If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

And it should be the full 20. This was a brutal, violent attack on a vunerable person, a VERY strong message must to be sent

Teen gets 12 years in brutal beating of Brooklyn Center man
# BY SARAH WOLFE SUN NEWSPAPERS

(Created: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 4:32 PM CDT)
A 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty Wednesday, Aug. 5, to brutally beating an 82-year-old man nearly to death in his Brooklyn Center home this spring.

Orlando Shabarus Fitzgerald of Brooklyn Center was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the March 22 attack.

Fitzgerald, who lived down the street from victim Norman Arneson, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault. He was 15 at the time of the crime, but was tried as an adult.

When police arrived at the home on the 5700 block of Northport Drive that morning, they found Arneson kneeling on the floor by his couch, covered in blood. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center, where he spent several weeks and underwent two brain surgeries.

Police arrested Fitzgerald as he was trying to run out of the house. Christopher Johnson, 16, of Brooklyn Park, was found underneath a car in Arneson's garage.

In an interview with police, Johnson said he and Fitzgerald were broke and needed money and that Fitzgerald told him about an "old dude" who probably had some money.

Fitzgerald told police he knocked on the front door and asked the man if he needed any yard work done. He said he then pushed the man inside the house and shut the door and admitted to punching the man twice.

Johnson also is charged in the case and is awaiting trial.

The attack shook the Brooklyn Center community, especially the Northport neighborhood Arneson lived in, prompting police and city leaders to hold a neighborhood/senior safety meeting at a local church.

Police Chief Scott Bechthold, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, called it "the most senseless and cowardly crime I've ever seen."

"It is beyond my comprehension," Bechthold said at the time.

Police Chief Scott Bechthold, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, called it "the most senseless and cowardly crime I've ever seen."

"It is beyond my comprehension," Bechthold said at the time.

Teen gets 8 years in beating of Brooklyn Center man

(Created: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:55 PM CDT)
A 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty Wednesday, Aug. 12 to first-degree assault in a Brooklyn Center home invasion March 22, which had left an elderly man severely injured.

Christopher Lamore Johnson of Brooklyn Park was sentenced to eight years in prison. In exchange for his plea, two other charges against him were dismissed, said the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

Orlando Shabarus Fitzgerald, 16, of Brooklyn Center, was sentenced earlier this month to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree assault.

When police arrived at the home on the 5700 block of Northport Drive that March morning, they found the victim kneeling on the floor by his couch, covered in blood, according to the criminal complaint. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center, where he spent several weeks and underwent two brain surgeries. He has not fully recovered from his injuries.

Police arrested Fitzgerald as he was trying to run out of the house. Johnson was found underneath a car in victim's garage.

In an interview with police, Johnson said he and Fitzgerald were broke and needed money and that Fitzgerald told him about an "old dude" who probably had some money.

Fitzgerald told police he knocked on the front door and asked the man if he needed any yard work done. He said he then pushed the man inside the house and shut the door and admitted to punching the man twice.

The attack shook the Brooklyn Center community, especially the Northport neighborhood the victim lived in, prompting police and city leaders to hold a neighborhood/senior safety meeting at a local church.

The daughter of the victim spoke in open court on Wednesday, said the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, and said her father told her "he would have sat on the couch while the two [Fitzgerald and Johnson] robbed his home of anything they wanted" but doesn't understand why they attacked him.

-Compiled by Wendy Erlien

So, how long until these fools are eligible for parole? IMHO, 12 and 8 years in prison should mean 12 and 8 years in prison.

I think the word you are looking for is "animals."

Growing and giving: Brooklyn Center man to donate produce proceeds to assault victim
# BY wendy erlien SUN NEWSPAPERS
(Created: Sunday, September 13, 2009 7:54 PM CDT)

“What can I do?”

Those four words asked by Brooklyn Center resident Bobby Fern soon turned to an acre of help for an assault victim.

After a benefit dinner for Norm Arneson a few months ago, Fern wondered what he could do to help the man who used to walk by his house on a regular basis, always stopping to chat, before he was a victim of a violent beating in March.

Fern’s answer came in the way of produce.

On an acre of land off Bass Lake Road and Brooklyn Boulevard, Fern decided to plant vegetables and sell them. The proceeds would be donated to help Arneson with medical bills.

Throughout the summer, Fern worked the garden filled with tomatoes, cabbage and carrots with the help of neighbors. He said the help he received has been “amazing” and people have embraced it.

“It has been awesome,” he said.

As harvesting time approaches, Fern will be opening up the garden at 5727 Brooklyn Blvd. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, to those who wish to purchase produce to help Arneson.

There will be no set price on the produce, Fern said, only what people would like to donate.

The March assault on the 81-year-old Arneson has shaken the community, and brought it together as well.

At a community meeting in April, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Scott Bechthold called it “the most senseless and cowardly crime I’ve ever seen.” According to reports, two teenage boys beat Arenson as part of a burglary attempt in his home. The two teenagers were arrested and later pleaded guilty to the crime.