Pendleton case goes to jury (Update)

Update: 4:40 PM

The jury in the Salamah Pendleton trial has been sent home for the day.

The case was sent to the jury at about 12:30 PM… but at 4:35 PM, North Central District Judge Don Hager announced a recess … and sent jurors home without a verdict.

Before the jury was notified, Assistant State’s Attorney Ashlei Neufeld questioned the judge as to whether jurors should be asked if they wanted to stay later.

Hager replied: “I’m not going to let them do that. I don’t want them to think that they’re forced to come to a decision on a case like this. They’ve only been out for four hours.”

Hager said if jurors had put in a full day, he likely would have asked if they had a preference.

Deliberations will resume at about 8:45 on Wednesday morning.

Pendleton is on trial for the shooting deaths of his mother and police officer Cody Holte last year.

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Original story:

The case of Salamah Pendleton now rests with the jury.

The Grand Forks man faces nine charges – including two for murder – in the shooting deaths of his mother and police officer Cody Holte last year.

In her closing argument today (Tue), Assistant State’s Attorney Carmel Mattison told the jury that Pendleton prepared himself for the events of May 27, 2020.

“He locked the door, grabbed a loaded AK-74 and positioned himself right in front of the bedroom door, waiting for law enforcement to open the (apartment) door so he could pull the trigger,” Mattison said.

Later, defense attorney Steve Mottinger said that even though Pendleton caused both deaths, his client is not guilty of murder with extreme indifference…but perhaps manslaughter.

Mottinger said jurors should consider the case in the context of Pendleton’s state of mind.

“He was a mess,” Mottinger said. “It doesn’t entirely excuse his conduct but it certainly goes a long, long way to explaining it, doesn’t it?”

Law enforcement officers were trying to serve eviction papers at Pendleton’s apartment in May 2020 before a shootout began.  Pendleton and a Grand Forks deputy were wounded in the incident.

If convicted, Pendleton faces life in prison.