Dad of slain Marine not entitled to death benefits

The Minnesota Court of Appeals says the father of a Marine killed in Iraq is not entitled to a share of death benefits that went to his mother.

The Appeals Court said Tuesday that Levi Angell, of Cloquet, had designated his mother as the sole beneficiary of his military life insurance policy and a related federal death benefit. The 20-year-old lance corporal was killed in combat in 2004. His mother received just over $500,000.

His parents, Gordon and Loretta Angell, divorced last year, and a lower court awarded $150,000 of those benefits to the Marine's father. He's 67, has no savings or pension and lives on Social Security.

The appeals court says federal law prevents courts from dividing military death benefits when one parent is the sole beneficiary.

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