>>>
A
A FAMILIAR FACE HAS GONE FROM THIS YEAR'S MINNESOTA STATE
FAIR, THE LONGTIME POLICE
CHIEF, WHO DIED EARLIER THIS
MONTH.
MONTH.
MONTH. >>
MONTH. >> THE CHIEFS DOCUMENTS --
ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN WELL
DOCUMENTED.
DOCUMENTED. BUT A LESSER CHAPTER OF HIS
LIFE MAY DEFINE HIM.
>>> ♪ YOUR WILL WILL BE DONE.
TO BE THE ONE.
>> Reporter: MINNESOTA'S FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLICE CHIEF,
SO BELOVED THAT THE STATE FAIR
STATION, NOW BEARS HIS NAME.
>> THE BEST OF A GENERATION.
>> --
>> --
>> -- >>
>> -- >> Reporter: EVERYBODY HAD A
REASON, BUT NOBODY LIKE THE MAN
SITTING QUIETLY WITH A BLACK
HAT.
HAT.
HAT. THE
HAT. THE MAN WHO SHOT ART BLAKELY.
>> IT WAS A SATURDAY NIGHT,
APRIL 13, 1996.
>> Reporter: HE WAS 18 YEARS
OLD WITH ARMED ROBBERY ON HIS
MIND.
MIND.
MIND. HE
MIND. HE WENT TO THE DFW, THREE
BLOCKS --
BLOCKS --
BLOCKS -- >> AS SOON AS HE CAME IN I
OPENED FIRE.
OPENED FIRE. >> Reporter: HE HAD NOT COUNTED
ON THE OFF-DUTY DEPUTY SITTING
AT THE BAR.
>> I TURNED A CORNER AND HE
IMMEDIATELY --
IMMEDIATELY -- >> Reporter: SHE HAS HIS
DAUGHTER, THE DAUGHTER OF ART
BLAKELY.
BLAKELY.
BLAKELY. >> I REMEMBER CALLING MY
PARENTS AND MY SISTER SAYING
THAT THAT HAS BEEN SHOT.
>> Reporter: THEY WERE SHOT BY
EACH OTHER IN THEIR STOMACHS.
>> I REMEMBER IT, DEFINITELY.
>> Reporter: HOW COULD SHE
FORGET?
FORGET?
FORGET? HER DAD'S FIRST QUESTION FROM
HIS HOSPITAL BED.
>> YOU SAID, I AM FINE, IS HE
OKAY?
OKAY?
OKAY? I
OKAY? I AM LIKE IS HE OKAY?
I DON'T CARE IF HE'S OKAY.
HE SAID IT THIS IS NOT THE TIME
FOR.
FOR.
FOR. AND
FOR. AND I AM LIKE, REALLY -- WE
REALLY HAVING A LIFE LESSON
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >> I WAS LOOKING AT LIKE 60
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. >>
YEARS. >> Reporter: AT HIS SENTENCING,
SENATOR JOHN McCAIN -- ART
BLAKELY ASKED FOR LENIENCY.
>> THE JUDGE STARTED CRYING
DURING HIS TESTIMONY.
>> Reporter: INSTEAD OF 60
YEARS, HE SERVED 12 YEARS.
AND HE CHECKED IN FROM TIME TO
TIME ON HIS MOM.
HE EVEN WROTE A LETTER ASKING
FOR HIS EARLY RELEASE SINCE HE
HAD COMMITTED HIS LIFE TO JESUS
CHRIST.
CHRIST.
CHRIST. -- TO CHRISTIANITY.
>> I WAS IN PRISON THE WHOLE
TIME, NEW IN -- KNOWING THAT
THIS MAN HAD LOVE FOR ME.
IT IS CRAZY TO SAY, BUT IT IS
ALMOST LIKE A SHOT AN ANGEL.
I SAUL HIS TRUCK COMING TOWARDS
ME, HE ROLLED DOWN HIS WINDOW
AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID,
AND YOUR NAME IS, YOUNG MAN?
>> I SAID DANNY GIVENS.
HE GOT OUT AND HE GAVE ME A
HUG.
HUG.
HUG. HE
HUG. HE SAID I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
I LOVE YOU.
I FORGIVE YOU. NEVER IN MY LIFE
WILL I FORGET THAT DAY.
>> Reporter: ART BLAKELY, THE
MAN THAT DANNY FORGOT -- SHOT
WAS SHOWING HIM THE WAY.
THE CONVICTED FELON IS NOW A
PASTOR, HIS CONGREGATION WILL
AWARE OF BOTH A STORY AND FROM
WHOM HE GETS HIS INSPIRATION.
>> FORGIVENESS --
>> STILL TEACHING BY HUMILITY,
AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH.
>> Reporter: HE CHOSE HER DAD A
WEEK BEFORE HE DIED, AS SHE WAS
PROMOTED TO SERGEANT WITH THE
METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> I ALWAYS SAY, WHAT WOULD HE
DO?
DO?
DO? >>
DO? >> Reporter: TOGETHER IN PUBLIC,
DANNY GIVENS AND ART BLAKELY
SHARED THE STORY ONLY ONE TIME.
ON THE TIME OF HIS PASSING, WE
THOUGHT THAT IT BEARD
REPEATING.
REPEATING. IF DANNY COULD RECEIVE
FORGIVENESS FROM THE MAN THAT
HE SHOT, HOW MUCH BETTER WITH A
WILL BE IF THE REST OF US COULD
ALSO LET IT?
>> SOME KIND OF HUMANITY, --
>> Reporter: KARE 11 NEWS,
SAINT PAUL.
SAINT PAUL. >> HE PAID A FINAL VISIT TO HIS
HOME IF YOU DAYS BEFORE HE
DIED.
DIED.
DIED. HE
DIED. HE CRIED AT HIS BEDSIDE.
HE SAYS THAT HE STILL FEELS
SHAME FOR HAVING SHOT THE MAN
THAT HAD BECOME HIS FRIEND.
>> THAT