Latest news with #Stevens-Thigpen
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jury convicts St. Paul man in 2023 shootout at White Bear Lake bar
A jury has found a St. Paul man guilty of exchanging a flurry of gunshots with another man outside a White Bear Lake bar in 2023 after an argument over a spilled drink. Kardell Baraka Otae Jackson, 51, was convicted Friday in Ramsey County District Court of all three charges against him: second-degree assault and two counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a prohibited person. The verdict followed a two-day trial before Judge Kellie Charles. Jackson was taken into custody after the verdict, and sentencing is scheduled for July 28. His attorney, assistant public defender Tyler DeHaven, said in an email Monday after a request for comment, 'Mr. Jackson is disappointed in the outcome, but will continue to explore his legal options.' Jackson and Charles Edward Stevens-Thigpen fired a total of 13 rounds at each other in the parking lot of Doc's Landing, including one that grazed a 48-year-old man who was sitting in the bar. A bullet was found lodged in a dart machine, and three bullet holes were discovered in the bar's roofline. Stevens-Thigpen, 37, of St. Paul, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in July and faced a three-year prison term because he had no prior felony convictions. He was given three years of probation at his March sentencing after his attorney argued he was not the primary aggressor. According to the charging documents, officers were called to the bar along White Bear Avenue just north of Interstate 694 shortly before 1 a.m. Sept. 24, 2023. The shooters had fled but were soon identified as Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson. Surveillance video showed that Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson got into a 'heated dispute' inside the bar. At one point, Jackson held a pool cue as if he was going to strike Stevens-Thigpen with it. Two women and a man intervened and blocked Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson from one another. Jackson ran to his Chevrolet Tahoe and grabbed a gun, while Stevens-Thigpen grabbed one from his GMC Denali. When he rounded a corner of the bar, Jackson fired off a shot at him, and the two men exchanged gunfire, the charges say. Stevens-Thigpen nearly shot a woman who ran toward Jackson's Tahoe. Jackson helped her get into the SUV before he again shot at Stevens-Thigpen. Stevens-Thigpen 'grimaced' and began to favor his right leg, the charges say. As Jackson and the woman fled the parking lot, Stevens-Thigpen fired three to four more rounds at the Tahoe. He ran to the Denali and also fled. Stevens-Thigpen voluntarily went to the police department two days later, turning over a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun to police when he arrived. He said he went to a doctor a day after the shooting because of severe bleeding from a gunshot to his thigh, and that his family convinced him to talk to police. He told police he was at the bar when he bumped into a table, knocking over a glass of soda onto his ex-girlfriend's sister. He said that caused an argument with the woman, who was Jackson's girlfriend, and Jackson intervened. Charges filed in drive-by shooting outside Burnsville High School graduation Under Patel, FBI heightens focus on violent crime, illegal immigration. Other threats abound, too Lakeville man sentenced in first wage theft criminal conviction in state St. Paul fire inspector charged in assault of 13-year-old on way to school Police: Gunshots followed Burnsville High School graduation ceremony, but no injuries 'The man told me that he got something for my (expletive) ass and he's gonna pop me,' Stevens-Thigpen said at his July 8 plea hearing. Stevens-Thigpen said he went to his Denali to get his 9mm as a 'precaution.' 'I believe four shots were fired before I fired my first shot,' Stevens-Thigpen said at his plea hearing. Jackson was arrested Sept. 27 in the parking lot of his workplace. His Tahoe had three bullet holes to its passenger side. He denied firing a gun at the bar. Officers executed a search warrant on his Tahoe and recovered a Glock 9mm handgun. Jackson is not allowed to possess a firearm because of a previous felony domestic assault conviction.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
St. Paul man sentenced in 2023 shootout at White Bear Lake bar
