JACKSON -- The man charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his brother last week made his initial court appearance Monday.
Tyron Louis Collins, 38, of Jackson, spoke quietly in answering brief questions from Jackson County District Court Judge Linda Titus during the approximately 10-minute appearance.
He faces a charge of second-degree murder with intent, defined as the defendant's causing the death of a human being, with intent to affect the death of that person or another, but without premeditation. Collins also has been charged with second-degree murder without intent, which is defined as the defendant's causing the death of a human being, "without intent to affect the death of any person, while committing or attempting to commit a felony offense other than criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence or a drive-by shooting."
During the hearing, Collins' attorney, John Scholl, requested that Titus allow ample time between Monday's court appearance and an omnibus hearing in order to prepare his defense. The omnibus hearing was ultimately scheduled for 2:45 p.m. July 19 in the Jackson County Courthouse; an hour will be set aside for the hearing at Scholl's request.
Scholl also asked that Collins, who has been forbidden from having any contact with family, be allowed to call his mother, Laura Johnson, who lives in Milwaukee, Wis. Jackson County Attorney Robert O'Connor argued Johnson is a material witness in the case, and he is in the process of scheduling an interview with her.
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Titus ruled that Collins will not be allowed to have any contact with his mother until after she is interviewed by law enforcement. Upon hearing the ruling, Collins quietly put his head down on the table at which he sat.
According to the criminal complaint, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office received a 911 emergency call at approximately 2:17 pm. Thursday of an adult male having been stabbed at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Lakefield. The victim was identified as Kenneth Lemuel Collins Jr., 37. a certified nursing assistant employed at the nursing home.
Officers interviewed staff and residents at the nursing home. The complaint says that, based on those statements, Tyron Collins had entered the facility, approached his brother and had a verbal altercation. The brothers then separated, and Kenneth Collins and another certified nursing assistant entered another room to attend to two elderly female residents.
While in that room, Kenneth Collins was knocked to the floor by Tyron Collins, who got on top of him, the complaint says. Witnesses in the room saw Tyron Collins hitting Kenneth Collins while on top of him on the floor. A witness also observed that Tyron Collins was holding a small object in his hand that he was using to strike Kenneth Collins with.
Tyron Collins then fled from the nursing home, the complaint continues. Kenneth Collins, who had been stabbed multiple times, was brought to the nursing home administrator's office, where staff attempted to stabilize him and called 911.
Shortly before 3 p.m., according to the complaint, a Worthington police officer located Tyron Collins driving his vehicle on Nobles County 35. After evading officers and attempting to flee, Tyron Collins crashed his vehicle into a ditch. He was also observed by the officer marking his wrists and forearms with a knife while driving the vehicle before the crash.
Tyron Collins is being held at the Jackson County Jail on bail of $2 million with conditions, or $1 million without conditions.
