


The legal professional for the Minot woman accused of murdering Anita Knutson in 2007 has submitted their prepared arguments in aid of a motion to dismiss the situation ahead of it goes to trial subsequent summer months.
Nichole Rice, 35, Minot, was arrested for the murder of then roommate Knutson in March 2022, and was formally arraigned at a preliminary hearing held in September the identical 12 months. Nevertheless, a filing manufactured by Rice’s lawyers from the Sand Regulation Firm a minor more than a year later on lifted significant fears with testimony about DNA proof elicited at the preliminary hearing to establish probable bring about by the point out. The protection contends the testimony was “false and should really not be relied upon.”
In the publish-hearing brief filed in North Central District Court, legal professional Philip Becher summarized his arguments and testimony offered at the hearing held on Nov. 17 from the defense’s DNA specialist Monte Miller and forensic scientist Amy Gebhardt from the Condition Crime Lab. Becher argued in his short that both Miller’s and Gebhardt’s testimonies had been “clear lower,” that the testimony from former Minot Police Detective Mikali Talbott “was bogus and has no foundation of aid in any of the reviews which were being previously filed for the Court’s thought.”
Talbott’s testimony released an assertion that Rice’s DNA profile was the only just one that “could not be excluded,” from an assessment of the murder weapon, developing her as a suspect in Knutson’s murder. On the other hand, Becher stated both authorities testified it was not supported by any DNA evaluation studies entered as exhibits for the circumstance. Becher also cited Gebhardt’s testimony, saying Talbott’s testimony would have been “erroneous” if it was produced based mostly on inconclusive effects.
Becher further said that dependent on the experts’ testimonies, Talbott produced her assertion “intentionally and/or recklessly,” because of to a absence of basis for these types of a important comprehending of the outcomes and her have testimony about her instruction and practical experience.
Becher also rejected Ward County Deputy State’s Attorney Tiffany Sorgen’s arguments that the condition had delivered ample proof to show possible cause even without having the DNA proof, saying, “Much of the supposed proof that the condition is relying on amounts to practically nothing more than petty gossip and speculation and undoubtedly does not offer an satisfactory foundation for the finding of probable lead to in a murder circumstance.”
In addition to the deficiency of possible trigger, Becher argued that deterrence was an additional crucial issue in assist of the dismissal of the murder demand versus his consumer, contacting Talbott’s erroneous testimony “egregious” in light-weight of the facts that was offered to her at the time.
“If the Court docket permits this make a difference to shift forward with this form of circumstance history, a hazardous precedent will be set that a witness for the point out is equipped (to) testify falsely and there will be no repercussions when the falsity is afterwards learned,” Becher concluded. “Such a precedential result can only be strengthened by how obvious it is that Talbott testified falsely, the significant character of what she testified falsely to, and the fact what is at concern is a demand of Felony AA murder.”
Point out prosecutors now have 10 times to file a quick in response before the query is dominated on by District Decide Richard Hagar. Barring a dismissal of the demand, Rice’s demo is scheduled to run for a few months from July 15 by Aug. 2.







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