State v. Torres

OPINION

LANCASTER, Justice.

On June 15, 2000, a Rice County jury found appellant Rusttee Torres guilty of both murder in the first degree in the course of a burglary, in violation of Minn. Stat. § 609.185(3) (2000), and murder in the second degree, in violation of Minn. Stat. § 609.19, subd. 1(1) (2000), for his role in the death of Jesse Springer in Faribault, Minnesota, in the early morning hours of May 9, 1999. The jury found him not guilty of premeditated murder in the first degree, Minn.Stat. § 609.185(1) (2000). Shortly before closing arguments, the trial court refused Torres’ request…