_ __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Man gets life term in shooting death |
News: Article I, II & III....
ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS - A 21-year-old Burnsville, Minnesota man will have to
serve 40 years in prison before he is eligible for release after being
sentenced Monday to life plus 15 years in connection with a drive-by
shooting in South Minneapolis.
Michael Calvin Francis was convicted last month of shooting two
people May 24 after an argument about a set of tire rims.
Three of the shots hit and wounded Marvin Pate, 22, but a bullet struck
and killed Pamela Ragland, 21, of Brooklyn Park, Minn.
A Hennepin County jury convicted Francis of first-degree murder In
Ragland's death and first-degree attempted murder for the shooting of
Pate. On Monday, he was sentenced to life for the killing, which carries
a mandatory 30 years before eligibility for parole, plus a consecutive 15
years for the attempted murder. He must serve 10 years of the 15-year
sentence.
According to a police complaint, Ragland was in the driver's seat of a
car that was parked on the street near Pate's residence. ln the 3300
block of Portland Avenue South. Pate was getting out of the vehicle
when Francis pulled his SUV up next to the parked vehicle and started
shooting.
In 2001, Pate, then 19, was acquitted of murder charges by a Ramsey
County jury In connection with a shooting that took place in a
Greyhound bus at the St. Paul terminal. Authority said the shooting
stemmed from an argument over stolen drugs.
Another man, Ernest Moore, then 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree
unintentional murder In the killing of Michael Warren, 19, and later
testified that Pate had been the triggerman. Moore is serving a 12-year
sentence.
MINNEAPOLIS - A 21-year-old Burnsville, Minnesota man will have to
serve 40 years in prison before he is eligible for release after being
sentenced Monday to life plus 15 years in connection with a drive-by
shooting in South Minneapolis.
Michael Calvin Francis was convicted last month of shooting two
people May 24 after an argument about a set of tire rims.
Three of the shots hit and wounded Marvin Pate, 22, but a bullet struck
and killed Pamela Ragland, 21, of Brooklyn Park, Minn.
A Hennepin County jury convicted Francis of first-degree murder In
Ragland's death and first-degree attempted murder for the shooting of
Pate. On Monday, he was sentenced to life for the killing, which carries
a mandatory 30 years before eligibility for parole, plus a consecutive 15
years for the attempted murder. He must serve 10 years of the 15-year
sentence.
According to a police complaint, Ragland was in the driver's seat of a
car that was parked on the street near Pate's residence. ln the 3300
block of Portland Avenue South. Pate was getting out of the vehicle
when Francis pulled his SUV up next to the parked vehicle and started
shooting.
In 2001, Pate, then 19, was acquitted of murder charges by a Ramsey
County jury In connection with a shooting that took place in a
Greyhound bus at the St. Paul terminal. Authority said the shooting
stemmed from an argument over stolen drugs.
Another man, Ernest Moore, then 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree
unintentional murder In the killing of Michael Warren, 19, and later
testified that Pate had been the triggerman. Moore is serving a 12-year
sentence.
A Burnsville man was
sentenced Monday in
Hennepin County
District Court to life in
prison in the shooting of
one person in an
argument over fancy tire
rims, and he got an
additional 15 years for
wounding another.
The attacks happened
about 11 pm on May 24
in Minneapolis Central
neighborhood.
Michael C. Francis, 21,
shot Pamela Ragland,
21, once in the head as
she sat in a car with her
boyfriend Marvin Pate in
the 3300 block of
Portland Av. S. Francis
shot Pate, 23, of St.
Louis Park, three times
as he was getting out of
the passenger side of
Ragland's car. Ragland
was fatally wounded. As
Pate was taken from the
scene, he told police that
a man named "Mike" had
shot them and that he
was driving a blue car.
Pate testified at Francis' trial before
Hennepin County District Court Judge
Thor Anderson that he and Francis
had a heated argument about a month
before the shooting. Francis told him,
"You're a dead man."
Francis testified
that he was
with his
girlfriend in St.
Louis Park at
the time of the
shootings. His
girlfriend did
not testify.
Phone records
showed
that he was
with his
girlfriend in St.
Louis Park at
the time of the
shootings. His
girlfriend did
not testify.
