MINNEAPOLIS —
His message: 10 seconds can change your life forever.
But now in custody on attempted murder charges, prosecutors say motivational speaker Russell Simon Jr. used his 10 seconds to make horrible choices.
Earlier this month at his home in east-central Minnesota, Simon allegedly took off all his clothes and fired shots at his girlfriend and his old prison buddy. He also got into fights with the man and kept his gun nearby as he forced his girlfriend to perform oral sex on him. He threatened to kill her and her 9-year-old son - who was in the house - if she didn't comply, according to a criminal complaint.
At least six shots were fired, one grazing the woman's arm, the complaint said.
Isanti County Attorney Jeff Edblad said Friday that tests show Simon had cocaine, THC and methamphetamine in his system.
Simon, a 45-year-old convicted felon who used his life experiences and a frank, tough-guy approach to warn students about the dangers of drugs and a criminal lifestyle, is in custody on $1 million bail. He's charged with nine counts, including attempted murder, criminal sexual conduct and assault with a dangerous weapon. (He was previously in prison for assault.)
Simon's Web site says he's "a dynamic speaker who talks to over 250,000 teens and parents throughout the U.S. each year on being set free from cycles of drug/alcohol abuse, addiction, and violence."
According to the criminal complaint, police were called May 15 to the Isanti home where Simon lives with his girlfriend on reports of shots fired. In talking with the male victim, authorities learned that the two men had been out drinking, and when they returned home, Simon took off all his clothes and began fighting with the man, at one point hitting him in the face with a statue of John Wayne.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004434994_apmnmotivationalspeakercharged.html
His website....
http://www.russellsimon.com/index2.html
His message: 10 seconds can change your life forever.
But now in custody on attempted murder charges, prosecutors say motivational speaker Russell Simon Jr. used his 10 seconds to make horrible choices.
Earlier this month at his home in east-central Minnesota, Simon allegedly took off all his clothes and fired shots at his girlfriend and his old prison buddy. He also got into fights with the man and kept his gun nearby as he forced his girlfriend to perform oral sex on him. He threatened to kill her and her 9-year-old son - who was in the house - if she didn't comply, according to a criminal complaint.
At least six shots were fired, one grazing the woman's arm, the complaint said.
Isanti County Attorney Jeff Edblad said Friday that tests show Simon had cocaine, THC and methamphetamine in his system.
Simon, a 45-year-old convicted felon who used his life experiences and a frank, tough-guy approach to warn students about the dangers of drugs and a criminal lifestyle, is in custody on $1 million bail. He's charged with nine counts, including attempted murder, criminal sexual conduct and assault with a dangerous weapon. (He was previously in prison for assault.)
Simon's Web site says he's "a dynamic speaker who talks to over 250,000 teens and parents throughout the U.S. each year on being set free from cycles of drug/alcohol abuse, addiction, and violence."
According to the criminal complaint, police were called May 15 to the Isanti home where Simon lives with his girlfriend on reports of shots fired. In talking with the male victim, authorities learned that the two men had been out drinking, and when they returned home, Simon took off all his clothes and began fighting with the man, at one point hitting him in the face with a statue of John Wayne.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004434994_apmnmotivationalspeakercharged.html
His website....
http://www.russellsimon.com/index2.html
