Vang's car. He asked Kor Vang to drive into the alley.
"You went back there to make peace, was that your intent?" Duggins asked.
Yes, Vang said.
But the defendant said he asked a question that made David Vang mad.
"One question I asked them was why were they trying to jump my little brothers?" Vang said.
Kou Vang, David's younger brother, said something about not wanting any trouble, Jerry Vang said.
"(David) Vang, he stepped toward the car and was saying something...so
me angry words," Vang said.
"Was he coming up to you in a threatening manner?" his attorney asked.
"Yes," Vang said.
When prosecutor Eric Leonard took his turn with the questions, however, Vang admitted he did not tell a police investigator that he was defending anyone - even after the investigator offered that as a possible explanation for his actions. Nor did he tell the sergeant that the victim had rushed him that day.
He was upset with David Vang because "he had no regard for my family's safety," Vang said.
"Mr. Vang, you didn't need to kill David Vang, did you?" the prosecutor asked.
"No," Vang said.
"You didn't need to shoot David Vang, did you?"
"No."
And he didn't need to get his gun, go to the alley, get out of the car, draw his gun and pull the trigger, did he? Leonard asked.
"No," Vang said.
The defense focused much of its attention Friday on a fight that took place behind Jerry Vang's house just a month before the fatal shooting.
Vang's mother and father testified that David and Kou Vang came to their house and asked for Jerry, saying they were friends of his.
Neither knew the boys, but Vang's mother called him down from upstairs.
When Jerry Vang exited the back door, David and Kou Vang began beating him, Jerry's parents said. Both said David picked up a small garden shovel and began threatening Jerry with it.
David Vang's mother also testified Friday and said she was alerted to the confrontation by her daughter and arrived at the scene but saw only Jerry Vang with the shovel.
Jerry Vang faces charges of first- and second-degree murder. He also is charged with attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of Kou Vang, David's 14-year-old brother, who was hit in the arm.
Vang pleaded guilty early on to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. But the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2010 based in part on what it called procedural errors by the district court.
Vang has been in custody, mostly in state prisons in St. Cloud and Stillwater, since the murder.
Closing arguments in the case are scheduled for Monday morning.
Emily Gurnon can be reached at 651-228-5522.
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_19785931
Topic: New trial begins in 2001 killing of St. Paul teen (Read 1055 times)