Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Murder suspect Nicholas Poitra (right) looks on as his attorney, Samuel Gereszek, consults with Eddy County State's Attorney Ashley Lies in court on April 13.
On Thursday, April 13 in New Rockford, Nicholas Poitra entered pleas of not guilty to the charges of murder, burglary and terrorizing.
Poitra is accused of killing 30-year-old Troyal Thumb with a short-barreled shotgun at Rindy's Bar in Sheyenne on Feb. 19. He then evaded law enforcement for three days as he briefly became one of North Dakota's most wanted fugitives.
Thursday's hearing in the Eddy County Courthouse was a preliminary hearing/arraignment.
During a preliminary hearing, the state must prove probable cause that each felony charge was committed and that the defendant is the one who committed them. If probable cause is not established for a particular charge, the judge would have that felony dismissed.
However, Poitra chose to waive his right to a preliminary hearing, and with that, the hearing moved to an arraignment. Poitra then entered a plea of not guilty to each charge.
The not guilty pleas clear the way for an eventual trial, which will take place at a time yet to be determined. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for June 8.
Poitra is facing intentional murder, a Class AA felony; armed robbery, a Class B felony; seven counts of terrorizing, each a Class C felony; and unlawful possession of a firearm, also a Class C felony.
In the State of North Dakota, the maximum penalty for Class AA felony murder is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
The maximum penalty for a Class B felony is 10 years' imprisonment and/or a fine of $20,000, while each Class C felony carries a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment, a fine of $10,000, or both.
