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St. Paul Man Gets 16 Years For Brutally Stabbing Family Lawyer

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 36-year-old St. Paul man was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison Friday for stabbing a family lawyer multiple times, breaking a knife in the process.

Anoka County District Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick sentenced Sheikh Nyane to 200 months in prison for attempted murder, the county attorney's office said.

The crime happened in June of 2010, when Nyane went to Terri Melcher's office and attacked her. Along with stabbing her head and neck, he held her down and slit her throat.

Melcher survived the attack and called police.

When he was sentenced, Nyane said he was sorry. He said he was angry over losing custody of his son, something for which he apparently blamed Melcher.

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