Judge upholds $100,000 bond in stabbing case
Grand Forks County District judge Friday refused to lower the bond for a man accused of stabbing another man in the chest with a steak knife during a break in.
Joseph Gladue Jr., 22, has been held at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center since Aug. 8 on $100,000 cash or surety bond.
Gladue’s attorney Theodore T. Sandberg said his client is not a flight risk because he has ties to the area, but Judge Karen Braaten refused to lower the bond.
Prosecutor Carmell Mattison said she fears Gladue will exact retribution on potential witnesses.
Gladue is charged with attempted murder, a Class A felony and Class B felony burglary. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
Friday’s appearance was also Gladue’s last chance to accept the state’s plea agreement, which was offered in November. He refused, setting up a trial date that will likely be in September.
Flight risk, threat?
Sandberg explained to Braaten that Gladue, who was arrested in Florida in 2011 and extradited to North Dakota, lived much of his life in the Grand Forks area and has most of his family living in the Red River Valley.
Sandberg proposed lowering the bond to $25,000 cash or surety or $100,000 K bond, forcing Gladue to post 10 percent of the total to be released. He said his client would like to be free to take care of child custody issues with one of his two children.
Mattison said Gladue has already made threats against potential witnesses and, following the discovery process, he now knows who is testifying against him.
She also maintained the seriousness of the charges, saying the knife broke off inside the victim, potentially saving his life.
Sandberg said Gladue, who was free for almost two years while police investigated the case, had opportunity to carry out threats and did not.
Braaten said circumstances in the case are the same as 10 months ago when Gladue’s bond was initially set.
“I don’t think things have changed,” she said. “I think we need that high of a bond to make sure you make your appearances.”
According to an affidavit, an intruder broke into the home of Tom Schirrick at 2311 S. 22nd St. at 2:47 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2009.
Police identified Gladue as the main suspect after he admitted to other people that he had broken in to get money. An arrest warrant was issued after a witness said in June 2011 that he was with Gladue on the night of the stabbing.
Reach Bieri at (701) 780-1118; (800) 477-6572, ext. 118; or send email to cbieri@gfherald.com.