Man receives light sentence in son's death
A Minneapolis man whose 4-year-old son killed his younger brother has been sentenced to up to 10 years probation and community service.
Kao Xiong, 31, said he kept a loaded semi-automatic handgun between the mattress and pillows in his Minneapolis home. In December, his 4-year-old son found it and shot his 2-year-old brother, Neejnco Xiong.
On June 1, Xiong was convicted on three counts of child endangerment and found guilty of manslaughter. The second charge can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Xiong's attorney, Steve Meshbesher, said Hennepin County District Court Judge Daniel Moreno decided against a prison sentence because Xiong accepted responsibility for his son's death.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
"I think during the course of the trial Judge Moreno saw the sincerity and honesty and genuine believability of him. He got to know Kao as a person," Meshbesher said.
Xiong also was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which he already had served.
In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he accepts the sentence and noted Xiong took responsibility for what happened.
"It would be fundamentally unfair for that 4-year-old to go through life thinking it was his responsibility, because it wasn't," Freeman said according to a release from his office. "It was Mr. Xiong's."