O'Connor Arraigned On Four Charges

  by Joe Dahl -- Thursday afternoon in the 10^th Judicial District Court in Fallon, John O’Connor was arraigned before Senior Judge William A. Maddox.  The judge went through a series of preliminary procedures interacting with Mr. Richard Davies, court appointed, counsel for the defendant.  They were both making sure things were done properly for a trial that could involve the death penalty. O’Connor is accused of shooting and killing Bert Miller July 22^nd, 2018. The judge listed, in detail, the four charges and their possible penalties making sure that the defendant understood and acknowledged each and every charge and possible penalty.  He plead “not guilty” to all charges. Briefly the charges are: murder, battery, assault and a concealed weapon without a permit. Counsel for the defendant stated; having consulted with his client, they would waive the sixty day rule that would require a trial within sixty days. Co-counsel for the defense, Aaron Mouritsen, was absent because he was serving that day as a Tribal Judge in Stillwater.  Mr. Davies thought the trial could take two or three weeks or a month.  In setting a trial date he found he has a very busy schedule.  Comparing the court calendar with the lawyer’s calendars, Mr. Lane Mills and Ms. Chelsea Sanford, the prosecutors, easily found time and the trial date was set for March 1^st, 2021 through April 2^nd. Jury selection was scheduled for three days and will begin by calling one hundred jurors. If not enough jurors can be selected from the first set of 100, the court will call will go to the next one hundred and then the third one hundred. The arraignment demonstrated the strict rules and procedures of a murder case with a potential death penalty. The Fallon Post will continue to follow and update this story as it develops.       Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.