[chris]

Bruce Renault Fry, then about 47 or 48, was convicted of second-degree intentional murder and sentenced to 480 months in prison for fatally stabbing Shequill Halbert, 24, in Minneapolis on July 13, 2018.

Fry, of Minneapolis, had recently ended a roughly two-month romantic relationship with Halbert's sister, K.H. She reported that Fry had shown others nude photos of her and had hit or pushed her. After K.H. told her brothers, D.H. and S.H. (Shequill Halbert), about the alleged mistreatment, they went to Fry's south Minneapolis apartment building, knocked and yelled threats, including an intent to fight. They left when Fry did not open the door. The confrontation centered on the photos and alleged mistreatment.

Halbert returned alone at about 10:43 p.m. to the building in the 1100 block of 8th Street S. Surveillance video without audio showed him enter the vestibule and buzz. Fry approached from the hallway holding a small knife, which had been visible earlier as he exited and reentered through the rear. After the two argued through a locked glass door, Fry opened it. Halbert pushed Fry, who stabbed him multiple times in the torso, arm and forehead, then pursued him down the hallway.

The fight lasted about one minute on video. Halbert collapsed from a fatal chest stab wound. The medical examiner also documented wounds to his forehead and face, a defensive wound to his arm, and wounds to a finger. His alcohol level was 0.20. Fry briefly returned upstairs before leaving through the back door with a backpack or container and telling a neighbor not to say anything. Police responding to a 911 call found Halbert at about 10:54 p.m.

Building surveillance recorded the confrontation, stabbing, pursuit and Fry's departure. A neighbor saw Halbert yelling challenges earlier and later saw Fry flee. K.H. and D.H. identified Fry from the video. Police arrested him July 15, 2018. In a Mirandized statement, he admitted the stabbing. A warrant search of his cellphone found post-incident texts about "emergency," requests to pick up the phone, and numbers for criminal law firms. No other suspects were identified.

At his January 22 to January 29, 2019, trial in Hennepin County District Court, Fry argued self-defense and denied intending to kill Halbert. The jury received a self-defense instruction. Prosecutors cited video showing Fry initiating contact with the knife after Halbert pushed him, Fry's pursuit of the fleeing Halbert, and the brothers' earlier threats. Jurors found Fry guilty of second-degree intentional murder and the lesser-included offense of second-degree unintentional felony murder.

The court imposed an upward departure based on the aggravating factor of a prior conviction involving victim injury. Fry's prior Illinois murder and robbery convictions, along with drug convictions, were noted. The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction July 20, 2020, and further review was denied. A later postconviction petition was denied as procedurally barred, a ruling affirmed in 2023. Fry remains in prison serving the sentence.

The video is about 96 minutes of police interview-room footage. It shows the interview itself without narration or a presenter.