Bemidji Man Charged After Refusing to Leave Hospital
Bemidji (trfnews.i234.me) — Michael Herman Defoe faces a gross misdemeanor trespass charge in Beltrami County.
The charge follows an incident at a Sanford hospital in Bemidji on July 23, 2026.
Prosecutors allege Defoe refused to leave after hospital staff asked him to depart.
The allegations are detailed in a Beltrami County District Court complaint.
Police Called to Bemidji Hospital
Bemidji police responded after staff reported Defoe would not leave the hospital.
A responding officer told Defoe that staff wanted him off the property.
The officer also told him that he was required to leave.
Defoe refused to depart, according to the complaint.
He reportedly told police that he had nowhere else to go.
Court records state Defoe had previously been ordered to leave Sanford property.
The complaint does not describe any violence during the July 23 encounter.
The charge concerns the alleged refusal to leave after being directed to depart.
Prior Trespass Convictions Cited
Prosecutors listed several previous Minnesota convictions in the complaint.
Those records include multiple trespass convictions dating from 2018 through 2025.
The filing also lists a 2025 indecent exposure conviction.
It includes several earlier trespass cases from Beltrami County.
Those prior convictions do not prove the new allegation.
However, prosecutors cite them in connection with the charge level.
Minnesota law normally treats this refusal-to-leave trespass offense as a misdemeanor.
A repeat-offense law can raise certain misdemeanor crimes to gross misdemeanors.
That enhancement can apply when a court finds two or more qualifying prior convictions.
The complaint cites that provision in Defoe’s case.
Gross Misdemeanor Charge Filed
Defoe is charged with trespass for allegedly refusing to leave another person’s premises.
The complaint lists a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail.
It also lists a possible fine of up to $3,000.
The case is filed as 04-CR-26-1707 in Beltrami County District Court.
Readers can review Minnesota’s trespass law online.
The repeat-offense provision is also available from the Minnesota Revisor.
Information about Sanford Bemidji Medical Center is available online.
Public records may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.
The current charge is an allegation and does not establish guilt.
Defoe is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
Copyright 2026 TRF News. All rights reserved.
Maybe just maybe 🤔 we need a real homeless shelter! Instead of a fucking ymca
Why charge him thats messed up… could have offered him a ride to a shelter or something instead. Poor guy wasn’t hurting anyone just needs some help…
Awww🥲
I’m sure Sanford Hospital has a social services department. They could have helped him since they knew he didn’t have anywhere to go. Instead they called the police so they wouldn’t have to deal with him. Thats typical of Bemidji tho…
Elder abuse
Well they need to clean up the mess and in Bemidji there all over town bumming and asking for money it gets old
He comes in there and the cops and security harass him the whole time,last winter 4 cops and 3 security guards walked him out to the sidewalk freezing cold ,one security guard made a comment when they came back in because he dropped some socks he told the other one get some gloves on picking those up that old Indian comes in here and pisses everywhere,he was legit seeing a doctor
Last year they and the cops harassed him made him leave with his walker out to the sidewalk saying that old Indian comes in and pisses everywhere and he didn’t I sat and talked with him the whole time he was waiting in emergency room but they kept insisting that he leaves or they will call the cops on him,he was legit waiting for an emergency room appointment
I’ve given him rides from the Hospital before they really dont care if its 40 below wind chill they still made him leave.
Move him into your house all you concerned people. The hospital ain’t a shelter. Maybe his fam needs to help him instead of blaming everyone else
Why am I not surprised