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La Crosse man enters plea in homicide over parking spot at Menards; sentencing to be scheduled

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A La Crosse man pleaded no contest Tuesday to reckless homicide in a fatal attack on a 79-year-old man during a dispute in a Menards parking lot. 

Kinstler

Matthew Kinstler will be sentenced in a few weeks for causing the death of Russell Paulson in May of 2020.  He is out on a $5,000 cash bond. Prosecutors recommended a 10-year prison term for the 51-year-old.

Paulson died of head trauma. Police believe Kinstler struck the victim with the man’s own walking stick. Kinstler had claimed Paulson accidentally injured himself. 

The argument started after Kinstler claimed Paulson parked too close to his car outside the Menards store on Lang Drive.  

A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered by Judge Elliott Levine.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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