Murderer may be forced to pay Expenses of Victim's Family

2007-0M-038     State of Minnesota, Respondent, v. Anthony John Palubicki, Appellant.

Compensation from Burglar who Fatally Beat a 90-year-year-old Victim in Park Rapids Home

ISSUE: Under state law, may a trial judge include a sentence for a convicted murderer which included requiring him to reimburse the adult children of an elderly victim for their expenses for cleaning the murder scene and attending the trial of their father’s murderer?

 DESCRIPTION OF CRIME:  Two burglars robbed the home of a 90-year-old man near Park Rapids, and beat the victim to death.  In addition to a life sentence, the judge ordered the murderer to compensate the man’s adult children for expenses which include requiring him to reimburse the adult children of an elderly victim for their expenses for cleaning the murder scene and attending the trial of their father’s murderer.

HELD:  The unanimous Supreme Court upheld both the statute and the order for compensation.

               Meyer (Russell Anderson, Page, Paul Anderson, Hanson, Barry Anderson, and Gildea)

DATE OF DECISION:  February 22, 2007

RECORD NUMBER:  2007-0

FULL OPINION:  A06-401,

DESCRIPTION:  [MURDER]