Two men who were involved in the beating death of 20-year-old Tai Yang outside the Moonlight Magic bar in St. Paul were sentenced Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court.
Nou Chang, 23, was convicted by a jury April 27 of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. District Judge Paulette Flynn sentenced him to 11 years and nine months. He will have to serve at least two-thirds of that in prison.
Thai Chang, 23, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting first-degree manslaughter in January and was sentenced to a little over six years. He will serve a little over four years before he is eligible for release.
Two of the victim's sisters spoke on behalf of Yang. "Something broke inside of me that day," Maysee Yang said of May 10, 2009, the day Yang was stomped, punched and beaten to death on a street corner in the Frogtown neighborhood. "How do I tell myself I'll be OK, even though I know I never will be?
"He had dreams and goals for the future," she said. "I would have sacrificed myself if he could have been here to live those dreams."
Keng Xiong and Chue Yang also have pleaded guilty in connection with Yang's death. Xiong will be sentenced July 27 and Yang on Aug. 17. Michelle Vue is scheduled to go on trial in July.
PAT PHEIFER
