Murder suspect pleads not guilty

Published 10:53 am Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The St. Paul man charged in November with critically stabbing his wife and murdering an Albert Lea man pleaded not guilty Friday to his charges.

Pah Ber, 48, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder of 40-year-old Po Lye and second-degree attempted murder related to his wife, Paw Pree, 40, of St. Paul.

The plea came in Ramsey County District Court.

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Charges state Ber allegedly stabbed Lye after accusing him of cheating with his wife. After stabbing Lye, Ber allegedly turned on his wife.

Lye suffered “a very deep and wide laceration” to his neck, along with stab wounds to his stomach and chest, according to court documents. He died at the scene.

Pree was also reportedly stabbed numerous times, including several times in the eyes. She is now blind.

The incident reportedly took place in an apartment in St. Paul’s North End neighborhood. Ber and Pree’s children witnessed a majority of the incident.

Ber is being held in jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

A domestic abuse no contact order remains in place between Ber and Pree.