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Klatt enters Alford plea in shooting

Will be sentenced for attempted murder, assault

OLIVIA — A Fairfax man, charged with first-degree attempted murder for shooting a Hector man in the hand and face last January, entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder and second-degree assault in Renville County District Court Monday.

In entering an Alford plea, Michael J. Klatt, 61, 902 1st St. Fairfax, admits that the evidence presented by the prosecution would be likely to persuade a judge or jury to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Though he hasn’t admitted guilt, the plea will be treated as a conviction and Klatt will be sentenced.

A pre-sentence investigation was ordered Monday. Klatt’s sentencing date was set for 9 a.m., Monday, Oct. 7. He remains in custody in the Renville County Jail with conditional bail of $500,000; $200,000 with conditions.

“I think it’s a fair plea with an attempted murder charge,” said Renville County Attorney David Torgelson.

Klatt was arrested after coming into Weis Oil in Fairfax and shooting employee Kenneth Eckstein of Hector in the hand and face on Jan. 11 after taking his vehicle in for service. While the work was being done, Klatt asked Eckstein why he was encouraging Klatt’s wife to leave him.

Eckstein denied any such intent or conversation about it with Klatt’s wife, who worked at the business, according to the complaint.

Klatt tried to force his wife and Eckstein into an office at the business but Eckstein went into a different office, tried to grab a rifle Klatt had when Klatt fired the gun. A bullet caused significant damage to a finger on one of Eckstein’s hands.

The bullet passed through Eckstein’s finger and entered his face near the side of his nose. Eckstein was able to disarm Klatt, throwing him to the floor and striking him in the head. Eckstein knocked the gun away from Klatt, knocking a magazine tube from the rifle, causing 11 unspent rounds to fall out.

Eckstein was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital where his finger was surgically repaired. The bullet remained lodged at the base of his skull, where it was considered to be inoperable.

fbusch@nujournal.com

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