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When Is a Death Considered ‘Murder?’

Two recent cases have emphasized the breadth of the legal definition. Patch wants to know what the word means to you.

“Murder” and “homicide” are loaded words that conjure images of malice and deliberate violence. This month, though, the west metro has been reminded that that’s not always the case. At the beginning of February, prosecutors charged Jonathan Markle with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the drowning of his 9-month-old daughter. Prosecutors say Markle's blood alcohol level was .13 when his vehicle broke through the ice Jan. 18 after he tried to drive underneath the Halstead Bay Bridge on Lake Minnetonka. Hennepin County Mike Freeman acknowledged that the legal system has "no penalty that can approach the grief and agony this man might feel by the death of his daughter at his own hand." But Freeman went on to say he wants this …

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Rachel Powell

7:47 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

not quite sure how they all got away without being charged with war crimes   more ›

Sheriff: No Ice Should Ever Be Considered Safe

After the death of a baby, Sheriff Stanek reminds citizens of ice dangers.

There have been seven vehicles that have broken through the ice on Lake Minnetonka in four days, Jan. 18-21. Tragically, one incident resulted in the death of an infant, an 8-month-old girl from Minnetrista.  The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reminds residents that no ice should ever be considered safe. Residents are urged to review these safety guidelines: · Despite the recent cold weather, channels of Lake Minnetonka remain dangerous and should be avoided. A vehicle, such as a car, truck, or SUV, should NEVER be driven through a channel. The weak ice in a channel is due to water constantly running from one bay to another bay.  The friction of the running water causes the ice to weaken. · Channels should also be avoided by people on …

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