Court Upholds Conviction in Rochester Kutzky Park Gunfight
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News of for FOX8) - The Minnesota Court of Appeals has reaffirmed a Rochester man's conviction in connection with a gunfight a few years ago in the city's Kutzky Park neighborhood.
Minnesota Appeals Court Ruling
The Minnesota Supreme Court earlier directed the appellate court to take another look at the case of 34-year-old Kacey Kamara to determine if the circumstantial evidence in the case was strong enough to support his conviction on a charge of illegal possession of ammunition or any firearm. He was convicted of the charge in 2023 by an Olmsted County judge who acquitted him of felony counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, drive-by shooting and witness tampering.
Why Kamara Appealed His Conviction
Kamara was given a five-year prison sentence for the conviction, which led to an appeal arguing there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he "constructively possessed" a firearm and ammunition that were found in his fiancée's apartment, where he frequently lived.
The 2022 Kutzky Park Gunfight
According to court records, Kamara was accused of exchanging gunfire with another man following a confrontation in the 1000 block of West Center Street in June 2022. The criminal complaint says Rochester police responded to numerous reports of gunfire and collected eleven 9mm shell casings from the front yard of a residence. Investigators also used video recordings from security systems and mobile devices to piece together what had occurred.
Criminal Case Against 2nd Defendant Still Pending
Court documents say Kamara was accused of firing a shot in the direction of 38-year-old Larry Dion Jackson after Jackson allegedly opened fire on a vehicle occupied by Kamara and several other people. Jackson was charged with second-degree assault and illegal possession of a firearm.
His criminal case is still pending. A court hearing concerning the charges against Jackson is scheduled to take place later this month.
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