'This office wants to be in total compliance'

The Carlton County attorney's office continues to dig into past criminal cases involving former Cloquet police officer Scott Beckman.

Carlton County attorney Lauri Ketola said her office is planning to contract with an attorney who specializes in issues related to Brady-Giglio. Brady and Giglio refer to two different U.S. Supreme Court cases that require disclosures by prosecuting attorneys of any "exculpatory" material - which could exonerate a defendant of guilt - specifically including misconduct findings involving law enforcement officers.

In Beckman's case, according to disciplinary files previously obtained by the Pine Knot News, he applied for a search warrant on Feb. 6, 2016, under oath, that contained information he had previously discovered to be untrue.

It can be difficult to win a case in which a witness has a proven history of dishonesty.

Here's what Cloquet defense attorney Thomas Skare wrote in court correspondence earlier this year in his defense of Drew Angell: "In a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, disciplinary procedures against Officer Beckman indicated that he lied on an affidavit for a search warrant. Officer Beckman is a key figure in the execution of the search warrant in this matter. In the documents there is a note that a statement of Officer Beckman was taken in regard to this dishonesty."

But the county attorney's office is not limiting its scrutiny to the former Cloquet police officer.

"As part of our Brady policy, we sent a letter to all law enforcement agencies, asking for records of discipline issues. We will sift through those with her (the expert attorney)," Ketola said. The office implemented its Brady policy Dec. 3.

Currently the office does not have any public data available on any other law enforcement officials who might have disciplinary issues, the office noted Tuesday in a response to a Pine Knot News data request.

Ketola said Tuesday that the Carlton County board of commissioners approved contracting with the expert attorney and she hopes to do that soon.

"This office wants to be in total compliance," Ketola said.

The Pine Knot News examined every case from the list of dismissed cases involving Beckman provided by the Carlton County attorney's office on Dec. 14. At that point, the office said 18 cases had been dismissed and four cases submitted for review had not been charged. Another 25 cases were under review.

Most of the cases were dismissed for reasons of "prosecutorial discretion" or "in the best interests of justice." Beckman's name is on the witness list in every single case.

Voting basics

Carlton County auditor Paul Gassert said the special election will be identical — aside from a much shorter timeline — to last year’s elections. If you normally vote via mail through absentee ballot, you will receive an absentee ballot in the mail for this election too. Others have a choice of voting at their usual polling places or voting absentee at the Carlton County Courthouse, second-floor auditor’s office. Contact the County Auditor’s office at 218-384-9127 with questions.

Then-acting county attorney Jeffrey Boucher said the office would examine each case and that they could be recharged in the future:

"In each case, the county attorney's office will review the file and determine if Officer Beckman was a critical witness or a peripheral witness," Boucher wrote in a statement issued Dec. 19. "Defendants and defense attorneys will be notified. It is possible that additional cases will be dismissed. Cases that have been dismissed could be refiled at a future date if review of the evidence establishes that the case could be successfully prosecuted in light of the information regarding Officer Beckman."

In the meantime, the dismissed cases leave both sides without a clear verdict of innocence or guilt, although the accused are no longer facing any charges.

Following is the list of dismissed cases. It should be noted that all people charged with crimes in the U.S. are considered innocent until proven guilty and none of these cases were proven in court.

Scott Richard Allen

Felony charge of possession of a controlled substance (meth) in the fifth degree on July 25, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 16, 2018

Winston Andre Jones Anderson

Three gross misdemeanor charges: Interference with an emergency call and two counts of domestic assault on Feb. 12, 2017. Case dismissed July 11, 2018

Drew Landon Angell

Felony fourth-degree sale of drugs (marijuana and marijuana oil), two counts felony possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree on Dec. 3, 2017. Case dismissed Aug. 20, 2018.

Clarissa Yvonne Bobrowski

Two gross misdemeanor charges: Interference with an emergency call and domestic assault on Feb. 25, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 21

Timotheus Andre Bright

Charges of felony threats of violence, gross misdemeanor domestic assault, and gross misdemeanor child endangerment on June 30, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 17, 2018.

Lita Mae Carlson

Felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance plus petty misdemeanor charge of possession or use of drug paraphernalia on June 30, 2017. Pleaded guilty to felony charge June 20, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 17, 2018.

Robert Addison Cook

Misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct for brawling or fighting. Case dismissed July 19, 2018

Cody Logan Fohrenkam

Felony charge of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), gross misdemeanor introducing contraband (marijuana) into a prison facility, misdemeanor charge of possession of brass knuckles and misdemeanor driving after suspension. Case dismissed Aug. 15, 2018.

Cole Alan Hilton

Misdemeanor charge of possession of hypodermic syringes on June 24, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 16, 2018.

Dennis Wayne Houle

Felony charge of domestic assault on Jan. 17, 2018. Had two prior domestic violence-related convictions, so the charges were enhanced. Case dismissed Aug. 6, 2018.

David Timothy Johnston

Felony charge of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth) and misdemeanor charge of illegal possession of hypodermic syringe or needle. Case dismissed Aug. 16, 2018.

Michelle Marie Mehle

Felony charge of theft of a motor vehicle on May 20, 2017. Case dismissed July 23, 2018

Keith Edward Misquadace

Two felony charges of theft of a motor vehicle on Aug. 16, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 15, 2018.

Bryce Allen Mueller

Felony theft and first-degree damage to property on Sept. 11, 2017. Case dismissed Aug. 15, 2018.

Joshua Marvin Cheol Pitt

Gross misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance (meth) in the fifth degree, giving a false name to a police officer and possession or use of drug paraphernalia on July 1, 2017. Case dismissed Aug. 22, 2017.

Derek Arlyn Rainey Plum

Gross misdemeanor charge of tattooing without a licence for allegedly tattooing people from his home without a license. Case dismissed Aug. 21, 2018.

Anthony Wayne Quaderer

Felony charges of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, third-degree possession of methamphetamine plus two more counts of third-degree possession of a Schedule 1 or II narcotic in a public housing zone on Feb. 13, 2018. There were also two misdemeanor charges of possession or sale of a legend drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. Case dismissed Aug. 17, 2018

Jackson Ray Rudnik

Two counts felony theft of a motor vehicle, one count gross misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance (heroin) in the fifth degree. Rudnik pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft of a motor vehicle April 9, 2018, then didn't appear for sentencing in court at least twice. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but was quashed as of Aug. 17, 2018. Case dismissed Aug. 16, 2018.

David Henry Warner

Felony possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree (meth), plus misdemeanor charge of illegal possession of a hypodermic on July 15, 2017. Case dismissed Aug. 17, 2018,

Robert Allen Widener

Felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth) on Aug. 12, 2017. Case dismissed Aug. 17, 2018.