Minnesota judge: Son can testify at father's trial

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a young boy can testify in his father's homicide trial in Blue Earth County.

Thirty-five-year-old Joel Marvin Munt of Burnsville is accused of shooting his ex-wife Svetlana Munt in a Mankato park last year while their three children watched.

District Court Judge Kurt Johnson ruled Tuesday only one of the children could testify if he's called as a witness. Johnson ruled he would testify from another courtroom away from the jury and his father to minimize any trauma. The testimony would be televised.

The Free Press of Mankato (http://bit.ly/mXNjXf ) reports the boy was 5 years old when his mother died. His sister was 7-years-old and his brother was 4. Their parents were battling for custody.

Jury selection is scheduled to start Monday.

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