'I just had enough,' Zumberge says in 911 call reporting New Brighton shooting

Neal Zumberge called 911 twice to report that his New Brighton neighbor had been shot, taking the opportunity to disparage police while dancing around questions about his role in the emergency.

"What's your name?" the dispatcher asked Zumberge in the first 911 call played for jurors Thursday in court. "You'll find out," Zumberge said. "… I'm not going to shoot any police who arrive."

"Were you involved, sir?" the dispatcher asked.

Zumberge didn't answer. After a long pause, the approximately minute-long call ended with no further communication.

The 911 recordings were played on the second day of testimony in Zumberge's murder trial in Ramsey County District Court. He's accused of killing Todd Stevens and wounding Stevens' longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Cleven, formerly Damerow-Cleven, on May 5, 2014.

In the second call, which lasted 30 minutes, Zumberge repeatedly said that his wife, Paula Zumberge, was not involved in the shooting. She was acquitted last year of aiding and abetting the shooting that capped a yearslong dispute between the neighbors in the 2500 block of Knollwood Drive.

"I just had enough," Zumberge said in the second call.

Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Anna Christie is arguing that he shot his neighbors across the street with a semiautomatic shotgun because he was fed up with their habit of feeding deer, and for calling police on his son that evening.

Zumberge's attorneys, William Orth and Gary Wolf, are arguing that their client was defending himself and his wife based on threats Stevens made that night and his history of threats, heavy drinking and carrying guns.

In the second call, Zumberge agreed to surrender himself to anyone but New Brighton police, whom he repeatedly maligned.

"Are you the one who did the shooting?" a dispatcher asked Zumberge.

"I'm not going to say anything," Zumberge said.

Zumberge told the dispatcher that he had previously alerted police to Stevens' gun ownership and alleged threats.

"Just tell the police to help [Stevens]," Zumberge said. "I'm not going to shoot the police."

Zumberge eventually gave his name to the second dispatcher. He said New Brighton police were partly responsible for what happened.

"They don't do nothing," he said.

He said several times that his wife was outside arguing with the neighbors but that she didn't know what he was about to do. He also said he ordered his wife to leave the house.

Zumberge began to reveal more details about his role in the shooting. "It was all me," Zumberge told Maher. "It was just me."

Zumberge told Maher that as his wife argued with the neighbors, he climbed out of the basement window of his house.

The neighbors' dispute climaxed last year when Cleven ran into one of the Zumberges' sons, Jacob, at a restaurant on May 5 and called police. He was wanted by police for threatening Cleven, 49, and Stevens, 46.

When Cleven returned home, Paula Zumberge confronted her verbally from across the street. Stevens stepped outside, and Neal Zumberge fired.

The defense claims that Neal Zumberge saw Stevens verbally threaten his wife. Neal Zumberge can read lips because he grew up with a deaf brother, who will testify.

The prosecution will likely rest its case Friday. The defense is expected to begin calling witnesses in the afternoon, and continue its case next week. Zumberge is expected to testify.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib