Parents of five special education students sued the Aberdeen School District in 2018 in federal court. The parents allege that a teacher subjected the students to physical restraint, seclusion as punishment, and unnecessary force, among other offenses. The parents also accuse administrators of ignoring complaints. The federal circuit judge presiding over the case issued an order last October and held that the case can continue to a jury. The employees appealed, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case on Wednesday, May 11.
A federal judge in Aberdeen has refused to accept a plea agreement, and as part of that ruling, he would not allow the prosecutor to dismiss four of the five charges against the defendant. That has led to the strange situation of a prosecutor and a defendant coming together to appeal a judge’s decision.Judge Charles Kornmann said in his ruling late last year that the plea agreement limited his sentencing option to 15 years for a ruthless attack. The federal prosecutor said there are no valid reasons in this case that allow the judge to refuse to dismiss charges.The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on Wednesday, March 16, in Saint Paul.
PEEVER, S.D. A former contracting company owner in far northeast South Dakota will spend seven years in federal prison for his role in a bribery scheme that involved at least two other men.