Opinion ID: 2227991
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Doppler's Trial Testimony

Text: Doppler's testimony at trial both added to and differed from the confession he gave to the BCA agents. Doppler initially reiterated his anger toward Sargent. He went on to explain how and why he came into possession of the .357 magnum gun used to kill Sargent. Doppler testified that he purchased the gun from Craig Delo. He testified that he purchased the gun for protection from gang members with whom he had been involved. However, Doppler acknowledged that, immediately after he purchased the gun, he jokingly asked Delo how much it would be worth to Delo for Doppler to do Mikey. It is undisputed that the Mikey referred to is Sargent. After Doppler purchased the gun, it was placed in his car. On April 9, 1995, Doppler was working on a spread at ACME that he had to cut before the night was over. Sometime during or after his work on the spread, he and Berry played a Nintendo video game at ACME. Wanting to get his car back, Doppler paged his brother, Keith. Keith and Sargent then came to ACME and, after some conversation about the car and their plans about what to do, the four men got into Doppler's car and headed up north to a casino. At some point along the way, Doppler stated that he tried a small amount of methamphetamine that Sargent offered to him. On cross-examination, Doppler stated that he [did not] believe [he] was too much affected by the small amount [of methamphetamine he] took. During the drive, Doppler noticed footmarks on the dash of his car that he suspected were made by Sargent. Doppler and Sargent argued about the footmarks and about Doppler's anger over Sargent and Keith flicking ashes onto the floorboard of the car. Doppler and Sargent also argued about Doppler's clothing and choice of music. The argument escalated and Sargent threatened Doppler by saying, If you don't    stop, you're going to get a bullet in your head like your brother. Sometime during the argument, Berry pulled off the main highway and onto a public access road to Little Blackhoof Lake so the four men could urinate. Doppler followed Sargent out of the car and the argument escalated further. Sargent told Doppler, I'm going to kick your ass. Doppler called Sargent a punk, or some similar name; then Sargent told Doppler I'm going to kill you. Doppler testified that he knew Sargent had a knife and that this knowledge caused him to return to his car to grab the gun from under the driver's seat. As he turned back around with the gun, Doppler said he saw the reflection from Sargent's knife and heard Sargent say again that he was going to kill Doppler. Doppler then fired one shot into the air and said something like, Mike, calm this    down, quit it. Sargent then told Doppler, You don't have the    balls to use that and walked toward Doppler. Doppler testified that he fired one shot into the ground and all the rest I shot higher. Doppler testified that he does not remember much about what happened after that, but does recall that Keith helped him into the car and that, during the drive back to the Twin Cities, Doppler told Berry and Keith that they should go to the police.