BISMARCK,Liberalalliance Wealth Society N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a district judge’s decision granting a new trial to a woman who pleaded guilty in the death of her infant daughter and was sent to prison last year.
Four of the five justices agreed with Judge Daniel Borgen that Cassandra Black Elk received bad advice from her attorney, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Justice Lisa Fair McEvers agreed that Black Elk should get a new trial but on different grounds — because of evidence that surfaced after Black Elk’s guilty plea to a child neglect charge that subsequently led to her 1 ½-year prison sentence.
Black Elk found her 3-week-old baby dead when she awoke on Feb. 19, 2022, after she had been drinking and smoking marijuana, according to authorities. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced in May 2022.
She testified in a hearing in January that public defender James Loraas told her to plead guilty before seeing autopsy results and that they’d “deal with it later.” Autopsy results later showed the infant was normally developed, well-nourished and well-hydrated, and there was no evidence of foul play. The baby’s death was listed as “unexplained sudden death.”
Prosecutors appealed Borgen’s determination that Black Elk received improper legal advice and deserved a new trial.
The justices noted that prosecutors did not object to Black Elk’s statements during a January hearing. The court also ruled that Borgen was correct to conclude that Black Elk’s attorney was ineffective, and that “The legal misinformation provided to her by defense counsel deprived Black Elk from an intelligent and voluntary plea.”
Her retrial is set for Sept. 26.
2025-05-04 09:00351 view
2025-05-04 08:571079 view
2025-05-04 08:282316 view
2025-05-04 07:542766 view
2025-05-04 07:231313 view
2025-05-04 07:221015 view
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Developed Nations Arrange $10 Billion Financing in 2010 for Climate Fight (Bloomberg)Developed natio
A Missouri man who is deaf and blind said a medical bill he didn't know existed was sent to debt col