Hunter Who Killed Hmong Man Gets 69 Years

(AP)  A white hunter convicted of killing a Hmong immigrant while both stalked squirrels in the woods was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum 69 years in prison.

James Nichols, 28, was convicted last month of second-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the death of Cha Vang. The killing rekindled racial tensions in northern Wisconsin, where a Hmong hunter fatally shot six white hunters three years ago.

Vang, 30, was found Jan. 6 in a wildlife refuge where Nichols had also been hunting squirrels. Vang had a wooden stick in his clenched teeth, and his body was hidden in a depression covered with a log and other debris. An autopsy indicated he was shot once and stabbed five times.

Vang was born in Laos, fled to a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 2004, part of a wave of several hundred thousand Hmong who fled Laos for the United States after the communists seized control in 1975 following the Vietnam War. Many settled in Wisconsin.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Nichols after he went to a hospital Jan. 5 with a bullet lodged in his right hand and an injury to his other hand - about the same time members of Vang's hunting party reported him missing.

Nichols did not testify, but the jury heard tape recordings in which he told law enforcement officials he acted in self-defense after Vang shot him. Nichols said the fight started after he told Vang to leave because he was interfering with his hunt.

Nichols said he ducked behind a tree and took a "wild shot" at Vang with a shotgun. Vang shot him again before Nichols rushed him, took away his gun and stabbed him in the neck with a pocketknife, he said.

But Nichols also told authorities Hmong people are bad, mean and "kill everything and that they go for anything that moves."

Prosecutors used those statements and testimony from Nichols' former boss to argue that he took advantage of the woods' isolation to act on his prejudice against the Hmong.

[Crazy-92]

Man why does people hate Hmong people so much, what did they do wrong, racial ass people.

[keithle1]

Hunters. You gotta love ''em. I think it was Chris Rock who said the USA is the only country in the world where people hunt on a full stomach.

[grammawhamma]

I agree this guy killed Mr. Vang and deserved his sentence. This was a racial issue. I live in Northern
Wisconsin. Tempers are flaming here because there are Hmong gangs...where life used to be peaceful. I am not blaming the Hmongs...I am blaming the drug abuse that runs rampant in northern Wisconsin. Don''t blame the Hmongs blame all of society!

In order to try to control the hunting issue here...No Trespassing Signs...Private Property Signs..and No Hunting Signs are printed in English and Hmong.

[sharncedar]

Then how did he get a bullet in the hand? If this was premeditated murder. Man, there are two systems of justice, one for the little white fancy pants Ivy League professor, who beat his wife''s head in just for yucks, and he got 4 years. Then an honest American defends himself against a ruthless killer Hmong, and he gets 63 years.

If you take this, you''ll keep getting it. These judges are corrupt, our whole system is corrupt, and we need to do something about it. These rich trash have to be eliminated from our country. It will only get worse. Sooner or later, we have to make some hard choices in this country about who gets to live and who doesn''t. Think of it as major sugery to remove a cancer, the cancer of traitorous wealthy who destroy our way of life, who laugh at justice, at fairness, at our basic American values.

Let''s shove that lagh back down their greedy, corrupt throats, and save our nation.

[johnshaft4]

Hell, send the Hmong here to Denver and hunt down and kill the coon crack dealers. Good eatin''...bon apetit.

[feelfree1]

Re: "A white hunter convicted of killing a Hmong immigrant while both stalked squirrels in the woods was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum 69 years in prison."

Imagine if he had been hunting with ******** Cheney. He would have probably received a parade.

[beehive21-2009]

The system worked ,he''s going away for 69 years.All the fools who break the law need a long time to think about it,wonder why he''s a felon with a gun ? Gun laws don''t work all the crooks have them with your name on the bullet,so, get a few, to protect your space from the squirrily folks.

[bhappy2-2]

He killed a guy for interfering in his SQUIRREL hunt? Who hunts squirrels? Posted by rational_1

I do! But I don''t shoot others for being in the woods. This criminal got what he deserved, if the facts are presented correctly. Seems if it had truly been self defense he would not have hidden the body. Either way, he was a felon in possession of a firearm.

[cmp271]

walt1944

I enjoyed your comments about the GI wannabe''s. It is like that all over.

City people shooting cows and not knowing the difference! these city types can be from small cities.

[misands]

Going to mount the head over your fireplace?
- rational_1

That''s priceless!!