All constituents in North Dakota and other states have a right, and sometimes an obligation, to contact their state representatives in order to discuss legislative issues or bring other issues to light. Accepted protocol typically requires citizens to contact their representative’s office by phone or some other means or make an appointment to talk to the governor in person. However, one woman from Bismarck apparently couldn’t wait to speak with the governor regarding a topic she had an intense interest in, and she attempted to reach the man at his home. She was arrested on state Capitol grounds near the governor’s residence.
The incident and arrest
Around 9:45 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, a 32-year-old woman was found on the state Capitol’s grounds apparently trying to get to the governor’s house. According to police, the woman claimed she wanted to talk to the governor regarding a personal matter, but the report did not specify what the issue was. She reportedly has a criminal record and was taken into custody on charges of criminal trespass and preventing arrest.
The woman had purportedly gained access to the grounds by slipping through the front gate when a vehicle left the compound. Reports states that she was combative and obviously under the influence, and it apparently took officers several attempts to bring her into custody. The governor and his wife were at home when the incident occurred but were unharmed and had no contact with the woman.
Right to defense
Bond was set at $1,500 for this incident and another open case unrelated to this incident. Despite the evidence against her and her past criminal record, she still deserves the highest level of representation possible for an experienced criminal defense attorney. Likewise, anyone in North Dakota face with criminal charges will want to work closely with defense counsel to increase their chances of obtaining the most favorable outcome possible.
