Opinion ID: 1662265
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events Prior to May 28

Text: Patricia Bolden testified that, on Wednesday, May 20, 1987, defendant called her and asked if he could pick up his possessions at her townhouse in Eagan. When defendant arrived at Bolden's home, Young, who had been at Bolden's home for several days, would not let defendant see Bolden. After words were exchanged, defendant took his records and left without asking for the rest of his belongings. According to Bolden, on Sunday, May 24, 1987, defendant came over to Bolden's apartment when only she and her son were home. Defendant told Bolden that if she put Young out of the house, he would not bother her anymore, but if she didn't put Young out, he would have to hurt Young and probably her too. On May 26, Bolden's brother, Kendall Taylor, and his wife Constance came to her townhouse to drive her to her aunt's home in north Minneapolis. While they were all inside the townhouse, defendant knocked at the door. Bolden told everyone not to let him in and defendant left. When they left to drive to Bolden's aunt's, defendant reappeared. When Bolden refused to talk with defendant, he struck her in the face. Defendant and Young exchanged words and Bolden, her brother, his wife and Young drove away. Defendant followed their car from Eagan to south Minneapolis, but drove away when Kendall Taylor turned into a police station. Constance Taylor corroborated Bolden's testimony as to the events of that day. She stated that she saw defendant attempt to strike Bolden and that he followed their car from Eagan to south Minneapolis. Shortly after this encounter, the evidence shows that defendant called a friend, Melvin Tousant, and asked if he could borrow a gun. When Tousant asked him why he wanted a gun, defendant told him that he had had a conflict with Charles Young and Young had pulled a gun on him. Defendant arranged to meet Tousant at the home of Michael Terry, defendant's nephew. When Tousant arrived at Terry's, he attempted to calm defendant, but defendant insisted on borrowing a gun. Defendant told Tousant that nobody was going to pull a gun on him without using it and that he was going to kill Young. Michael Terry testified that defendant told him that some guy had pulled a gun on him and that defendant was going to hurt him before he hurt defendant. Defendant's version of the events is again different. He denied that he hit Bolden or that he followed her brother's car. Defendant said that he went to Bolden's on May 26 because she had asked him to help get her car. When defendant arrived, Bolden's brother, his wife, and Young were outside. Defendant grabbed Bolden by the arm, but did not punch her. Defendant claims that, while he was attempting to speak with Bolden, Young went inside the townhouse to get cigarettes. When Young came back outside, defendant claimed that he could see the outline of a gun in Young's pocket. As soon as he saw the gun in Young's pocket, defendant got in his car and left. Defendant admitted that, after this incident, he had attempted to get a gun from Melvin Tousant. Defendant, however, denied telling Tousant that he was going to kill Young and maintained that he only wanted the gun to protect himself and his family from Young.