Posts by Michael Brodkorb

Grazzini-Rucki sentenced to jail for role in disappearance of daughters

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Grazzini-Rucki sentenced to jail for role in disappearance of daughters

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was sentenced by Judge Karen Asphaug to serve 34 days in jail and for the following six years, she will serve 15 days in jail on November 18 for the next six years – the anniversary of the day her daughters were found, for her involvement in the disappearance of her two daughters for over two years.

Grazzini-Rucki, who was immediately taken into custody, will also be on probation for the next six years, and she is prohibited from having contact with any of the victims.

Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty in July on six counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents. Continue reading →

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki files fraudulent harassment order to prevent media coverage

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki files fraudulent harassment order to prevent media coverage

Earlier this afternoon, a Dakota County Deputy Sheriff served me with a harassment restraining order that was granted by Judge John McBride in Washington County at the request of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, who was convicted of six felony counts in July for deprivations of parental rights.

It is my belief that Grazzini-Rucki filed the fraudulent petition to prevent me from continuing to report on the legal developments in her criminal trial and others who have been criminally charged related to the disappearance Grazzini-Rucki’s children.

Today’s development is another sad example of Grazzini-Rucki’s documented behavior of using the court process to make false allegations against people she does not like.

During her criminal trial in July, Grazzini-Rucki admitted in testimony that she had repeatedly been “dishonest” when she previously testified under oath in her divorce and custody proceeding.  Continue reading →

How the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling helped find the Rucki sisters

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How the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling helped find the Rucki sisters

Like many of you, I was saddened to learn the news yesterday that Patty Wetterling had confirmed the body of her long-lost son, 11-year Jacob Wetterling, had been recovered.

According to media reports, Danny Heinrich, who has been labeled a “person of interest” by law enforcement in the disappearance of Jacob, led authorities to the remains of his body.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office confirmed last evening that Jacob’s body has been recovered, but it was Patty Wetterling’s statement earlier in the day which ended the search for her son, a search which began over 26 years ago. Continue reading →

Additional criminal charges filed against Evavold in disappearance of missing sisters

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Additional criminal charges filed against Evavold in disappearance of missing sisters

The Dakota County Attorney’s Office has filed additional criminal charges against Dede (Deidre) Evavold for her involvement in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville.

Four additional felony charges of  deprivation of parental rights have been filed against Evavold, who has now been charged with a total of six felony counts for her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Samantha and Gianna Rucki disappeared on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents.

Evavold is a close friend and confidant of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, the mother of Samantha and Gianna, who she met during Grazzini-Rucki’s divorce with David Rucki.

Continue reading →

Court allows audio and video coverage of Grazzini-Rucki’s sentencing hearing

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Court allows audio and video coverage of Grazzini-Rucki’s sentencing hearing

Judge Karen Asphaug has granted a request to allow audio and video coverage of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s upcoming sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for September 21, 2016.

Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty last month on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013 during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents.

David Rucki was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing. On November 18, 2015 – 944 days after they disappeared – the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department. Rucki was reunited with his daughters days after they were found and they live with him at the family’s home in Lakeville.

According to Judge Asphaug’s order, there will be “no audio or video coverage of any victim testimony given during the proceedings.” Judge Apshaug’s order also states that any “audio/video coverage shall be limited to the proceedings conducted within the courtroom…”

Audio or video coverage is also “is prohibited during recesses or at any other time the trial judge is not present and presiding” and any audio or video coverage “shall not extend to activities occurring in other areas of the court building.” Continue reading →

Michelle MacDonald dishonest about past attorney discipline

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Michelle MacDonald dishonest about past attorney discipline

Michelle MacDonald vigorously denied any additional attorney complaints had been filed against her when asked during an interview earlier this year with Republicans who were deciding if she would be endorsed again in her bid for the Minnesota Supreme Court, despite being disciplined in 2012.

In her interview with the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Judicial Elections Committee on May 13, 2016, MacDonald acknowledges that an attorney complaint was filed against her in April 2014 with the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board by Judge David Knutson.

Knutson filed the complaint based on MacDonald’s behavior while serving as Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney.

MacDonald said in her interview that she had not been informed by the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board if the investigation into Knutson’s complaint had not been completed.

Continue reading →

Attorney complaint filed against Michelle MacDonald

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Attorney complaint filed against Michelle MacDonald

A 16-page petition for disciplinary action for violating of rules governing attorney conduct has been filed against Michelle MacDonald by the Director of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board, Susan M. Humiston.

The complaint against MacDonald is focused on her behavior during family court proceedings involving Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her legal representation of Joseph Francis D’Costa. The complaint alleges MacDonald disorganization required the trial to last longer than necessary, adding that MacDonald offered exhibits that “were a mess.”

MacDonald’s attorney told Minnesota Lawyer that she will fight the complaint.

Continue reading →

Attorney: Grazzini-Rucki used donated ‘food stamp cards’ for bail

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Attorney: Grazzini-Rucki used donated ‘food stamp cards’ for bail

UPDATE: (8:00 PM, Monday, August 3, 2016) – When asked to comment on the statements from Gary Mogen, who posted the $50,000 bond for Grazzini-Rucki, MacDonald wrote: “it is what it is.” MacDonald added that as the bail bondsman, Mogen “is not concerned with how the cash is raised.”

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was able to post her $50,000 bail within hours of being convicted of six felonies for deprivation of parental rights, by using donated “food stamp cards” according to her attorney, Michelle MacDonald.

Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty last week on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki. Continue reading →

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki found guilty of hiding children

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki found guilty of hiding children

UPDATE (5:15 PM, Thursday, July 28, 2016): Sandra Grazzini-Rucki posted bail earlier this afternoon and was released from jail. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 21, 2016.

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty this morning on six counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters were taken near their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents.

Grazzini-Rucki was found not guilty on two additional counts.

David Rucki, the girls’ father, was in the courtroom when the verdicts were announced. Grazzini-Rucki showed no emotion as each of the verdicts were read in the courtroom. Two supporters of Grazzini-Rucki were in the courtroom when the verdicts were announced, Michael Rhedin and Caroline Rice. Neither of them showed emotion when the verdicts were announced. Continue reading →

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki admits past testimony in court was “dishonest”

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki admits past testimony in court was “dishonest”

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki admitted in testimony this morning during her criminal trial that she had repeatedly been “dishonest” when she previously testified under oath in her divorce and custody proceeding with her ex-husband, David Rucki.

Grazzini-Rucki has been charged with eight felony counts of deprivation of parental rights involving the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents.

While being cross-examined yesterday by Assistant Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena, Grazzini-Rucki read transcripts of her “dishonest” answers to numerous questions in court proceedings where she claimed she did not know the location of her missing daughters. Continue reading →

Interview: “The Matt McNeil Show” on first week of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki trial

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Interview: “The Matt McNeil Show” on first week of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki trial

Below is audio from my interview with Matt McNeil yesterday on AM950 about the first week of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal trial in Hastings.

[The Matt McNeil Show] Michael Brodkorb – Grazzini Rucki Trial Week #1 by AM950’s Podcasts

Michael Brodkorb joins the Matt McNeil Show to fill us in on what’s been happening during the first week of the Grazzini Rucki trial.

Please check back to Missing in Minnesota on Monday for additional developments involving Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal trial.

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Learn the full details of this shocking true crime story by reading the award-winning book The Girls Are Gone which is available for sale through numerous retailers in both paperback and ebook.