Trial To Begin For New Brighton Man Accused Of Killing Neighbor
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The trial of a New Brighton man charged with killing his neighbor is expected to start Monday.
Neal Zumberge, 58, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder. Police say he shot and killed Todd Stevens and injured Jennifer Damerow-Cleven last May.
Cleven says Zumberge had been harassing them for years for feeding the deer in their yard, claiming they had given him Lyme's Disease.
Hours before the shooting, Zumberge's son had been arrested for threatening Cleven and Stevens.
Cleven thinks the shooting was retaliation for the arrest, but according to the Star Tribune, Zumberge plans to claim self-defense. His attorney tells the paper the deer feeding dispute had nothing to do with the shooting and that Stevens and Cleven were just mean people.
Zumberge's wife, Paula, was tried and acquitted last year of aiding and abetting the shooting.
