Prosecution witnesses continued providing testimony Tuesday on the second day of a murder trial in Cottonwood County court.
No Name Given Happy of San Diego, California, is charged with multiple felonies, including second-degree murder, second-degree assault and threats of violence from an incident on New Year’s Eve at the Phat Pheasant Pub in Windom.
Prosecution witnesses on Tuesday included:
- Jesse Dominguez Jr. testified noticing tensions in the bar were high when he arrived at 11:30 p.m. He was among the group that escorted Happy from the bar after he was asked to leave. He went back outside the bar a short time later and saw Happy return and brandish a knife. He stated he saw Happy make a stabbing motion as Ben Matter approached, trying to stop him from entering. After Happy was subdued, he tried to kick the knife out of Happy’s hands.
- Gabriella Westman testified she was outside the bar when she saw Happy approach with an angry look on his face and a knife in his hand, commenting he was going to stab whoever kicked him out of the bar. She went inside and saw Matter stumble forward, saying he’d been stabbed. She then went outside to call 911.
- Chelsea Stevens testified that she was getting ready to leave the bar when Happy collided with her as he was rushing in from outside. She said she was taking off her coat to try to stop the bleeding from his nose when someone came over her shoulder to punch Happy. She then saw Matter on the ground, bleeding, and began to assist efforts to remove his shirt and treat wounds.
- Emily Morrison testified she went to the bar with friends and saw Happy interact with Matter a couple of different times before Happy was asked to leave. She later saw Happy return and stab Matter twice before he was subdued by other people in the bar. She also tried to cut off Matter’s shirt with a scissors but was unsuccessful.
- Windom Police Officer Andrew Kinnetz and State Trooper Jacob Samdal each testified about their arrival at the scene. Their testimony included body-worn camera footage, as well as camera footage of the back seat of Kinnetz’s squad car, while Happy was transported to the hospital and at the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
- Robert Gandas testified Happy was upset no one would play pool for money and stated he warned bartenders about Happy’s behavior. He added he saw Matter try to prevent Happy from re-entering and saw Happy drop the hand with the knife after stabbing Matter. He stated after Happy was taken to the ground, he stomped on Happy’s hand to try to get the knife away.
- Cody Jurgens testified he was among the group that escorted Happy from the bar and that Happy was challenging people to fight in the parking lot. When Jurgens approached, Happy put up his hands to fight. Jurgens testified he hit Happy with two left-handed jabs, causing Happy to back down toward his semi. After Jurgens had re-entered the bar, he stated Happy returned. He went over and punched Happy twice, then saw Matter injured on the floor. He also testified he noticed injuries later in the evening, going to the hospital the next day to get stitches.
- Kelly Buckentin had been working at Jack Slade’s that night and returned with friends to the Phat Pheasant. When she heard screaming, she first went to assist Happy, then was told Matter needed help. As an EMT, she began to treat Matter’s injuries.
- Jenna Vachuska testified that she responded to the scene as an EMT to render aid.
Testimony was scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.
