CentralTexas
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After reading this account I'm more inclined to believe the accused's version of events.
Survivor testifies about fatal shootings in Sawyer County woods
By Robert Imrie
The Associated Press
Published September 12, 2005, 2:47 PM CDT
HAYWARD, Wis. -- One of two deer hunters who survived a shooting rampage that killed six others in the woods calmly told jurors Monday that a confrontation with a trespasser turned violent after the group threatened to report the man to authorities.
Terry Willers said no one shot at Chai Soua Vang or physically assaulted him before Vang started firing at the group Nov. 21 in some isolated northwestern Wisconsin woods.
The shootings occurred several minutes after Vang, wearing a camouflaged ski mask, told Willers he was sorry for trespassing in a deer stand on private land, Willers testified Monday, the second day of the trial in Sawyer County.
Vang, a 36-year-old Hmong immigrant and truck driver from St. Paul, Minn., is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder. He faces mandatory life in prison if convicted.
Vang's attorney, Steven Kohn, said Vang came under a vicious verbal attack from the hunters who used profanities and racial slurs against him, and Vang felt frightened and under siege. Vang says he acted in self-defense after someone shot at him first.
Willers, whose 27-year-old daughter was killed, disputed that.
Willers testified he found Vang in the tree stand, asked him to leave and then gave him directions to public property.
Vang climbed from the stand and started to leave, Willers said.
As Vang walked away, Willers said he used a radio to call one of the property's owners, Robert Crotteau, at a nearby cabin.
``I radioed into the cabin and said I had a tree rat, and I chased him off the stand,'' Willers testified, indicating Vang was standing about 30 yards away. ``Bob said, 'I want to talk to him.'''
Crotteau drove up with other hunters on two all-terrain vehicles and angrily accused Vang of trespassing, Willers said.
The group unsuccessfully tried to get Vang to show some identification, then flipped over the hunting tag on his back to get his deer license number, said Willers, who traced the number in some dirt on an ATV.
Crotteau hollered to Vang the hunters got his license number and would report him to authorities, Willers testified. Vang was walking down a path when Willers testified he saw him crouch down, set a camouflaged bag on the ground and take the gun off his shoulder.
Willers testified he believed Vang was going to start shooting, so he took his gun from his shoulder and held it in front of him. ``I said, 'Don't you shoot at me, you (expletive)''' he said.
Willers said he took off running and dove to the ground behind a tree. He said he heard a bullet whistle past him, a familiar sound he heard before while hunting. He flipped the safety off his gun and prepared to shoot.
``A split second I felt a burning and felt a ripple through my body. I next thought about moving and I couldn't move,'' Willers said.
``I was thinking this was it.''
Willers, who was to resume testifying Monday afternoon, showed little emotion during the first hour of his testimony.
Willers showed jurors how Vang initially pointed his gun slightly down and away at him, and Willers said he pointed his gun slightly upward.
In other testimony, investigators said they found 14 spent shells in the woods -- 12 the day of the shooting and two more in December. Gerald Kotajarvi of the state crime laboratory testified the shells were of the same caliber of the gun later seized from Vang.
One shell was found within 15 feet of Willers' daughter, Kotajarvi said.
Paul Sogla, a special agent for the state Department of Justice, said gun shells and other evidence near Crotteau's son, Joseph, who was found about 500 feet from where the confrontation occurred, suggest the shooter was standing only 15 to 20 feet away from him at one point.
Kotajarvi said four rounds were found in Terry Willers' gun, which could hold five.
Killed were Robert Crotteau, 42; Joseph Crotteau, 20; Al Laski, 43; Mark Roidt, 28; Jessica Willers, 27; and Dennis Drew, 55, all of the Rice Lake area.
As the murder trial opened Monday, Sawyer County Circuit Judge Norman Yackel agreed to allow two photographers into the courtroom as long as they made less noise and took fewer photos. He imposed the ban on still photographers Saturday after Vang's attorneys complained about the camera noise.
