Jury finds Taylor Pass not guilty in Burnsville death, but deadlocks on attempted-murder charge

Taylor Pass, 19, still faces attempted murder and assault charges.

By JOY POWELL and MARY LYNN SMITH, Star Tribune staff writers

Last update: November 5, 2009 - 9:59 PM

A Dakota County jury on Thursday found 19-year-old Taylor Pass not guilty of murder in the April death of Tina SanRoman of Burnsville, but it was deadlocked on reaching a verdict in the attempted murder and assault on SanRoman's roommate.

The jury's members deliberated about 14 hours before returning to the courtroom with their decision. Pass will now face a new jury trial, beginning April 5, on the attempted murder and assault charges.

Defense attorney Arlene Perkkio said the jury's decision was "bittersweet," saying she and her client were thrilled with the not-guilty verdict on the murder charges. "But we will back here in April to try those other counts again," she said. But for now, Perkkio said, her client is "feeling blessed and relieved."

SanRoman's parents declined to comment.

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said he was disappointed with the outcome "but respects the decision of the jury. ... It was a lengthy trial; it was a difficult case."

Backstrom and Perkkio declined to speculate on the reason for the jury's decision.

SanRoman's roommate, 24-year-old Odai Al-Refo, suffered superficial knife wounds to his neck and back the night SanRoman was stabbed. During the trial, the defense pointed to Al-Refo or possibly someone else as the possible killer.

Pass had gone to Shooter's Billiards in Burnsville, purportedly to buy marijuana from a female friend, and was to deliver it to SanRoman's townhouse late April 7.

Just before midnight, SanRoman was critically wounded with a single, 4-inch-deep stab wound to her chest.

Prosecutor Lawrence Clark said Pass was straddling SanRoman in a kneeling position while punching a knife into her chest when Al-Refo came into the attached garage and saw them.

Al-Refo, now of North Carolina, had testified that Pass tricked him by claiming, "She's choking," but once Al-Refo went to her side to help, Pass attacked him, too.

Perkkio offered another possible scenario to jurors. She said Pass had returned to the townhouse after being there earlier and found SanRoman wounded on the floor of her garage. He was kneeling down by her when, according to the defense, Al-Refo went after Pass, too.

She said Pass was scared and confused when he took off with the blood of Al-Refo and SanRoman on him.

Perkkio raised questions about why, according to witnesses, there was a 15- or 20-minute gap between when Pass left the townhouse and when Al-Refo called 911. He placed that call moments after SanRoman called 911 herself after somehow getting from the attached garage into her townhouse, bleeding heavily.

Perkkio contended that perhaps Al-Refo was cleaning up the scene during that gap to cover his tracks when he discovered SanRoman lying on the floor, on the phone with 911.

But Al-Refo testified that his glasses had been knocked off and he was having trouble getting cell phones to work as he tried to summon help.

SanRoman's 9-year-old son was home and sleeping upstairs during the attack on his mother. He was unharmed and taken out of the townhouse by a police officer who had the boy shut his eyes as he moved through the bloody scene.

jpowell@startribune • 952-882-9017 mlsmith@startribune.com • 612-673-4788

Recent South Metro stories

Windmill farm opponents prompt companies to pause - November 5, 2009

Windmill farm opponents prompt companies to pause - Planned for Greenvale Township, the project originally called for 11 two-blade windmills. More

Saving the ash tree, seed by seed - November 5, 2009

Saving the ash tree, seed by seed - Most of Minnesota's ash trees seem doomed, but the rush is on to preserve their seeds in hopes of saving the species. More