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Anthony Klaseus, 40, entered his plea in Sibley County District Court. Charges of trespassing and hunting without a license were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Klaseus said little during the hearing, only affirming the sequence of events in questions posed to him. He broke down in tears at one point. A deputy handed him tissue while defense attorney Patrick Flanagan patted him on the back.
His wife, Amber, his parents and a sister attended the hearing as a show of support.
Prosecutors say Klaseus and Hunter — who was dressed in camouflage — were hunting April 19 when they spotted some turkeys, and Klaseus told his son to stay put as he circled the field in pursuit of the birds. Klaseus called to the turkeys, they moved toward him, and he heard something snap or break nearby. He saw a figure rise up and he fired, thinking it was a turkey.
But it was his son. He told investigators Hunter jumped back up screaming and then fell back down. The shotgun pellets had struck the boy in the neck and torso. He died at the scene.
A breath test administered at the scene to Klaseus registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.06 percent. The state’s legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent. A urine test revealed the presence of marijuana in his system but the exact concentration wasn’t disclosed. Beer containers and a marijuana pipe were found in his truck.
The plea agreement was reached shortly before Thursday’s hearing.
“We had discussed it (the guilty plea) from the beginning, Flanagan said. “Anthony wanted a chance to review all the evidence. It was a tough call to make, but in the end he felt this was the best thing to do for him and his family. ... Everyone is still working on the mourning and healing process.”
Prosecutor Don Lannoye said the state’s position had always been that Klaseus needed to plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter. “The way it’s written, this statute really seems to fit exactly to what happened,” he said.
Sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 25. The state’s sentencing guidelines call for an 18-month sentence with probation. Flanagan declined to comment on what punishment Klaseus might receive.
