Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

(AP) - A state appeals court dismissed a challenge
from a Minnesota man sentenced to life in prison for gunning down
six deer hunters in northern Wisconsin, saying his complaints are
meritless.

      Chai Soua Vang, 38, argued his trial judge should have
suppressed his statements to police and a news reporter, and
challenged whether the evidence supported a guilty verdict and
whether the judge properly exercised his sentencing powers. 

The 3rd
District Court of Appeals ruled there were no grounds to challenge
his conviction.

      Vang's own attorneys told the court he had no grounds to appeal,
but Vang sent eight handwritten documents from prison taking issue
with that conclusion. The appeals court still had to review the
case.

      The appeals court found police read Vang his rights when he was
arrested and again before questioning began.

      The court also found no basis to throw out the incriminating
statements Vang made to a reporter. Police intercepted letters
between Vang and the reporter and recorded the conversation.

      The appeals court said Vang knew his calls were being recorded
and spoke to the reporter over his attorneys' objections.

      As for the evidence, the appeals court said Vang's own testimony
at trial established he shot each of the victims and he meant to
shoot all but three, asking one of the hunters "You're not dead
yet?" A jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt he did it.

      His trial judge considered the appropriate factors when
sentencing him, the court concluded.

      The fatal shootings occurred during the deer hunt in November
2004 after a group of hunters in Sawyer County confronted Vang, 38,
of St. Paul, Minn., over trespassing in a tree stand.

      Vang, a Hmong immigrant, testified during his trial that he shot
the six white hunters and wounded two more in self-defense,
claiming one of them fired a shot in his direction after they
shouted racial epithets and cursed at him.

      The two survivors testified that Vang had begun walking away
from the confrontation when he turned and opened fire.

      Prosecutors convinced a jury that Vang reacted in an angry
outburst, feeling disrespected by the hunters, and then tried to
kill everyone so there would be no eyewitnesses.

      Vang was sentenced to six consecutive life terms plus 165 years
in prison.

Gallery

A state appeals court dismissed a challenge
from a Minnesota man sentenced to life in prison for gunning down
six deer hunters in northern Wisconsin, saying his complaints are
meritless.


Appeals court rejects Vang's appeal in hunter deaths

Go Deeper.

Like this?