BROOKINGS – A Brookings man who stabbed another man outside a Brookings residence last June has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Brian Paulson, 60, pleaded no contest to aggravated assault in Brookings County Circuit Court last month. The Class 3 felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

A police report says officers were called to the Brookings Emergency Room at about 7:45 a.m. June 2, after a 22-year-old Brookings man reported he had been stabbed multiple times around midnight outside his residence in the 700 block of 13th Street West.

Brookings County State’s Attorney Abigail Howard said the victim was stabbed five times in his chest and torso area during a fight between the two men.

The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released on the same day, police said in June.

In exchange for the no contest plea, a charge of simple assault, alleging Paulson threatened to stab a fellow inmate in work release, was dismissed. Howard also agreed to make no argument at sentencing except to ask that restitution be ordered.

During this week’s sentencing hearing, defense attorney Ellie VandenBerg requested that Circuit Judge Greg Stoltenburg consider a suspended sentence and release Paulson with credit for time served.

VandenBerg said Paulson admitted what happened last June and had never before hurt anyone.

The attorney said a young relative of Paulson called him that night, terrified after he and others were threatened by a neighbor. VandenBerg said that Paulson came to his relative’s defense and he and the victim started fighting, but she said that the victim was drunk. Paulson pulled out a knife and used it, she said.

“He’s never been involved in a violent crime like this before. … This is the first time he’s ever hurt anyone.”

Stoltenburg disputed that claim, referring to probable cause related to Paulson’s just-dismissed simple assault charge and a 1982 charge of assault and battery in Wyoming that was also dropped.

“This is not an isolated incident,” Stoltenburg said.

The judge told Paulson that he believes Paulson has an anger problem and that he and his attorney minimized his actions. 

“You are a danger to society,” Stoltenburg told Paulson.

Stoltenburg then sentenced Paulson to seven years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary.

Two of those years are suspended on condition that Paulson pay a $104 fine, court-appointed attorney fees and restitution to the victim. Paulson must also remain law abiding and follow the rules and regulations of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Paulson gets credit for 171 days already served in jail, and he was remanded for transport to the penitentiary.

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.