St. Paul man gets 7 years for beating 60-year-old woman, threatening man with shotgun
Jun. 24—A St. Paul man who brutally beat and robbed a 60-year-old woman and threatened a man with a shotgun last year was sentenced this week to seven years in prison.
Nathaniel Lawrence Harris, 35, was sentenced Tuesday by Ramsey County District Judge George T. Stephenson on the charge of first-degree aggravated robbery. The sentencing was done virtually.
Harris pleaded guilty earlier, but on Tuesday asked to change his plea, saying he had not been taking his medication and wasn't thinking properly. Stephenson denied his motion, saying he had asked him three times if he felt he was guilty and Harris had said "yes" each time.
Prosecutor Cory Tennison said the sentence was fitting considering the injuries Harris inflicted on the woman.
"The photographs submitted by the female victim speak 1,000 words," he said. "The black-and-blue bruising caused by the defendant was obscene."
According to the criminal complaint, on Sept. 8, St. Paul police were called to the area of Hope Street and East Seventh Street on a report of a robbery. They found the woman and said her face was extremely bruised and swollen and there was blood on her mouth.
Police caught up with Harris, who was riding a bus. The woman and witnesses identified him.
Tennison read an impact statement from the woman, who identified herself as Maria Rodriguez, who said she had just sent her brother money for his diabetes medication and was returning to her car when Harris attacked her.
"The first blow was on my face," she said. "He continued to hit me with a closed fist on my head. He took my keys, cellphone, wallet."
Harris also was sentenced for an attempted robbery committed Aug. 9 when he pointed a sawed-off shotgun at a man's chest and demanded he drop his car keys. The incident happened just after 10 a.m. in the area of Rice Street and Geranium Avenue.
The man refused and ran behind his car. Harris put the gun into a case and left, ditching the gun near some recycling bins on Albemarle Street.
The sentence of seven years was for both crimes.
Harris must serve at least two-thirds, or 57 months in prison. The remaining third, or 28 months, would be served on supervised release. If Harris breaks the law or has disciplinary problems in prison or on probation, his sentence can be extended to the full 86 months.
Harris has two prior first-degree aggravated robbery convictions on his record and a conviction in 2005 for second-degree attempted murder.
Harris was represented by lawyer Madsen Marcellus, who had no comment on the sentencing.
