LITTLE FALLS - Byron Smith, the convicted murderer of two Little Falls area teenagers, testified in court Tuesday to contest the amount of restitution prosecutors are asking him to pay for the Thanksgiving Day 2012 deaths.
Smith was convicted of the two murders of Haile Kifer, 18, and Nick Brady, 17, in April.
The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported Smith took the stand for about 15 minutes to testify about what had been stolen in a series of burglaries at his home before the shootings. He cried, his jaw quivering, as he described his family building the house that was burglarized on the Mississippi River, the newspaper reported.
Smith is arguing, the Star Tribune reported, that because Brady stole items from his house in previous burglaries, he shouldn't have to pay restitution to Brady's family. He's also contesting the $21,859 he was ordered to pay to Kifer's family.
A friend of Brady's, 18-year-old Cody Kasper, testified Tuesday, according to the Star Tribune, that he had acted as a lookout for Brady during three burglaries in which Brady stole cash, a chain saw, copper wire, and other items. Kasper said he knew of guns Brady had stolen from Smith in a separate burglary that he was not involved in, he testified.
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Smith, the Star Tribune reported, testified that more than $53,000 worth of cash, coins and other items were taken from his house during five burglaries. His insurance reimbursed him for $16,000.
