Updated at: 10/22/2009 11:21 AM | KSAX.com
By: Anthony Kiekow
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Jury Finds Man Guilty in Alexandria Drive-by Shooting Trial 

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. - A jury in Douglas County court found 28-year-old James Brown of Alexandria, guilty of commiting a drive by shooting.

After two and a half hours of deliberation, Brown was found guilty on two counts of commiting a drive by shooting and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

County Attorney Chris Karpan said it's very satisfying to get a guilty verdict after all that work.

Brown was accussed of firing several shots into a home and a car at 921 Kenwood Street nearly a year ago.

The case was tried without the help of County Attorney Karpan's chief witness Rufus Russel. Russel, who was involved in the incident, had earlier pled guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for cooperating with the prosecutions case against Brown.

However, after being released from jail Russel fled the area. "A nation-wide warrant has been issued for Mr. Russel," County Attorney Karpan said.

Brown was already serving a prison sentence in a Minnesota state prison for third degree assault. Sentencing for the drive by is slated for November.

Written for the web by Anthony Kiekow akiekow@ksax.com