A St. Paul man was charged with murder Thursday in the death of another man during an attempted robbery this month in the city's North End neighborhood.
Benjamin L. Harris, 29, of St. Paul, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with one count each of second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder without intent. Authorities allege that he killed Jason L. Mikulak, 41, about 4 a.m. on Sept. 1 in the 1200 block of Galtier Street.
According to the complaint, Mikulak and his girlfriend were talking while parked in the street in his car. Harris, who was on foot, approached the driver's door where Mikulak sat and flashed a handgun.
"Open the door," Harris said.
Mikulak unlocked the door, which Harris then opened. Harris demanded money. Mikulak's girlfriend put $20 on top of the car. Harris demanded that she bring him the money.
Mikulak's girlfriend began to comply, when Mikulak leapt from the car and tried to disarm Harris. Harris shot Mikulak twice and fled.
Police found Mikulak lying face down in the street, dead from gunshot wounds to his upper chest, abdomen and arm. Two small-caliber bullets were recovered from his body.
Mikulak's girlfriend gave a suspect description to police at the scene, and authorities eventually matched the description to Harris, an ex-convict, with the help of fingerprints they recovered from Mikulak's car door and window.
