GRAND FORKS — A judge ruled late Friday that jurors will be allowed to consider the lesser charge of manslaughter in the murder trial of Donald “DJ” Bartlette.

The decision came after 3½ days of testimony in the case, which wrapped up Friday, Aug. 22, with both the prosecution and defense resting.

Bartlette, 46, is accused in the October beating death of 49-year-old Tony Kiehl inside Kiehl’s Cherry Heights apartment.

In court, prosecutors played several recorded jailhouse phone calls Bartlette made to family members following the deadly fight.

“Tried killing me, dude,” Bartlette said in one of the recordings.

In another, Bartlette recalled taking a knife from Kiehl and throwing it to the ground.

“After this dude stabbed me, I remember grabbed the knife and I looked at it and I threw

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