Crime Notes: Wally The Beer Man's Trial
The jury selection process has begun in the trial of Wally "The Beer Man" McNeil and his co-defendant Ed Stepnick. The vendors are charged with selling beer to a teenage police decoy during a sting at Target Field on Sept. 30.
Their attorneys are arguing they were entrapped by police and plan to bring out the fact the police supervisor for the sting has been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department for allegedly lying in an unrelated case.
McNeil and Stepnick rejected a last-minute offer for a plea deal from the prosecution, just before the trial got underway. Six jurors will need to be chosen before the trial begins.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill expects the case to be wrapped up by Friday or possibly Monday.