Survivor testifies about fatal shootings in Sawyer County woods
By Robert Imrie
The Associated Press
Published September 12, 2005, 2:47 PM CDT
HAYWARD, Wis. -- One of two deer hunters who survived a shooting rampage that killed six others in the woods calmly told jurors Monday that a confrontation with a trespasser turned violent after the group threatened to report the man to authorities.
Terry Willers said no one shot at Chai Soua Vang or physically assaulted him before Vang started firing at the group Nov. 21 in some isolated northwestern Wisconsin woods.
The shootings occurred several minutes after Vang, wearing a camouflaged ski mask, told Willers he was sorry for trespassing in a deer stand on private land, Willers testified Monday, the second day of the trial in Sawyer County.
Vang, a 36-year-old Hmong immigrant and truck driver from St. Paul, Minn., is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder. He faces mandatory life in prison if convicted.
Vang's attorney, Steven Kohn, said Vang came under a vicious verbal attack from the hunters who used profanities and racial slurs against him, and Vang felt frightened and under siege. Vang says he acted in self-defense after someone shot at him first.
Willers, whose 27-year-old daughter was killed, disputed that.
Willers testified he found Vang in the tree stand, asked him to leave and then gave him directions to public property.
Vang climbed from the stand and started to leave, Willers said.
As Vang walked away, Willers said he used a radio to call one of the property's owners, Robert Crotteau, at a nearby cabin.
``I radioed into the cabin and said I had a tree rat, and I chased him off the stand,'' Willers testified, indicating Vang was standing about 30 yards away. ``Bob said, 'I want to talk to him.'''
Crotteau drove up with other hunters on two all-terrain vehicles and angrily accused Vang of trespassing, Willers said.
The group unsuccessfully tried to get Vang to show some identification, then flipped over the hunting tag on his back to get his deer license number, said Willers, who traced the number in some dirt on an ATV.
Crotteau hollered to Vang the hunters got his license number and would report him to authorities, Willers testified. Vang was walking down a path when Willers testified he saw him crouch down, set a camouflaged bag on the ground and take the gun off his shoulder.
Willers testified he believed Vang was going to start shooting, so he took his gun from his shoulder and held it in front of him. ``I said, 'Don't you shoot at me, you (expletive)''' he said.
Willers said he took off running and dove to the ground behind a tree. He said he heard a bullet whistle past him, a familiar sound he heard before while hunting. He flipped the safety off his gun and prepared to shoot.
``A split second I felt a burning and felt a ripple through my body. I next thought about moving and I couldn't move,'' Willers said.
``I was thinking this was it.''
Willers, who was to resume testifying Monday afternoon, showed little emotion during the first hour of his testimony.
Willers showed jurors how Vang initially pointed his gun slightly down and away at him, and Willers said he pointed his gun slightly upward.
In other testimony, investigators said they found 14 spent shells in the woods -- 12 the day of the shooting and two more in December. Gerald Kotajarvi of the state crime laboratory testified the shells were of the same caliber of the gun later seized from Vang.
One shell was found within 15 feet of Willers' daughter, Kotajarvi said.
Paul Sogla, a special agent for the state Department of Justice, said gun shells and other evidence near Crotteau's son, Joseph, who was found about 500 feet from where the confrontation occurred, suggest the shooter was standing only 15 to 20 feet away from him at one point.
Kotajarvi said four rounds were found in Terry Willers' gun, which could hold five.
Killed were Robert Crotteau, 42; Joseph Crotteau, 20; Al Laski, 43; Mark Roidt, 28; Jessica Willers, 27; and Dennis Drew, 55, all of the Rice Lake area.
As the murder trial opened Monday, Sawyer County Circuit Judge Norman Yackel agreed to allow two photographers into the courtroom as long as they made less noise and took fewer photos. He imposed the ban on still photographers Saturday after Vang's attorneys complained about the camera noise.
(Don't get you panties in a bind, I'm Asian and speak from experience)
