A case that has gripped the Midwest since the summer of 2022 could reach a pivotal moment Thursday as jurors deliberate whether a man who stabbed a teen to death and wounded four others in Wisconsin was acting in self-defense, or intentionally committed the crime.
Nicolae Miu has been on trial for days, even at one point taking the stand to make a final plea to jurors.
Miu, 54, was charged with first-degree homicide in the death of 17-year-old Isaac Schuman during a scuffle with several people last month on the Apple River. Miu is also charged with wounding two men from Luck, Wisconsin, ages 20 and 22, a 24-year-old woman from Burnsville, Minnesota, and a 22-year-old man from Elk River, Minnesota.
Court documents state that Miu, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, attacked the group after people accused him of approaching children in the water.
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Miu has said he was defending himself.
Defense attorneys argued the group taunted and mocked Miu before circling him in a scene that "quickly turned into 13. Thirteen against one," according to courtroom reports from NBC affiliate station KARE 11.
"A group of drunk teenagers... saw an opportunity to torment a man who was by himself," defense attorney Corey Chirafisi alleged. "They did this for no legitimate purpose."
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Reports from the courtroom showed prosecutors argued Miu's story twisted what actually happened that day.
"He is a skilled, a prolific liar," Deputy District Attorney Brian Smestad said in his closing arguments.
St. Croix County District Attorney Karl Anderson called it "senseless acts of violence" and said "all Nicolae Miu had to do was walk away."
Anderson pointed to the cell phone video of the incident, saying it showed Miu running towards the final victim and stabbing him, despite no one surrounding or hitting Miu at the time.
"That's retribution, not self-defense," Anderson said.
While on the stand, Miu argued he feared for his life.
"Did you believe you needed to use that knife?" defense attorney Aaron Nelson asked Miu during the trial.
"Absolutely," Miu said. "I believe I would have been killed that day."
Prosecutor Brian Smestad focused on opportunities for Miu to walk away, arguing Miu was an instigator in the incident. They also questioned why he lied to investigators in the hours after the stabbings.
Miu admitted to lying to law enforcement when he said two of the boys pulled a knife on him.
"As you can see, I was very confused," he said in court.
The case went to jurors Wednesday after eight days of emotional testimony, which included remarks from dozens of witnesses and hinged largely on cell phone video that recorded part of the incident.
Judge R. Michael Waterman reportedly ruled that jurors can consider lesser charges as part of their deliberations.
About 90 minutes after jurors received the case, KARE reported jurors asked to re-watch the cell phone footage. At one point two male jurors were removed from the jury pool without explanation.
Jury deliberations were set to continue Thursday. If the jury finds Miu guilty of the charges he currently faces, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
