BISMARCK, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – The North Dakota Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of David Walter Gaddie, a Grand Forks man found guilty of child sex abuse in 2021, due to prosecutorial misconduct.
The court ruled on Wednesday, August 28, that Cass County prosecutors inappropriately presented evidence to the jury that alleged Gaddie had also sexually abused the child’s mother, which was not related to the charges at hand.
This evidence, which was shown without proper notice to the defense, was deemed to have prejudiced the jury, infringing on Gaddie’s right to a fair trial.
Originally sentenced to 35 years in prison, Gaddie could now face either a retrial or have the charges dismissed altogether.