Bangert v. State

ROGOSHESKE, Justice.

A jury found defendant, Russell William Bangert, guilty of the first-degree murders of Ellen and Robert Evenson, his half sister and her husband. The trial judge sentenced him to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, with execution stayed on the second sentence and lifetime probation ordered in the event of release on the first sentence. Defendant did not appeal but subsequently sought postconviction relief pursuant to Minn.St. c. 590. The postcon-viction court denied the petition and, on its own motion, modified the sentence by eliminating the stay of execution and…