A 37-year-old St. Paul man has been sentenced to three years of probation for exchanging a flurry of gunshots with another man outside a White Bear Lake bar in 2023. Charles Edward Stevens-Thigpen was shot in the thigh and turned himself in to police two days after the shootout at Doc's Landing, telling them it followed an argument over a spilled drink. The charges say Kardell Baraka Otae Jackson fired off a shot at Stevens-Thigpen, who had rounded the corner of the bar, barely missing him. The two men fired 13 rounds at each other in the parking lot, including one that grazed a 48-year-old man who was sitting in the bar. A bullet was found lodged in a dart machine, and three bullet holes were discovered in the bar's roofline. In July, Stevens-Thigpen pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to second-degree assault. Jackson, 51, of St. Paul, faces the same charge and also two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. His case is scheduled to go before a jury March 19. According to the charging documents, officers were called to the bar along White Bear Avenue just north of Interstate 694 shortly before 1 a.m. Sept. 24, 2023. The shooters had fled but were soon identified as Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson. Surveillance video showed that Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson got into a 'heated dispute' inside the bar. At one point, Jackson held a pool cue as if he was going to strike Stevens-Thigpen with it. Two women and a man intervened and blocked Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson from one another. Jackson ran to his Chevrolet Tahoe with Stevens-Thigpen following a few seconds behind with a pistol in his hands. Jackson fired off a shot at Stevens-Thigpen, who took cover behind a Tesla, and the two men exchanged gunfire, the charges say. Stevens-Thigpen nearly shot a woman who ran toward the Tahoe. Jackson helped her get into the SUV before he again shot at Stevens-Thigpen. Stevens-Thigpen 'grimaced' and began to favor his right leg, the charges say. As Jackson and the woman fled the parking lot, Stevens-Thigpen fired three to four more rounds at the Tahoe. He ran to a GMC Denali and also fled. Police say a man called 911 to report he was trying to drive to the hospital after he had been shot in the leg. Officers tried to make contact with the caller, but he didn't answer their return calls. The phone number was associated with Stevens-Thigpen. Stevens-Thigpen voluntarily went to the police department two days later, turning over a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun to police when he arrived. Stevens-Thigpen told police he was at the bar when he bumped into a table, knocking a glass of soda onto his ex-girlfriend's sister. He said that caused an argument with the woman, who was Jackson's girlfriend, and Jackson intervened. 'The man told me that he got something for my (expletive) ass and he's gonna pop me,' Stevens-Thigpen said at his July 8 plea hearing. Stevens-Thigpen said he went to his Denali to get his 9mm as a 'precaution.' He said when he saw Jackson in the parking lot, Jackson fired at him. He returned gunfire. 'I believe four shots were fired before I fired my first shot,' Stevens-Thigpen said at his plea hearing. He said he went to a doctor the next day because of severe bleeding from his injury, and that his family convinced him to talk to police. Jackson was arrested Sept. 27 in the parking lot of his workplace. His Tahoe had three bullet holes to its passenger side. He denied firing a gun at the bar. Officers executed a search warrant on his Tahoe and recovered a Glock 9mm handgun, the charges say. Stevens-Thigpen entered a straight plea to the felony charge, meaning there was no agreement between the defense and the prosecution on the terms of his sentence. Crime & Public Safety | Man pleads guilty to murder and attempted murder in shooting at suburban Chicago July 4 parade Crime & Public Safety | 'Heroic' St. Paul police officer attacked in 2010 died on Saturday Crime & Public Safety | Woman forced to drive stolen vehicle in Sunday afternoon carjacking Crime & Public Safety | Minneapolis man charged with trying to join the Islamic State group Crime & Public Safety | Attempted carjacking in St. Paul leads to gunfire Thursday night A conviction carries up to seven years in prison. Since he had no previous felony convictions, the state guideline sentence was a three-year prison term. In arguing for a downward departure, his attorney, Alex Kyes, told Judge Andrew Gordon the offense is 'substantially less serious' than the typical offense as it constituted 'imperfect self-defense' because his client was not the initial and primary aggressor. He noted he cooperated with law enforcement. Gordon imposed a stay of imposition, meaning the conviction will become a misdemeanor as long as he follows conditions of his three years of supervised probation. The prosecution did not object to the departure.
