Man pleads guilty after murder charge dropped for killing teen and falsely labeling him as a ‘Republican extremist’ during 911 call.

Man Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Teen

North Dakota

A shocking incident occurred in North Dakota when a 42-year-old man, Shannon Brandt, intentionally hit an 18-year-old with his SUV, resulting in the young man’s death. The reason? Brandt believed the victim was a “Republican extremist.”

Initially charged with murder, Brandt has now pleaded guilty to manslaughter and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars. The prosecutor dropped the murder charge, and a charge of leaving the scene of an accident was also dismissed.

The deadly confrontation began after a dance in the town of McHenry. The victim, Cayler Ellingson, called his mother just before the crash, asking if she knew who Brandt was. She confirmed that she did and said she was on her way to pick him up. A short time later, Ellingson called his mother again, saying that “he” or “they” were chasing him. Tragically, Ellingson was pronounced dead at a Carrington hospital after being hit by Brandt’s SUV.

Was the Prosecutor Right to Downgrade the Murder Charge?

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