Centurion, South Africa. Jurgens was the only fatal victim of Lois Jurgens, his adoptive mother and a prolific child abuser, who abused a total of six adopted children from 1960 to 1975.The trial of Lois Jurgens for the murder of 3-year-old Dennis made national . See, e.g., United States v. Wild, 551 F.2d 418, 422 (D.C.Cir.1977), cert. See Minn.Stat. 5. B. Schwingle : J. Smith : Joel A. Jurgens Research Scientist University of Minnesota 495 Borlaug Hall 1991 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul, MN 55108 Phone: 612-625-6231 jurgens@umn.edu . This, however, was not a "tactical" advantage, but rather a development in evidentiary law. Golden Eagle Insider Podcast. Select an address below to search who owns that property on 3rd Avenue and uncover many additional details. Although there is evidence this injury was inflicted, no evidence was available to characterize the act causing the injury. Be Truthful. v. He testified Dennis had landed on his stomach at the bottom of the stairs. 1 and 2 (1965). Did appellant cause the fall by striking, throwing, tripping or pushing the child? United States v. Marion, 404 U.S. 307, 324, 92 S. Ct. 455, 465, 30 L. Ed. The neighbors I talked to about the case were good people. The mortician who readied Dennis for burial was Jim Honsa, an active Lion and community booster who worked at the time for Lake Mortuary. Be Nice. 531 days on Zillow. To paraphrase another book, its fair to say 1965 was the best of times and the worst of times in the community; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness. As a Doximity member you'll join over two million verified healthcare professionals in a private, secure network. $21,000. Recent photos, introduced to show the basement areas of the Jurgens house, were marked to show subsequent construction. Karen was born in Wichita . Another neighbor, Kathy (Bucholz) Rodvald, remembers seeing the hearse parked in the Jurgens driveway that Palm Sunday. Siegels novel tells the true story about the death of Dennis, his adoptive parents, Lois and Harold Jurgens, and myriad residents he interviewed in 1988 a year after Lois Jurgens was convicted of third-degree murder of a boy who came into her home at the age of 1. Siegel wrote that McKees thoughts turned not to the wonders of science, but of religion. It was as if the funeral director had foreseen a day when someone would come looking, Siegel wrote. Without more telling evidence of appellant's intent either to inflict great bodily harm or to assault with a dangerous weapon, she was entitled to have submitted to the jury a lesser included instruction of manslaughter, a crime of homicide founded on an initial intentional act that is not felonious in itself. [2] There is evidence here that Dennis Jurgens suffered severe burns two years before he was fatally injured. 1988). See Schleret, 311 N.W.2d at 847 (jury in battered child case had evidence of two recent episodes of injuries). 1 Unit Available. This was defined as the defendant's causing the death of another: Minn.Stat. Five years later, NBC released a TV movie called A Child Lost Forever.. CRARY REAL ESTATE. Dr. McGee testified to his exhumation of the body in January 1987. 1. Hestad v. Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co., 295 Minn. 306, 310, 204 N.W.2d 433, 436 (1973). The war was escalating in Vietnam and Martin Luther King Jr. marched in Selma. Cloud Times page for free from Wednesday, September 2, 1987 ud. The state presented the medical testimony of Dr. Thomas Votel, who was the coroner in 1965; Dr. Robert Woodburn, who performed the autopsy in 1965; Dr. Michael McGee, who is the current Ramsey County medical examiner; and Dr. William Sturner, who is an expert in pediatric forensic pathology. He was the Jurgens' second adopted child, and was first placed in the Jurgens home for adoption in December 1962, when he was 14 months old. Also that January, Lois sister (she came from a family of 16 children born to Lois and John Zerwas Sr.) Barbara died of a brain tumor. Jurgens' counsel admitted Dennis was an abused child, but contested the extent of the abuse. Minnesota Crookston Homepage. Thank you for reading! Jim was relieved someone was eventually charged, Honsa said. 609.195(2) (1965). *558 Respondent faults the defense for failing to produce evidence of a theory explaining Dennis Jurgen's injuries and death through events other than murder by appellant. Moreover, June Bol admitted having difficulties with Lois Jurgens in the intervening years, making it possible she had some motive to fabricate the story at trial. He grew up to be a police officer and moved to Crookston. So did the cops and the mortician who embalmed Dennis. We conclude, however, that the admission of the hearsay statement was harmless error because the state did not have to produce evidence of the circumstances of the injury to Dennis, given that he fit the "battered child syndrome," and the fact that the medical evidence established that his injury had been inflicted. $125,000. Minn.R.Evid. Also, Jurgens' 1965 MMPI was interpreted as showing no indication of psychotic disturbance. As a child he moved with his family to. 2182814215. Given the evidence of the degree of force involved, we believe the jury could not have *554 distinguished the intent to inflict great bodily harm from the intent only to inflict bodily harm but with a dangerous weapon. The hearsay statement was not consistent with Harold's testimony in 1965, when he admitted his wife had called but denied she asked him to come home. Jurgens was the only fatal victim of Lois Jurgens, his adoptive mother and a prolific child abuser, who abused a total of six adopted children from 1960 to 1975. University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship. Aided by the testimony of the Jurgens' other adopted son, Robert, the prosecution saw Lois . 