Hunting Accident in Sibley County

[Glockwinger]

I don't think a day has gone by that I have not thought about this accident. I have a 7 year old boy, and I have fought back the tears as I have read about this incident over the past weeks. I just read the 911 transcript on the Channel 5 website and had to swallow hard again. My heart breaks for that little boy. I won't go after the father...I think enough has been said already...some I agree with, some I don't. What I do know is that this man will have to live with this for the rest of his life. He knows he screwed up, and I make no excuses for what he did. There are going to be very hard times for this family in the next months and years. My prayers go out to the family, including the father.

[BigGrassBass]

I just pulled this off the pioneer press web site. I know a lot of people are following this story.

Here ya go:

Anthony M. Klaseus, 39, the Belle Plaine man charged with killing his son, Hunter, 8, while poaching turkey April 19, made his first appearance in Sibley County District Court today.

He was released after the arraignment without bail, but must follow several conditions, including:

* Not using or possessing drugs or alcohol

* Not using or possession firearms

* Not leaving Minnesota without a court order

Klaseus had marijuana and alcohol in his system when he shot his son after mistaking him for a turkey. He faces felony charges of second-degree manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm, as well as misdemeanor counts for trespassing and hunting turkeys without a license.

Klaseus's next court date is 1 p.m. June 19.

[tealitup]

thanks for the update

[Sandmannd]

Thanks for the update. I haven't been looking to see what's been going on.

[BigGrassBass]

Just got this off the Strib website. I still choke up every time I read one of the articles. Hopefully God is taking care of this little boy...

GAYLORD, MINN. -- The Belle Plaine man charged with fatally shooting his 8-year-old son while turkey hunting pleaded guilty today to second-degree manslaughter in Sibley County District Court.

The other charges against Anthony Klaseus, 40, were dropped: reckless discharge of a firearm and two misdemeanors: trespassing and hunting turkeys without a license.

The criminal complaint showed that Klaseus had alcohol and marijuana in his system when he shot his son, Hunter, in the chest on the evening of April 19.

"It was a tough decision, debating whether to go to trial or not," Klaseus' attorney, Patrick Flanagan, said after the court hearing. "In the end, Anthony just believed that this was the best result for him and his family so they can begin the important healing portion."

Flanagan said he and his client were weighing the plea offer from the start, but only decided to accept it an hour before today's hearing.

Klaseus said little during the hearing, only affirming the sequence of events in questions posed to him. At one point, he broke down in tears and a deputy handed him tissue while Flanagan patted him on the back.

Among the eight or so supporters of Klaseus at the hearing were his wife, Amber, his parents and a sister.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 25. Flanagan declined to comment on what punishment Klaseus might receive.

The Klaseus family recently moved from Belle Plaine, Flanagan said, but still lives in the area.

According to the charges: Klaseus and Hunter were on the edge of a field east of Crahan Lane near County Rd. 6 in Sibley County about 5 p.m. when they spotted some turkeys. Klaseus told his son to stay put as he circled the field to approach them.

He called to the turkeys. They moved toward him. He heard something snap or break near him and then saw a figure rise up. He shot the object, thinking it was a turkey.

"Then my son jumped back up screaming and then fell back down," he told authorities as stated in the complaint.

Hunter, dressed in full camouflage, had wandered up near his father.

Klaseus took a breath test at the scene that registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.06 percent, the complaint said. A urine test revealed the presence of marijuana; the exact concentration was not disclosed.

Several partially empty beer packs and a marijuana pipe were found in his truck at the scene, the complaint said.

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391

[BigGrassBass]

I've got a 7 year old at home and he fell in the lake yesterday as we were shore fishing, (don't worry, he's fine) and I felt guilty enough about that. I can't imagine what the family of this little guy must feel. I pray that they may find peace at the end of the road, even the father...

[croixflats]

I'm satisfied this guy admitted in his part on this tragedy. I do not know the full details of this case so I wont pass judgement.

[Hammer Handle]

I am glad the plea was guilty too. Maybe he is taking responsibility for his actions? I am not sure.

Huge huge mistakes were made and a terrible way to learn a lesson.

[joeyquicksand*]

I feel horrible for the guy and his family, what a horrible accident.

[Sandmannd]

I feel horrible for the family and this little child for sure. I don't feel all that bad for the Dad. To do what he did is reckless and careless. To drink and smoke dope and then take your child hunting and leave them alone? I'm sure living with what he did is huge punishment that I couldn't imagine but he should go to jail for a while. This was an inexcusable and avoidable death.

[joeyquicksand*]

well i feel bad for him because even though he was dumb AND poaching, he still lost his son...

[Scott K]

I do feel bad for him as well, but I do think he should get some good time to sit and think about it. I dont think I could live with it if it was me. If it was me, they could give me life in prison and it wouldnt equal knowing I took the life of my own kid!

