In the early hours of March 7, 2015, a dispute that began inside the Northeast Palace bar in Minneapolis spilled out into the street, forever altering the lives of two families. Robert Montaine Ur Sr., a 36-year-old man from St. Paul, was involved in an argument that turned deadly. As he tried to flee the escalating confrontation, he was shot multiple times.
Emergency services rushed to the scene in the 2500 block of 4th Street NE, and Ur was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, but the severity of his injuries, including a gunshot wound to the heart, proved fatal. He was pronounced dead a short while later, marking the city's second homicide of the year.
The investigation into the death of Robert Ur, a loving father of five who was remembered for his enjoyment of music, car shows, and raising pit bulls, quickly focused on a suspect. A man was seen fleeing the area with a gun shortly after the shooting. Several days later, authorities tracked down and arrested 30-year-old Dejonte Antwon Davis in Iowa. A warrant had been issued for his arrest, charging him with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting. Surveillance footage from outside the bar and witness testimonies became crucial pieces of evidence in the case against him.
Dejonte A. Davis was brought to trial, where a jury considered the evidence of the violent encounter. In November 2016, the jury found Davis guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Robert Ur. While he was acquitted of the more severe charge of first-degree, premeditated murder, the conviction still carried the prospect of a long prison sentence. The Hennepin County Attorney's office announced its intention to seek a sentence of more than 36 years for Davis, who had a prior criminal record that included convictions for illegal weapon possession and assault. The verdict brought a measure of justice to the family of Robert Ur, whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.
