Attorneys, police and education officials from the east metro gathered for a forum on bullying, cyberbullying and sexting earlier this week.
Bullying, cyberbullying and crime are inextricably linked, according to the members of the East Metro Crime Prevention Coalition, which took aim at the topic during an April 10 forum in Stillwater. The coalition, formed last year, includes the Ramsey, Dakota and Washington Sheriffs and County Attorneys Offices. The coalition's purpose is to address community issues with unified prevention, law enforcement and education strategies, according to a news release issued by the organization. The April forum was an opportunity for officials to dialogue about bullying, cyberbullying and sexting in schools, with attendees drawing a clear connection between those issues and other significant criminal problems. “The connection between bullies and …
In Dakota County alone, nine drivers prosecuted for careless driving have killed a total of 14 people in recent years, according to the county attorney.
Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter | Blog for us Careless or reckless drivers whose actions cause a deadly accident or severe injuries could face steeper penalties under a new bill proposed by District 51 Sen. Jim Carlson (DFL), who represents Eagan. The bill, SF 206, was authored by Carlson and introduced to the Senate on Jan. 31. Senators Jim Metzen (DFL), Katie Sieben (DFL) and Greg Clausen (DFL) are listed as co-authors on the legislation. Current Minnesota laws prevent prosecutors from charging careless drivers with anything more significant than a misdemeanor—even if that driver's behavior caused a death or severe injuries. In Minnesota, the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor crime …
John Stephen Woodward was charged by the Rice County Attorney’s Office after Minnesota Correction Facility—Faribault officials uncovered a plot by Woodward to murder Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom.
A Rice County jury of 12 on Friday found John Stephen Woodward guilty of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder of Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. Woodward was charged by the Rice County Attorney’s Office after Minnesota Correction Facility—Faribault officials uncovered the plot to kill Backstrom. Woodward had been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder: one charge for Backstrom and the other for Dakota County Judge Rex Stacey. Rice County Judge Thomas Neuville dismissed the count regarding Stacey earlier this week because of lack of evidence. Woodward was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in prison on the drug charge, in which he sold methamphetamine from his Inver …
Steve Scholl
5:18 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
The idea is great. It has my complete support, but how one determines guilt and causality are questions of concern. How do you prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that someone was careless? How do you prove, conclusively, that the carelessness actually caused something else? It would be nice to have the legislation, but I wonder if a good attorney will just shred it to pieces? steve scholl more ›