A Minnesota man who was previously acquitted of killing three people in a 2022 shooting may still face prison time after being found guilty of kidnapping and shooting another man in St. Paul. Antonio Wright, 42, of Minneapolis, was convicted by jurors on Tuesday after about four hours of deliberation, as reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Wright is set to be sentenced on January 29.
The victim, a 37-year-old man, was discovered by police on the front porch of a home on September 2, 2022, with four gunshot wounds. Prosecutors argued that Wright shot the man out of fear that he would speak to the police after overhearing Wright discuss a previous killing in 2017. Despite efforts to reach Wright’s lawyer for comment, no response was received.
This recent conviction comes just three months after Wright’s acquittal in the triple homicide case. Two days after the September 2 shooting, five more individuals were shot in St. Paul, resulting in three fatalities. Wright was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder. He was arrested on September 7, 2022, in Chicago and faced charges related to both the September 2 and September 4 shootings.
It is worth noting that Wright had eight prior felony convictions. During the triple homicide trial, he chose to waive his right to a jury and was represented by attorney Joe Friedberg. Friedberg argued that Wright had a solid alibi, claiming that he was in Chicago at the time of the crimes. Ramsey County Judge Kelly Olmstead ultimately found Wright not guilty on all charges, stating that there was insufficient evidence to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
As the sentencing for the recent conviction approaches, it remains to be seen how this development will impact Wright’s legal situation and potential prison sentence.
