GRAND FORKS, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – In a significant development, the most high-profile murder case in North Dakota has been moved to Grand Forks County. The case involves the 2007 murder of 18-year-old Anita Knutson, who was found stabbed to death in her apartment near Minot State University. Fifteen years later, her roommate, Nichole Rice, was charged with Knutson’s murder. Rice maintains her innocence.
Both the prosecution and defense requested the move due to extensive pre-trial publicity. Judge Richard Hagar agreed, citing prejudice against the defendant based on jury questionnaire responses.
“It’s the talk of the town, so virtually everyone is starting to form opinions about what happened even though we’ve heard no evidence,” said defense attorney Mark Friese of Vogel Law Firm, who is not involved in the case.
Judge Hagar emphasized the need for a fair trial in his ruling, highlighting the unusual nature of the case and its prolonged media coverage. The case has remained in the headlines and was featured in a cable television documentary.
“So it’s kind of a double-edged sword,” Friese commented. “When this case became public, it garnered a lot of interest because it was unsolved for so many years, impacting the prospective jury pool.”
Despite the widespread attention, Friese believes a fair jury can be found in Grand Forks due to different news consumption habits across generations.
“It’s really surprising when you actually get into these cases. We are living in this arena, working in it all the time. We think people know what’s going on, but a lot of people tune it out,” Friese noted.
The trial is set to begin on January 6, 2025, and is expected to last three weeks. This is only the second time in his 25-year career that Friese has seen a jury trial moved.