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Man Gets 22 Years For Fatally Choking Girlfriend's Brother

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Minneapolis man will serve more than 22 years in prison for fatally choking his girlfriend's brother in New Brighton back in April.

Steven Maurice Abrams, 54, had been charged with second-degree murder in the April 14 incident.

New Brighton police were called to a report of a domestic disturbance at 1476 20th Avenue NW. When officers arrived, they found a 58-year-old man down and unresponsive inside the residence. He was taken to a hospital, where he died a short time later.

Stephen Maurice Abrams New Brighton Choking Murder
(credit: Ramsey County Sheriff's Office)

An adult female at the scene told police her domestic partner, Abrams, assaulted her brother. She kicked Abrams out of her residence earlier in the day. He returned, her brother let him in and Abrams assaulted her. The woman's brother intervened, called 911 and Abrams threw him around the apartment.

Abrams kneeled on top of him and choked him with both hands. The man pleaded for him to stop, and he said he didn't care and that he was going to kill him.

The complaint states Abrams was still there when police arrived. He appeared drunk and yelled at officers, "I choked his ass." Just before getting into a squad car, he yelled, "I told that b***h I was going to f*****g kill him."

Abrams told police he had been with the woman for 20 years. She kicked him out of the residence and when he came back, her brother was carrying out his bags. They exchanged words before the woman's brother put his hands on Abrams.

Abrams told police he was tired of her brother being in their lives.

The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ruled the man died from strangulation and considered it a homicide. Abrams was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison with credit for 215 days served.

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