Man sentenced to 16 years for fatal sucker punch on St. Paul light rail platform

A 29-year-old man has received a 16-year term for throwing a sucker punch and killing a man on a light rail platform in St. Paul.

Darren Johnathon Duffie, of St. Paul, was sentenced Friday in Ramsey County District Court after pleading guilty to second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the attack on July 23 of Richard McFee, 43, who was hospitalized and died days later from brain injuries.

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Duffie is expected to serve the first nine years and 11 months in prison and the balance on supervised release.

According to the criminal complaint:

In surveillance video, Duffie was shown approaching McFee from behind on the platform and hitting him once in the head with his fist. McFee, of St. Paul, was found shortly before 9 p.m. unconscious on a sidewalk less than a block away near E. 5th and Minnesota streets.

Duffie fled the scene and threw away a sweatshirt he was wearing at the time. Police arrested him the next day wearing the same T-shirt he had on when he struck McFee. When interviewed by investigators, Duffie denied assaulting McFee but admitted knowing him.

Duffie said McFee stabbed him weeks earlier. He pointed to a wound on his left abdomen. However, he could not offer specifics about the alleged stabbing.