Federal civil rights lawsuit filed by MacDonald dismissed

September 15, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

A federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Michelle MacDonald in March 2015 against Dakota County stemming from her arrest while representing Sandra Grazzini-Rucki in a family court hearing has been dismissed.

It was during the custody hearing involving Grazzini-Rucki and her ex-husband, David Rucki, on September 12, 2013, that MacDonald took pictures in the courtroom which led to her being arrested.

MacDonald spent a portion of the trial representing Grazzini-Rucki while confined to a wheelchair after her own refusal to walk back into the courtroom. MacDonald also refused to put on her shoes and glasses, or provide her legal name and address to law enforcement.

The Memorandum Opinion and Order Granting Defendants’ Summary Judgement, written by John R. Turnheim, Chief Judge of United State District Court of Minnesota, dismisses all of MacDonald’s claims. Because the court has ruled that no grounds exist for the lawsuit, attorneys representing Dakota County have requested that the court order MacDonald to pay costs incurred by Dakota County due to the lawsuit.

In March of 2016, the court dismissed many of MacDonald’s claims including, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and retaliatory prosecution leaving only a few claims left to argue.

At that time, the court also found no grounds for claims of excessive force and state assault and battery “which related to her removal from the courtroom, removal of her personal effects, and placement in a wheelchair.”

Also dismissed were claims of equal protection, federal conspiracy, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress and finally a claim by Thomas Shimota, MacDonald’s husband, for loss of consortium. Continue reading →

Jasmine Block: Missing in Minnesota for 29 days

September 8, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis

On the evening of August 9, 2017, the Missing in Minnesota Facebook page received a private message containing a link to a post by the Alexandria Police Department. The message was simple: “Please post this on your site.”

15 year-old Jasmine Block had been missing for approximately 26 hours by this time and the police were already hard at work looking for her.

Two days later, on August 11, 2017, another message from a different person. This message contained an updated poster with Jasmine’s pictures. So many people were working so hard to spread the information about Jasmine.

No one knew then where Jasmine was or who she was with, no one knew what hell she was living.

This past Tuesday, while the majority of kids in Minnesota were sitting in classrooms on the first day of school, 15 year-old Jasmine was escaping. Continue reading →

Dahlens will be out of jail tomorrow; David Rucki ‘appalled’ by court’s decision

June 1, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

David Rucki released a statement today in response to an order granting Doug and Gina Dahlen an early release from jail after serving only 20 days for their involvement in the disappearance of his children for 944 days.

In his statement, David Rucki expressed his strong frustration that Doug and Gina Dahlen served only 20 days in jail:

“I am appalled at the decision to allow the Dahlens to be released from jail after serving only 20 days. During the 942 days my missing children were held by the Dahlens, they were denied access to any medical treatment and education.

The Dahlens robbed my children of their youth, their family, their friends, and their life. My children and family were victimized by the Dahlens and we are still working together as a family to fully recover from the pain and trauma they inflicted.

Today’s decision to allow the Dahlens to stroll out of jail after serving only 20 days trivializes the severity of their crimes and the pain inflicted on my children and family.”

Doug and Gina Dahlen, pleaded guilty for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, and were later sentenced to one year in jail. The Dahlens’ full jail sentence was stayed, pending the successful completion of two-years probation and a jail sentence of 31 days. Continue reading →

Dahlens want out of jail after serving only 20 days

June 1, 2017 Comments Off read Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

UPDATE: The Dahlens have been granted an early release from jail. We’ll have more information soon on Missing in Minnesota.

Doug and Gina Dahlen, who pleaded guilty for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, filed a request with Dakota County to be released from jail tomorrow, after serving only 20 days in jail.

On May 2, 2017, Doug and Gina Dahlen were each sentenced to one year in jail by Judge Karen Asphaug. The Dahlens’ full jail sentence was stayed, pending the successful completion of two-years probation, and after they served 31 days in jail – one day for each month the Rucki sisters were held at their ranch in Herman, Minnesota.

But in a motion filed yesterday with Dakota County, the Dahlens’ attorneys requested that Doug and Gina Dahlen be released from jail on Friday, June 2, 2017, after serving only 20 days of their 31 day sentence in jail.

The Dahlens are serving their jail sentence in Traverse County and according to public records, the Dahlens are currently scheduled to be released from jail on June 13, 2017. Continue reading →