Bluefin shooter pleads guilty to murder charge

Kirk Lee Bigby says he is guilty of second-degree murder without intent.

Bigby seemed to stun even his own legal team with the announcement Friday morning in the Cook County courtroom. Bigby entered his guilty plea at approximately 11:10 a.m.

By entering a guilty plea, Bigby will likely face 10-15 years in prison. Prior to his guilty plea, Bigby was set to go to trial June 5.

It has been more than 16 months since Kirk Lee Bigby was first accused of intentional second-degree murder that resulted from a shooting at Bluefin Bay in December 2015.

For every moment since, Bigby has maintained he was innocent by reason of self-defense.

That all changed on May 26, when Bigby entered a guilty plea in the Cook County Courthouse.

“I give up my right to self defense,” Bigby said.

The most recent courtroom proceedings lasted for more than an hour, as Sixth Judicial District Judge Eric Hylden and others listened to Bigby enter his plea. During his testimony, Bigby explained what happened the night of the shooting, which took place on Dec. 9, 2015.

Bigby admitted he was heavily intoxicated the night of the shooting, drinking an abundance of alcohol as well as smoking marijuana. Bigby said he was carrying a .45 pistol the night of the party, firing one shot from the gun at Marcus Lee Roberts during a brief physical altercation. Bigby said other firearms were also present in his room at Bluefin the night of the party. 

Despite entering a guilty plea, Bigby still maintains he did what was necessary to protect himself.

“I was under attack,” he told Judge Hylden. “I feared for my life. I did what I had to do.”

Present in the courtroom on Friday were members of Bigby’s legal defense team, including attorneys Debbie Lang and David Risk of Halberg Criminal Defense based in Minneapolis. Risk questioned Bigby, at times repeatedly, if he was of sound mind in making his guilty plea. Risk also mentioned that a “huge” plan was in place for defending Bigby should a trial take place. With the guilty plea, no trial will ever occur in this case. Risk also made it clear that Bigby was making the decision to plead guilty under his own power, and was not being influenced by anyone else to do so, including anyone from Halberg Criminal Defense. 

Also present in the courtroom Friday morning were approximately 10 members of the victim's family. Bigby shot and killed Roberts, who was hired to work as a card dealer the night of the shooting at Bluefin during the resort's holiday staff party.

Members of Roberts' family were emotional as Bigby told his version of the night of the shooting.

The State of Minnesota was represented by Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken with assistance from Assistant Attorney General David Miller.

“The goal of a criminal prosecution is to bring about a just result within the limits of what the law can provide,” said County Attorney Molly Hicken. “That goal is met with this admission. The sentencing guidelines do not consider the value of human life lost, nor can a prison sentence ever return a person to the arms of their loved ones. With this resolution to the case against Kirk Bigby, the defendant has taken responsibility for the loss and pain he has caused and will be punished for his actions.”

Bigby will be sentenced on Aug. 9.