A St. Paul man in Ramsey County District Court on Friday quietly answered his attorney's questions about the fateful night of drinking in March 2010 that ended with his brother's shooting death.

Eric Orloske began to cry as his attorney described how Orloske fell while carrying what he thought was an unloaded shotgun down a flight of stairs. The gun fired, leaving 40-year-old Brian Orloske dead.

Eric Orloske, 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter.

As part of a plea deal, the original charge of second-degree unintentional murder will be dropped at his sentencing. He faces about four years in prison, according to state sentencing guidelines. Orloske's attorney, Earl Gray, will argue for a lesser sentence.

District Judge John Van De North praised Orloske for his conduct and behavior since the shooting, acknowledging that some of the time has been spent restoring him to better mental health.

"I know, understandably, you were traumatized ... by the terrible events of March 2010," Van De North said. "It's been a terrible event for you and your family, no doubt."

Under questioning from prosecutor Shereen Askalani, Orloske said he and Brian, of Houlton, Wis., had been drinking with friends for about three hours on the night of March 6, 2010. After the other men left, he said he got the shotgun from an upstairs room because his brother was "wrecking some stuff" and he wanted him to leave.

Gray asked him whether he had any intent of shooting anybody or pointing the gun at anybody. Orloske responded with an emphatic "no."

Orloske called police and said he was the shooter, according to the criminal complaint. When St. Paul police officers arrived at the home in the 1300 block of Reaney Avenue, Orloske said, "Kill me too, kill me too," as he tried to stop the bleeding from his brother's head wound, the complaint said.

Orloske, who will remain out of jail on $250,000 bail, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 22.

Lora Pabst • 612-916-7212 Twitter: @lorapabst