MINNEAPOLIS - The wife of former Viking Joe Senser was charged with criminal vehicular homicide or operation, a felony count, by the Hennepin County attorney Thursday.

Read more: Charges Filed in Senser Hit & Run Case http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/crime/amy-senser-charged-in-hit-and-run-sept-15-2011#ixzz1bLDoKfsi

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Defense Attorneys Discuss Knox Trial

MINNEAPOLIS - The murder trial of Amanda Knox has captivated people for the four years she was imprisoned after she was accused of killing her British roommate. On Monday, she collapsed in tears when she was cleared.

FOX 9 News invited two criminal defense attorneys, Joe Tamburino and Jeff Degree, to talk about the trial.

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“It was just a misunderstanding. I love Esera,” Aaron Thompson told me Monday. Thompson’s name was withheld when I broke this story last year because some members of his family did not know he was gay. Withholding Thompson’s name created confusion when some immediately jumped to the conclusion that the alleged victim was Tuaolo’s former partner, the businessman with whom Esera is raising twins.

I asked Thompson, who plays for Stockmen’s Irish Baseball, how authorities wound up in the middle of their disagreement in Vadnais Heights.

“My sister called them,” said Thompson.

The men, who have been together almost four years, continued their relationship as this matter crawled through the courts. They marched together in Sunday’s Minneapolis Pride parade.

Tuaolo’s attorney, Allan Caplan, said his client “was originally charged with assault in the fifth degree, domestic assault and disorderly conduct. The whole case was wrapped up last week.”

Tuaolo seems to have belatedly realized that, “When you’re in the public eye, it kind of multiplies” the number of people who notice an issue. “When something like this happens, you have to take a look at yourself and the situation, even though you don’t agree with it. You can find a message in everything, a [way] to better yourself,” Tuaolo said.

“I went to anger management — but it wasn’t court-ordered — because I wanted to understand it, that whole [mind-set] of the NFL player, violence and all of that. I wanted to make sure I covered all bases. After all the things I have done and learned, something like this will never happen again, I’ll tell you this.”

While these charges were hanging over his head, Tuaolo said he sensed some distance from people with whom he had contact when speaking as an advocate against homophobia.

“People looked at me with daggers [in their eyes]. I lost some jobs. But I totally understand,” Tuaolo said. “I am so relieved that it’s over. It’s been a long year. We’re going strong. Aaron’s an amazing guy.”

KARE11 weather shakeup?

Word has it that Sven may regain his weekends.

A KARE11 e-mail reportedly went out on Monday announcing changes in the station’s weather front in an effort to provide even more weather coverage of Minnesotans’ favorite avocation.

Meteorological heartthrob Sven Sundgaard is reportedly leaving weekends for the Monday-Friday mornings on “KARE11 Sunrise.” That’s the early-to-bed shift! That might be difficult for some young single guys, but Svenny will no doubt make the necessary adjustments.

Jonathan Yuhas is reportedly shifting from “Sunrise” to do what sounds like storm- and weather-chasing for KARE11.com and TV.

Jerrid Sebesta, up-and-coming heartthrob (with wife and child), is replacing Sundgaard on weekends.

It looks as though chief meteorologist Belinda Jensen will mostly likely continue working the days and shows she currently does.

It’s unclear what effect early-morning work hours might have on Sven’s schedule for jogging his sculpted physique around the lakes. But if he’s off weekends, that probably means his fans will have more chances to see him around town.

Minnesota proud

It doesn’t take much to imagine Deshaun Jackson‘s maroon and gold Chevy rolling ahead of the U’s band in the July 20 Aquatennial Torchlight Parade.

Jackson’s 1993 Caprice, decorated as a rolling monument to University of Minnesota sports, looks like something a crazed Alabama or Auburn fan might have created. As you can see from my startribune.com/video, crazed is not an emotional gear within Jackson, who seemed like a mighty laid-back fellow during our chance encounter on Friday outside the Mall of America.

Jackson, a warehouse worker, said he bought the car a couple of years ago and has been working on it ever since to bring it to its current level of maroon-and-goldness, achieved within the last couple of months when he topped it off with the flags.

“That’s just crazy,” Jackson said in describing the reaction he usually gets from other motorists.

The vehicle also includes a subtle memorial on the trunk to his brother, Phelandis Jackson, 29, who was killed in a drive-by shooting while standing outside Red Dragon Restaurant and Lounge on June 12, 2010.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject — “Hello” doesn’t count. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.

When Allan Caplan’s client, Deanna Coleman, told him in September 2008 that she was involved in a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Tom Petters that had swindled investors out of some $3.65 billion, Caplan knew that time was of the essence.

“In lawyers’ careers, oftentimes just by happenstance you get ‘the great case,’” said Caplan. “But you have to know what to do with it once it comes through the door. “If in fact I merit any credit for my involvement in the representation of Deanna Coleman, it was knowing what to do with her case and her best options. I knew there was a small window of opportunity, and once that window closed, her bargaining position would be reduced tremendously.”

Realizing that the scam was “off the charts,” and that the government was completely unaware of it, Caplan brokered a deal whereby Coleman would fully cooperate with the investigation and prosecution of Petters and other conspirators, including wearing a wire. In exchange she would face a lone conspiracy charge carrying a maximum five-year sentence.

“Until [Bernie] Madoff, this was the largest Ponzi scheme in the history of criminality in the United States, and is certainly the largest fraud ever prosecuted in Minnesota,” said Caplan.

On Sept. 2, Coleman was sentenced to a year and a day in a minimum security federal prison — the lowest possible prison sentence that can be meted out, said Caplan. “She was quite satisfied with that, in view of the fact that Tom Petters received a 50-year sentence, and she was number two in the corporate hierarchy.” She additionally forfeited her entire net worth: two condos in Costa Rica, a home in Plymouth, jewelry, investments, etc.

“But Petters’ life is over. Hers isn’t,” said Caplan. “The money wasn’t that important to her. She was a farm girl from western Minnesota. When she got involved with Petters she was in her 20s and it was just a job. She’d never had anything sordid in her past. She took one small step over the line, with the assurance that it would only be temporary. But once you cross the line, it’s difficult to go back.

“Whereas Petters enjoyed all the accoutrements of great wealth, it didn’t mean a lot to her giving it up. She didn’t feel she was entitled to it anyway.” Caplan worked as a prosecutor for six years until founding his firm in 1983. Caplan & Tamburino is now one of the largest criminal defense firms in the Midwest, handling cases all over the country.

—Jane Salem

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