Court Opinion

ID: 9685696
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 14:57:27.871011+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:09.504118
License: Public Domain

FOLEY, Judge
(concurring specially).
I concur in the decision to remand this case. Upon remand, I urge the trial court to carefully weigh the best interests of the three-year-old child against the history of the father’s murderous and violent past to determine whether the parental relationship between the father and child should be preserved.
It is undisputed that violent acts by the father are demonstrated by the following evidence set out in the mother’s petition to terminate the father’s parental rights:
a (1). Dangerous Character. [The father] has a dangerous character which is epitomized by his conduct resulting in his incarceration. [The father] is presently incarcerated in St. Cloud Correctional Facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was convicted of second degree murder of [the mother’s] best friend. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in September, 1986. Cause of death of the victim was by strangulation.
a (2). Approximately 2½ years ago, [the mother] witnessed [the father’s] attempt to strangle his friend * * * with his bare hands. He choked this friend until he was blue in the face and stopped only when [the mother] forced him away from [the friend]
*358a (3). Approximately 1¾⅛ years ago, [the father] nearly strangled [the mother] to death. [The mother] was able to convince [the father] to let go of her. [The mother] went to the hospital as she felt quite ill and her face was apparently absent of any color. She spoke to the police but told them she had been mugged in a park because she was afraid of what [the father] would do to her if she told them the truth.
The physical and mental health of the child could be in serious jeopardy if the father is permitted any contact with the child, now or in the future.