The trial came to an end Tuesday afternoon when the 12-person jury reached their unanimous decisions on each count that had been presented over the course of a two-week trial for 26-year-old No Name Given Happy of California. Closing statements from both the Prosecuting and the Defense were strong and emotionally packed. The jury received their instructions and legal framework from the judge before being sent out to deliberate at 12:38 p.m. Court reconvened at 3:42 p.m. yesterday afternoon for the reading of the verdict. Happy faced six felony charges in connection with a New Year’s Eve stabbing that left 30-year-old Benjamen Roland Matter dead and others reeling from the chaos. The jury found him guilty on two of the six counts, delivering a partial conviction that still carries serious consequences. The following verdicts were as read.
Count One, second-degree murder with intent- Not Guilty
Count Two, second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony- Guilty
Counts Three and Four, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon- Not Guilty
Count Five, felony threats of violence toward bar patrons- Guilty
Count Six, felony threats of violence against law enforcement- Not Guilty
Following the verdict, Happy was remanded into custody of the Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office. His sentencing is scheduled for Friday, August 8th at 10:30 a.m.
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The Windom Women of Today are teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a community blood drive on Wednesday, June 25th. The event will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Windom Community Center, located at 1750 Cottonwood Lake Drive. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the code WindomMN. You can also use the Red Cross Blood Donor App to make it easy. Remember, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. And there’s an extra incentive this June: donate between June 1st and 30th and you’ll receive a $15 gift card by email and be entered for a chance to win $7,000! Full details can be found at www.rcblood.org/Count . Give blood. Help save lives.
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Windom Area Health is inviting the community to an Open House on June 19th from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at their brand-new medical building located at 2150 Hospital Drive in Windom. This special event is your chance to explore the new $30 million healthcare facility, meet the dedicated Windom Area Health team, and learn about the future of healthcare right here in your community. Enjoy refreshments as you tour the modern building designed to better serve you and your family’s medical needs. Whether you’re curious about the new space or simply want to celebrate this milestone, Windom Area Health welcomes you to stop by.
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It’s Free Movie Day at Windom State Theater! Thursday the 19th Moana 2 will be shown at 1pm. Concessions will be available for purchase! Come out of the heat and ride the waves with Moana. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana reunites with Maui for this expansive voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. This week’s movie, Moana 2 is made possible through a donation from A & W Restaurant in Mt Lake.