Phone records
showed
that Francis made and received
several calls from his cell phone
shortly before the shooting while
driving in the area of E. 33rd St. and
Portland Av. S.
Francis was found guilty last month of
two counts of attempted first-degree
murder.
The 15-year prison sentence will run
consecutive to the life sentence.
several calls from his cell phone
shortly before the shooting while
driving in the area of E. 33rd St. and
Portland Av. S.
Francis was found guilty last month of
two counts of attempted first-degree
murder.
The 15-year prison sentence will run
consecutive to the life sentence.
| "HELP FREE AN INNOCENT MAN" |
| Help FREE Michael C. Francis |
FREEMICHAELCFRANCIS.INFO
| Man Found Guilty Of Killing Woman |
The shooting
resulted from an
argument over a
set of wheel rims.
By Howie Padilla
Star Tribune Staff Writer
A Hennepin County jury deliberated
about three hours Friday before
convicting a Minneapolis man of
murdering a woman and wounding
her boyfriend.
The shooting was the result of a
month-old argument that Michael C.
Francis, 21, had with the boyfriend
over a set of wheel rims, according
to the criminal complaint against
him.
On the night of May 24, Pamela
Ragland, 21, of Brooklyn Park, was
parked with her boyfriend in the
3300 block of Portland Av. S. in the
Central neighborhood about 11 pm
when Francis shot them.
Ragland was shot once in her head.
Her boyfriend was struck three
times.
"She had absolutely nothing to do
with this fight," Hennepin County
Attorney Amy Klobuchar said after
the verdict, "she was driving the car
and now she is dead."
resulted from an
argument over a
set of wheel rims.
By Howie Padilla
Star Tribune Staff Writer
A Hennepin County jury deliberated
about three hours Friday before
convicting a Minneapolis man of
murdering a woman and wounding
her boyfriend.
The shooting was the result of a
month-old argument that Michael C.
Francis, 21, had with the boyfriend
over a set of wheel rims, according
to the criminal complaint against
him.
On the night of May 24, Pamela
Ragland, 21, of Brooklyn Park, was
parked with her boyfriend in the
3300 block of Portland Av. S. in the
Central neighborhood about 11 pm
when Francis shot them.
Ragland was shot once in her head.
Her boyfriend was struck three
times.
"She had absolutely nothing to do
with this fight," Hennepin County
Attorney Amy Klobuchar said after
the verdict, "she was driving the car
and now she is dead."
As he was taken from the scene,
Ragland's boyfriiend, who also testified
against Francis, was able to tell police
that a man named Mike had shot them
and had been driving a blue car.
The boyfriend told investigators that
Francis had said to him during an
argument a month earlier: "You're a
dead man."
Francis testified during the trial that he
was with his girlfriend in St. Louis Park
at the time of the shootings, Klobuchar
said. But experts tracked cell phone
calls in Minneapolis made by Francis
immediately before the shootings, she
said.
"This was a completely senseless act of
violence committed over some fancy tire
rims," she said.
Francis was convicted on two counts of
first-degree murder, including
premeditated murder. He also was
convicted of two cunts of first-degree
attempted murder including
premeditated attempted murder.
The first-degree murder convictions
carrying a mandatory life sentence.
Francis will not be eligible for release
until he has served at least 30 years.
Howie Padilla is at hpadilla@startribune.com
Ragland's boyfriiend, who also testified
against Francis, was able to tell police
that a man named Mike had shot them
and had been driving a blue car.
The boyfriend told investigators that
Francis had said to him during an
argument a month earlier: "You're a
dead man."
Francis testified during the trial that he
was with his girlfriend in St. Louis Park
at the time of the shootings, Klobuchar
said. But experts tracked cell phone
calls in Minneapolis made by Francis
immediately before the shootings, she
said.
"This was a completely senseless act of
violence committed over some fancy tire
rims," she said.
Francis was convicted on two counts of
first-degree murder, including
premeditated murder. He also was
convicted of two cunts of first-degree
attempted murder including
premeditated attempted murder.
The first-degree murder convictions
carrying a mandatory life sentence.
Francis will not be eligible for release
until he has served at least 30 years.
Howie Padilla is at hpadilla@startribune.com
| Shooter gets life sentence for Minneapolis slaying |
Saturday, October 9, 2004
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