Friends of a Brownsdale man who is charged with second-degree murder testified to his character Tuesday.

The testimony came in the trial of David Michael Easter, 27, who is accused of murdering Spencer Daniel Brown, 23, on Aug. 23 at Myre-Big Island State Park.

Gregory Patten, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, described Easter as laid-back and an average guy. He said he has known Easter for about 12 years.

“If you ever needed anything, he would be there,” he said.

“Once he gets to know you, he’ll open up.”

Patten said he knew Easter had a gun, but he did not know he had a concealed carry permit. Easter has a valid gun permit in Nebraska, but he did not have one in Minnesota. He is charged with gross misdemeanor carrying or possessing a pistol without a permit in a public place.

Patten said he has seen Easter a few times over the last few years because of work.

He noted though he has seen Easter become frustrated, he has never seen Easter become aggressively angry.

He described Easter as someone who was willing to accept responsibility for his actions.

“If it was something he did, he was willing to take care of it right then and there,” Patten said.

“He wanted to make sure everything was right.”

Easter, who once lived in Omaha, was a private first class and received a general discharge from the Minnesota National Guard in July 2016. Easter’s wife was a member of the Minnesota National Guard as of August 2016, and they married in 2015.

Travis Knutson, 26, of Omaha said he has been friends with Easter for 17 to 18 years.

“In the last 10 years we have gotten a lot closer,” he said.

According to Knutson, he sees Easter a few times a year when he comes back to Omaha.

“I’d say David is a really easy-going guy,” he said. Knutson described Easter as an outgoing person who is willing to help people who are in need.

He said Easter is a little more mature than some people and is a voice of reason in their group of friends.

“I’d say he is pretty mellow, for the most part,” he said.

According to Knutson, Easter could become frustrated but was good at getting out of adverse situations. He said he knew Easter had a Nebraska concealed carry permit and his knowledge of the incident has not changed his opinion of Easter.

An investigator’s report

Investigator Patrick Montplaisir discussed the measurements he made of the golf club found in the front passenger seat of Brown’s 2001 Audi station wagon and of different model shotguns that were not at the scene.

The golf club was reportedly 1.12 inches in diameter at its end and 0.85 inches halfway down its handle.

Easter, his wife and their 4-week-old daughter were picnicking the night of the shooting at a pavilion at the park.

Brown was found in the locked station wagon in the east side of the parking lot near the pavilion.

Easter is claiming self-defense in the man’s death. Easter claimed Brown had a bat and approached him. A bat was not found at the scene, but a golf club was found in the area of Brown’s body.

Freeborn County dispatcher Amanda Miller testified Tuesday that she received the 911 call from Easter at 9:15 p.m. the night of the shooting. She said she replayed the call that night and last week.

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