Spring Break
Jury convicts student in stabbing trial
Senior faces up to 12-and-half years for alcohol-related altercation
Nick Halter
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
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The charges stem from an altercation early Sunday morning, Aug. 26 near the corner of Fifth Avenue and Lake Street.
Peterson's high school friend, Patrick Luck, 23, testified in the three-day trial that he was with Peterson the night of Aug. 25 and early hours of Aug. 26. He said Rud called Peterson a "hippie" and made comments about the length of his hair. He said Peterson got mad and went to his house and got two knives, giving one to Luck. Luck said Peterson was "very focused" and walked very fast to catch up with Rud and two other men.
Luck testified that a fight ensued and he lost his knife. He said he never stabbed anyone himself and was unaware anyone had been stabbed at the time. Luck pleaded guilty to lesser charges in the case and agreed to testify in the trial with immunity from what he said.
Rud, a student at Chippewa Valley Technical College, 620 Clairemont Avenue, testified that he was walking north on Fifth Avenue when he met Paul Allen and Michael Scafide.
Rud testified that he doesn't remember what he said to Peterson on Fifth Avenue, but that Peterson and Luck approached the group later and Peterson appeared angry. He said he pulled Peterson off Allen and pinned him to the ground . Rud said he felt a "jolt" in his lower left backand then punched Peterson once in the face and took off running. According to police, Rud went to a home on West Grand Avenue where emergency personnel came and took him to Luther Midelfort Hospital. The surgeon who cared for Rud testified that Rud had a punctured lung, a life-threatening injury.
Rud testified that he still has complications from the stabbing. He said he can't sit for long periods of time and has to take sleeping pills.
Peterson, 23, testified on the second day of the trial for close to 45 minutes. He said he "most likely" would have been carrying a grey Gerber knife at work earlier that night, but didn't know if he kept it with him when he changed clothing.
Peterson testified that he tried to break up a fight between Luck and others before he got "sucker punched." He said he went to the ground where he was punched more. He said he didn't remember what happened after that. When his attorney asked him if he stabbed Rud, Peterson said: "I did not stab Mr. Rud."
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the road runner
posted 1/22/09 @ 12:36 PM CST
I had the displeasure of living in the neighborhood where Sam grew up and also worked with him for about year. Sam never learned to shut his mouth and always pushed things to the limit. (Continued…)
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