Two South Central District murder trials are scheduled to be held in the House chambers of the state Capitol to better allow for social distancing, a possible first for the state.
âWe donât have a courtroom large enough to socially distance a jury with four alternates, numerous litigants and the public, so we were forced to look at alternative locations,â Court Administrator Donna Wunderlich said.
The Burleigh County trial of Earl Howard, 42, and Nikkisue Entzel, 40, was set to start Monday but a judge granted a continuance on Friday. Howard, of Bellwood, Ontario, in January 2020 was charged with murder and murder conspiracy, arson and arson conspiracy, and evidence tampering in the death of Chad Entzel, 42, of Bismarck. Co-defendant Nikkisue Entzel, 40, Chad Entzel s wife, also was charged with murder conspiracy, arson conspiracy and evidence tampering conspiracy. The murder charge against Howard was later dismissed.
Judge denies evidence suppression motion in murder plot case
May 7, 2021
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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A South Central District judge has rejected a defense request to suppress some evidence in a Bismarck murder conspiracy case.
Attorneys for Earl Howard and Nikkisue Entzel argued the evidence, including cellphone and video surveillance, was improperly gathered without search warrants or with warrants that weren t properly supported by law enforcement affidavits.
The 42-year-old Howard and the victim s 40-year-old wife, are charged with murder conspiracy, arson and arson conspiracy, and evidence tampering in the death of 42-year-old Chad Entzel, of Bismarck.
Chad Entzel’s body was found in January 2020 when emergency workers responded to a call of a house fire in northeast Bismarck. An autopsy showed he died of gunshot wounds, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
North Dakota House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Louser told a Highway Patrol trooper who arrested him for drunken driving a week ago that he had consumed three drinks at two area bars, and called a legislative intern he was with his attorney.
The 49-year-old Minot Republican who has been in the Legislature since 2011 failed three field sobriety tests and refused another, and at jail tested for a blood alcohol content of 0.117%, over the 0.08 legal limit, Trooper Brian Mehlhoff states in an affidavit.
Louser was charged Friday with misdemeanor DUI. He s scheduled for an initial appearance on May 12. Court documents don t list an attorney for him. He told the Tribune that he had not seen the court filings and had no comment outside of a statement he released shortly after his arrest.