[Sandmannd]

Anthony Klaseus' sentence also includes counseling, community service, and alcohol and hunting restrictions.

Star Tribune

Last update: August 25, 2008 - 8:38 PM

Anthony Klaseus was sentenced to 30 days in jail Monday in Sibley County District Court for fatally shooting his 8-year-old son while they were hunting turkeys.

Klaseus had pleaded guilty in June to felony second-degree manslaughter in the April 19 death of Hunter Klaseus. Charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, trespassing and hunting without a license were dropped.

Klaseus, 40, will be given work release while serving his time in the Sibley County jail, said his attorney, Patrick Flanagan. The charge will be downgraded to a misdemeanor at the end of his probation.

Klaseus was also fined $50 and ordered to undergo chemical assessment, remain in counseling, abstain from alcohol and hunting, and perform 400 hours of community service, including hunter safety education, Flanagan said.

The prosecution had sought 90 days in jail.

"We respect the judge's decision," Flanagan said. "We had hoped for no jail time."

Flanagan said his client is struggling through counseling and is taking things day by day. "It's something you're never going to forget," he said.

The elder Klaseus told authorities he thought his son was a turkey. His son, who was dressed in full camouflage, had followed him after being told to stay put as his father circled a field to approach some turkeys. Klaseus heard something snap near him, saw a figure and shot, killing his son.

Court records show that Klaseus had alcohol and marijuana in his system at the time. He had a blood-alcohol-concentration of 0.06 percent at the scene. Several partly empty beer packs and a marijuana pipe were found in his truck.

Klaseus and his family moved from their Belle Plaine home, but continue to live in the area.

_______________________________________________________________

What are your guys' opinions. I don't think they brought the hammer down enough for this. Yea, I know he has to live with killing his son but he was on drugs and drinking. I think he should have received more time for it.

[DonBo]

Doesn't sound like enough to me. Basicly no time served and a $50 fine? Come on...If that were me, under the same circumstances, and I shot a turkey instead of a boy, I would probably get a harsher sentance.

[NTW]

Sad.

[BigGrassBass]

No amount of jail time can make up for a disaster like this. There will never be a day that goes by in this man's life that he doesn't think about that day. The personal grief will more than make up for the lack of jail time and the fines. I do hope this man can find a way to get through this and also help to educate others so no one has to go through what he has gone through.

You can all say what you want about him and the punishment. I'm going to continue to pray for him and the little boy and the rest of the family.

[MNice]

( Note from Admin, Please read forum policy before posting again,thank-you.)

[harvey lee]

I agree that we do not need to slam this fellow. This will haunt him for the rest of his life. The court has spoken and we do not need to try to be judge and jury.

[paceman]

I agree Harvey. This poor guy will be suffering and greifing the rest of his life. Everytime he sees his sons pictures, every holiday, b-day... he will think of his son. Hopefully someday he will see him again and ask him for forgiveness.......

[Sandmannd]

I disagree with that. If it was an accident, then I would feel bad for the Dad. I feel for the son and the family but sure not him. Drinking, Drugs and hunting don't mix period, on top of that how many laws did he break? Pathetic. Let me as this, if I was the one out there with drugs and booze in me and accidently shot this guys son, would I have received a month?

[harvey lee]

You may have. As I stated, do we know all the facts or just some or part of them??? It's hard to judge and jury when we were not in court to hear all the facts presented.

[HateHumminbird]

Go ahead and have that. However, it's purely hypothetical and the fact of the matter is that it WAS his son. All of the evidence gathered and testimony spoken, brought forth in a court of law, before a judge, and 12 of his peers that each side had a chance to pick from, was synthesized into the punishment rendered. I'm no legal expert, nor am I an expert at criminal forensics, chemical dependency issues, crime and punishment, and a whole list of other complex factors at play here. Furthermore, I was neither present the day of the accident nor was I present any of the days from that tragic day to his day of sentencing. The point is that none of us were.

I live for turkey hunting. More than anything, it's the truest passion I have. Suffice to say, there are so many adjacent and peripheral punishments involved here, it's difficult to gauge the true sentence handed down. The loss of hunting as a sport would be a punishment in my book. While it may be an assumption that this man never hunts again, I think it's a safe assumption. And unless we're calling for the electric chair, I don't think there's much worse punishment you could render a person who killed his oldest son and will live with that the remaining troubled days he spends on this planet.

Joel

[BigGrassBass]

Thanks Joel. I've been looking for a classy way to say what you said.

[tealitup]

Nice post Joel - I think the punishment would be looking into your other children and you wife's eyes.

Also, he did plead guilty - there was no trial. He did take responsibility