Minnesota engineer Nicolae Miu, who claimed self-defense for stabbing teen to death in water tube brawl, sentenced to 20 years in prison
The Minnesota man who claimed self-defense in the fatal stabbing of a teen boy during a violent brawl with inner-tubers at a Wisconsin river has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Nicolae Miu shed a tear and kept his head down before he was handed his punishment for the 2022 slaying of high school honor student Isaac Schuman.
Before his sentencing, Miu, wearing an orange prison outfit and shackled to the floor, addressed the St. Croix County district courtroom.
“My soul is broken; my heart is very heavy,” he said. “I never meant for this tragedy to occur.”
Schuman, 17, was with a group on the Apple River near Somerset, Wis., when they confronted Miu, who reportedly was looking for a lost cellphone using a snorkel and goggles.
The 54-year-old engineer was approached by a group of young men and women between the ages 17 and 24, who accused Miu of being a pedophile and “looking for little girls” in the water, KARE 11 reported, citing a criminal complaint.
Miu, who was tubing with another group, including his wife, told investigators that he went into “self-defense mode” and was “attacked” during the fatal encounter.
Cellphone video recorded by one of Schuman’s friends captured Miu slowly pulling out a Swiss army knife, which he said he had been carrying to cut the rope for the planned water tubing adventure.
Footage then showed the group move toward Miu, who fell into the water, before he stabbed the teen and attacked four others, according to court documents obtained by KARE 11.
The four non-fatal victims — three men and a woman all in their early 20s — suffered serious to critical injuries to the torso, MPR News reported.
After eight hours of deliberation, a jury convicted Miu in April of first-degree reckless homicide, four counts of recklessly endangering safety, and one count of battery.
St. Croix County District Attorney Karl Anderson was seeking a 70-year sentence, but state law grants judges broad discretion in sentencing decisions, and does not have guidelines for homicide cases.
“It’s hard to put into words how graphic and horrific this was,” Anderson told the court, according to the StarTribune.
St. Croix County District Judge R. Michael Waterman issued Miu’s sentence, arguing that Miu was not acting in self-defense but also did not intend to stab his victims.
“The court sentence must show that it was reckless and not intentional,” Waterman said, reflecting the jury’s conclusion in April, the outlet reported.
“There is a lot more to Mr. Miu than what he did on July 30,” Waterman told the court, saying he believed Miu’s apology to the Schuman family was sincere.
Waterman went on to detail Miu’s life history and how he came from Romania, learned English, got educated and built his career as an engineer.
Along with the 20-year prison term, Waterman handed down five-year sentences to Miu for each of his four other victims.
Miu will serve the additional sentences concurrently with the 20 years and will be credited with nearly two years already spent behind bars.
He will be 72 when he is released and will remain under extended supervision for an additional six years.
Schuman’s parents had hoped for a longer sentence for Miu.
“I feel justice has been served,” Issac’s father, Scott Schuman, told reporters outside the courtroom.
During her victim impact statement, Issac’s mother asked Waterman for the maximum sentence of 100 years, saying she thinks of her son every day.
“I think about Isaac all day, every day,” Alina Hernandez told the court. “Losing Isaac, my baby, has devastated me and shattered my heart.
“(Miu) has no remorse. He plays the victim. It makes me nauseous,” the heartbroken mother added. “Judge, I ask you to sentence him to the fullest.”