1985) (19-year delay in prosecution was extraordinary, but did not compel a presumption of prejudice). Robert A Hasbrouck is a male in his eighties. 620 Summit Ave. N, PO Box 610 Crookston, MN 56716 | ph 218.281.4533 fax 218.281.5991 . You can explore additional available newsletters here. The verdict form does not indicate on which count Jurgens was convicted. The cases have never created a hypothesis of murder from the same evidence without evidence the assault was aggravated or committed with intent to cause great bodily harm.[4]. It was noted that Dennis was wearing sunglasses while reciting the rosary at the Lake Mortuary visitation. Moreover, evidence on a history of abuse is compatible with the theory of an underlying simple assault. 117 W Robert St, Crookston, MN 56716. It was error to submit the case to the jury without a manslaughter instruction. The book isnt a story about bad people, its about good people who didnt do the right thing., Siegel said the consequences of the choices we make are far more interesting to him than a story about people who commit terrible acts. 816 Marin Avenue, Suite 110, Crookston, MN, 56716 Phone 218-470-8144 City Crookston Postal Code 56716 State Minnesota County Polk County Official Website Website. In order to show a pre-indictment delay violates due process, a defendant must establish. He testified there was a linear bruise on the upper abdomen. You're all set! The small child was in perfect, if weathered shape, like an ancient man preserved in time. Court of Appeals of Minnesota. Bester, Robert - Died in 2019. ST. PAUL When 3-year-old Dennis Craig Jurgens died on April 11, 1965, there were so many bruises on his body that the coroner said he stopped counting them. 609.19 and 609.195(2) (1965). This contention is incorrect. One of the original investigators, Ron Meehan, remembered the case, as did others involved at the time. 3131 Sumter Ave N #202, Minneapolis, MN 55427, lived here in 2011 - 2012 $1,290: C . Abels blood cries out from the ground, God replied. Scruffy Tails Humane Society in Crookston, MN has pets available for adoption. The murder conviction here cannot stand. Dennis was adopted by the Jurgenses, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, a suburb of Saint Paul: Harold Robert Jurgens, a former bandleader turned electrician, and Lois Germaine Josephine Zerwas Jurgens, a homemaker. The difference was this time the medical examiner immediately thought child abuse.. See State v. Warren, 419 N.W.2d 795 (Minn.1988). C3-87-1165. denied, 431 U.S. 916, 97 S. Ct. 2178, 53 L. Ed. He happened to be in the hospital for pneumonia when their house burned down in November of 65. Minn. Stat. State v. Adams, 295 N.W.2d 527, 533. We conclude Jurgens has not shown there was a promise not to prosecute, nor that she relied on it to her detriment. However, the state's expert witness was able to reconstruct the purportedly illegible portions of the record; they were not helpful to Jurgens' mental illness defense. Date of Birth: September 30, 1930 Date of Ordination: June 1, 1979 Assignment History Asst. See State v. Swanson, 307 Minn. 412, 416, 240 N.W.2d 822, 825 (1976). Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Robert testified against his mother at her trial, telling the jury he thought she had killed Dennis. A. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. I recognized it as St. Marys cemetery., When the casket was opened, the body was as Honsa said. The trial court did not err in refusing to dismiss the indictment. The judge stated the threat of criminal prosecution was past. State v. Loebach, 310 N.W.2d 58, 62-64 (Minn. 1981) (overwhelming evidence of murder even without battered child syndrome evidence where four month old child suffered severe harm to his head and body, due to blows or total squeezing the body, occurring at least three times over a period of several weeks). Bobby was born in Crookston on January 11, 1953, the son of Charles and Mamie (Berg) Johnson. However, he had no authority to make any promise concerning prosecution. The statement, purportedly made around eight years after Dennis' death and fourteen years before trial, did not have such "circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness" that it should have been admitted. Medical examiner Michael McKee noticed other features, as well. CPD currently employs 15 full-time police officers and two full-time civilian support personnel. Ironically, there is another 50th anniversary this month the death of an abused 3-year-old boy named Dennis Jurgens. Robert Kent Crookston (1943- ) is the associate director of the Brigham Young University Faculty Center. John Robert Chambers Feb 21, 2023 John Robert Chambers, 57, of Crookston, MN, died Tuesday, February 21, 2023, in Crookston. State v. Hardimon, 310 N.W.2d 564, 566 (Minn. 1981). She was 61 when she went to prison and served eight years before being paroled. Jurgens had requested an instruction on second degree manslaughter (death resulting from culpable negligence). Robert Jurgens testified he remembered Dennis falling down the basement stairs not long before his death. Related to Dennis Jurgens | Joanne Jurgens | Joshua . At some point during the fight, which did not last long, Nelson grabbed . 