(Spirit Lake)– A Spirit Lake man charged with first degree murder in the death of his infant son has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a plea bargain.
Kory Klaasen appeared late this afternoon in Dickinson county district court and entered oral and written pleas of guilty to voluntary manslaughter and neglect or abandonment of a dependant person. Both are class “C” felonies…punishable by up to ten years in prison on each and fines up to 10-thousand dollars on each charge. Sentencing is set for October 1st in Dickinson county.
Klaasen’s first degree murder trial was to start tomorrow (Tues.) in Sibley with jury selection. The trial was moved to Osceola county on a change of venue due in part to publicity from the Shelby Duis case. Venue has now been moved back to Dickinson county as a result of today’s developments…and the trial has been canceled.
Klaasen is already spending time for a previous conviction of child endangerment in connection with injuries his son Kyler received while under his care March 20th, 1998. During a trial on that matter, Klaasen maintained the injuries were the result of the child falling off a couch in one instant and that on another occasion Kyler slipped out of his hands while giving him a bath. Expert witnesses for the state testified the injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
Kyler was in a coma 17 months before he passed away. At that point Kory Klaasen was charged with first degree murder.
