Brandt trial date, venue set

The date and venue for the trial of Shannon Brandt, accused of murdering 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson in September last year, has officially been set.

After being accused of purposely running over and killing Ellingson in the early morning hours of Sept. 18, Brandt pleaded not guilty to the two charges against him, including Felony AA murder, setting the stage for an eventual jury trial.

Several weeks later, on Thursday, Dec. 29, the date of that jury trial was placed on the calendar.

During a scheduling hearing over Zoom, District Court Judge Bradley Cruff, Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster, and Defense Attorney Mark Allan Friese, were in agreement that May 30 would be an acceptable date for the trial to begin.

Both the prosecution and defense also agreed the trial should be expected to last about two weeks. And with that, Judge Cruff approved a jury trial to take place from Tuesday, May 30 through Friday, June 9.

Following the trial date being set, Friese also asked the Judge to amend Brandt’s bond conditions to let him return to his home for four hours per month to collect mail and maintain his home, as well as to allow him to travel to Clay County, Minnesota, for maintenance on his electronic monitoring device.

State’s Attorney Brinster said she was fine with Brandt traveling to Minnesota, but objected to him getting four hours per month to return home. Brandt is currently under house arrest at the home of a family member.

Judge Cruff agreed with Brinster, and amended the conditions of Brandt’s release to stipulate that he may travel to Minnesota for maintenance on his electronic monitoring device, but did not grant Brandt’s wish to return home for four hours per month.

Days after the hearing, Friese filed a motion to have the trial moved out of Foster County. The trial will now be held in the Richland County Courthouse in Wahpeton.