Trial Date Set For Rochester Man’s Murder Trial

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A trial date has been for the Rochester man accused of killing an Iraqi immigrant in March of last year.

25-year-old Sao Yim was scheduled to appear for a pre-trial hearing in Olmsted County Court on Friday to prepare for a trial starting this month, but now his trial on a second-degree murder charge has been scheduled to begin the week of November 12th. Yim previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and another felony charge for illegal possession of a gun.

Court documents allege Yim believed the victim, 40-year-old Ahmed Muafaq Abdulhu Al Naddf, had bumped into his car while it was parked on the street next to the Hyland Apartments in northwest Rochester. He and three friends confronted Al Naddf, who responded by pulling out his cell phone and holding it so it appeared he was recording video of Yim and the others. Two of the men involved in the initial confrontation immediately left and minutes later Yim allegedly shot Al Naddf.

A man with Yim when the shooting occurred, 25-year-old Eric Lee, earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding an offender-accomplice after the face and was sentenced to 10-years on probation. As part of his plea deal, Lee agreed to testify for the prosecution at Yim’s trial.

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