State v. Goelz

OPINION

MEYER, Justice.

A Renville County jury found appellant Dirk Lionel Goelz guilty of first-degree domestic abuse murder and first-degree manslaughter (heat-of-passion) for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Kerri Robinson. The district court entered judgment on the domestic abuse murder conviction and sentenced Goelz to life in prison. In this direct appeal we are asked to determine the admissibility of certain evidence to prove the existence of a “past pattern of domestic abuse” under Minn. Stat. § 609.185(a)(6) (2006). Goelz argues that: (1) the district court abused its discretion…