Volunteer Providing Service Charged with Crimes Has Case Dropped by Prosecution on First Day of Trial (on September 11, 2023)

Volunteer Providing Service Charged with Crimes Has Case Dropped by Prosecution on First Day of Trial (on September 11, 2023)
Photo credit: Bloomberg

A man was attacked on August 2, 2022, who as a volunteer service provider for what became MN Supreme Court Case A22-1081, a petition to correct errors and omissions under Minnesota Statute 204B.44, which demonstrated the city of Rosemount violated election statute by introducing new election software without providing appropriate public notice nor demonstration—the case was dismissed on laches, not with prejudice, prior to the August 9, 2022 midterms (read full exhibit HERE).

The man was attacked while leaving the property by the council member's son. Three months after the incident, the state brought a second charge of disorderly conduct against the man based on report of a police officer not even present at the scene that evening.

Could this have been avoided?

If election law had been followed, perhaps. If it wasn't a requirement to serve papers in this manner for this type of issue, perhaps. And also if those with influence like the Mayor of Rosemount had stepped in to see that it be thrown out (as one man asked him to do?), perhaps.

But maybe it was best for all to learn the real reasons these charges were brought, which was revealed on September 11, 2023, the day of the trial which occurred more than a year after the incident on August 2, 2022.

Not long after the prosecution pressed the man to settle by pleading guilty on the morning of the trial, the prosecution itself dropped the charges pursuant to Minnesota Statute 30.01. The prosecution apparently hadn't even watched the video evidence prepared by the defense.