3. We believe the jury was capable of understanding the extensive medical testimony concerning the nature of Dennis Jurgens' injury and his earlier abuse, and was not substantially influenced by the hearsay statement. Held : J. Jacobs . Crookston MN. Robert Gurgens is a resident of Minneapolis. We were all like a big family. El Metate. Robert passed away on June 26 2002, at age 80. Virgil Robert Love Jr, 68, of Crookston, MN, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes Monday morning, March 7, 2022, at RiverView Health in Crookston. He . STATE of Minnesota, Respondent, v. Lois Germaine JURGENS, Appellant. She had also received *549 harassing telephone calls which she thought were from Jurgens. This omission, however, does not alter our analysis. Thus, we do not know whether the jury found an underlying felony assault (1) with intent to inflict great bodily harm or (2) without that intent but with a dangerous weapon. Cf. Appellant Lois Jurgens was indicted on January 30, 1987 for one count of second degree murder and two counts of third degree murder. . She did establish that some of her medical records had been lost or destroyed. Metropolregion Sydney und Umgebung. Lois had grown up in an impoverished family of sixteen siblings and used her marriage to the middle-class Harold Jurgens as a means to . . 19 online majors. For these reasons, appellant is entitled to a new trial, and I respectfully dissent. Get this St. He is the team captain of the Majestics. She demanded to know the truth about her son's death. Was the evidence sufficient to support the conviction? These changes were made before the body was exhumed, and McGee conceded he had no evidence other than that available in 1965. He attended Crookston schools and graduated from Central . Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. The jury, however, must have some reasonable basis for concluding that defendant's conduct, while intentional, was not intended to produce the degree of harm that resulted. We find no indication Jurgens requested submission of first degree manslaughter at trial and, therefore, she may have waived any challenge to the court's failure to submit it. A number of witnesses testified concerning Lois Jurgens' physical abuse of Dennis Jurgens. Sherwood, who was Jerry Puckett at the time, never converted. Dr. Jurgens is on Doximity. 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At the time of trial, the parties did not have the benefit of the holding in State v. Johnson, and they could not be confident defendant could legitimately waive the statute of limitations. Dennis Craig Jurgens (December 6, 1961 - April 11, 1965) was an American 3-year-old boy who was murdered in White Bear Lake, Minnesota in April 1965. Our Saviors Lutheran Day School Sep 2014 - Nov 20206 years 3 months. Did the trial court err in refusing to dismiss the indictment? The Crookston Police Department provides 24-hour law enforcement services and other community resources to the City of Crookston. Jurgens herself told White Bear Lake police her husband had been in northern Wisconsin and she called him on Saturday to tell him Dennis was sick. When I was living in White Bear Lake, my wife was pregnant with our first child. Sherwood had discovered the coroner never ruled on the actual cause of death; they had just buried the body in St. Marys Cemetery. She doesnt remember much about the case, except it sounded fishy at the time. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.. Website Sign In We found 52 addresses and 55 properties on 3rd Avenue in Crookston, MN. Dr. McGee testified the perforation of the ileum was caused by a blunt, traumatic injury occurring from 8 to 48 hours before death. Minn.Stat. . We affirm. The Minneapolis Clinic records, which Jurgens claims were illegible, were particularly important because Jurgens was examined there in September 1965, only five months after Dennis' death. State v. DeZeler, 230 Minn. 39, 52, 41 N.W.2d 313, 322 (1950). The mid-60s was just the beginning of awareness of battered child syndrome, Siegel said in a telephone interview. See State v. Leinweber, 303 Minn. 414, 422, 228 N.W.2d 120, 126 (1975) (lesser-included offense need not be submitted if the evidence would not "reasonably support a conviction of the lesser degree and at the same time * * * a finding of not guilty of the greater offense."). 804(b)(5). They were still very upset about it 23 years later what they should have done and could have done. June Bol's testimony was consistent with that of other witnesses only in that it was established, and apparently well known within the Jurgens family, that Harold was out of town much of the weekend that Dennis died. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in failing to order a presentence investigation. To all appearances, they were a normal midwestern family, but Jerry suspected that something sinister had happened in the Jurgens household. Jurgens, appellant is entitled to a new trial, telling the jury he she... Advantage, but did not abuse its discretion in failing to order a investigation. 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