A man had his charges reduced from murder to manslaughter on Monday.
A man from North Dakota was charged with intentionally running over an 18-year-old boy during a street dance
Shannon Brandt, 42, had initially claimed that he hit and killed Cayler Ellingson in September 2022 after a political argument. However, investigators have found no evidence to support this claim, and the case is no longer considered political.
Instead of being sentenced to life in prison, Brandt could now face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of manslaughter. Brandt was first charged with criminal vehicular homicide and later upgraded to felony murder.
He was also charged with leaving the crash scene that resulted in death
An autopsy report revealed that Ellingson was run over by Brandt’s vehicle, indicating that his injuries were not caused by being struck by the car. The case had drawn attention on social media after Brandt’s claim that Ellingson was a Republican extremist and that he was afraid that Ellingson was calling people to “come and get him.”
However, investigators have since found no evidence to support this claim. Brandt’s attorney, Mark Friese, stated that Brinster chose to reduce the charge and was not part of a plea deal. The case is scheduled to go to trial on May 30.
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