Judge Says Trial Will Go on in Carlson Case
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Judge Says Trial Will Go on in Carlson Case
A judge says he won't reconsider a plea agreement in the case of a Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his sister in Fargo.
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UPDATED Thursday, September 11, 2008 --- 12 p.m.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- A judge says he won't reconsider a plea agreement in the case of a Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his sister in Fargo.

Sixteen-year-old Sergei Carlson is scheduled to go on trial Monday in Bismarck. He is charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the July 2007 death of his 16-year-old sister, Whitney.

Judge John Irby had rejected a plea deal in May that would have called for a sentence of 30 years in prison. Lawyers on both sides filed a motion earlier this week asking Irby to reconsider.

Irby says in court documents that the plea agreement fails to answer questions on key issues, including rehabilitation and civil commitment.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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UPDATED Tuesday, August 12, 2008 --- 2:55 p.m.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- A judge has ordered a mental evaluation for a Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his sister in Fargo.

Sergei Carlson is charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the death of his 16-year-old sister, Whitney. His trial is set for Sept. 15 in Bismarck.

Prosecutors say the evaluation is meant to determine whether 16-year-old Sergei Carlson was suffering from "extreme emotional disturbance" at the time of his sister's death.

East Central District Judge John Irby denied a request from prosecutors to delay the trial.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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UPDATED Friday, July 18 --- 4:00pm

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- Court officials say the trial of a teenager charged with killing his sister has been moved to Bismarck.

Sergei Carlson is now scheduled for trial Sept. 15 at the Burleigh County courthouse.

The 16-year-old Carlson is charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the death of his 16-year-old sister, Whitney Carlson, on July 13, 2007, in Fargo.

Judge John Irby rejected a plea agreement in May that called for a 30-year prison sentence, but later agreed to move the trial from Fargo.

Authorities said Sergei Carlson told police he strangled his sister in her bedroom with his hands, put pillows over her face to muffle her sounds, then had sexual contact with her.

Sergei Carlson, who is called Isaac by family members, was adopted from Russia when he was 7 years old and moved with his father to Sun Prairie, Wis., in 2002. Whitney Carlson lived with her mother in Fargo.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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UPDATE: Thursday, July 3, 2008 --- 10:45 a.m.

FARGO, N.D.(AP) -- The father of a Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his sister in Fargo says the judge in the case should have accepted a plea agreement.

Sergei Carlson of Sun Prairie is charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the death of his sister, 16-year-old Whitney Carlson.

In a letter to Judge John Irby, the Rev. Scott Carlson says the judge's rejection of a plea deal in May made him feel like he had been kicked in the stomach.

The plea agreement called for a sentence of 30 years in prison for the 16-year-old. Defense attorney Mark Beauchene says in court documents that Irby would only accept a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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UPDATED Wednesday, July 2 --- 4:15pm

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- A judge has agreed to move the trial of a Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his sister.

But Judge John Irby refused to remove himself from the case.

Defense attorney Mark Beauchene had asked Irby to remove himself, alleging the judge was biased against Sergei Carlson. He also asked that the trial be moved from Fargo.

The 16-year-old Carlson is charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the death of his sister, 16-year-old Whitney Carlson, last July.

Sergei Carlson was adopted from Russia when he was 7 years old and moved with his father to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, in 2002. Whitney Carlson lived with her mother in Fargo.

Authorities said Sergei Carlson told police he strangled his sister in her bedroom with his hands, put pillows over her face to muffle her sounds, then had sexual contact with her.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Posted September 26, 2007

A Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his 16-year-old sister in North Dakota stood with his shoulders slumped and head bowed as charges were read against him in adult court Wednesday in Fargo.

Family members wept quietly as 15-year-old Sergei Carlson was charged with murder and a deviate sexual act in the death of Fargo South High School student Whitney Carlson.

Sergei moved with his father, the Reverend Scott Carlson, to Sun Prairie in 2002, but sometimes visited his mother in Fargo.

Authorities say Sergei Carlson told police he strangled Whitney Carlson with his hands and put pillows over her head to muffle her sounds, then had sexual contact with her.

Sergei Carlson was not asked to enter a plea on the felony murder charge. He pleaded not guilty to the sex charge, a misdemeanor. Bond was set at $250,000 and a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 25th.

AP


Latest Comments

Posted by: Deke Location: Madison on Sep 12, 2008 at 12:30 PM

About freaking time! what a bunch of crap- how were his emotions at the time of the crime- he was obviously excited enough to maintain an erection, nuff said! Yep, foreign orphanages have screwed up kids- such a shame that all these good hearted people are willing to go across the world to save a kid rather than just adopt here in the states, but I suppose, when you're rich, white, and childless, a white russian kid sure beats a black baby from louisiana, huh?
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Chandler Location: Madison on Sep 11, 2008 at 04:37 PM

Adoptive mother- So, you think it is OK for everyone to rape, or just adopted kids? Here's hoping you never get raped by a WI born white trash trailer park piece of crap, b/c according to you, all they have to do is say both their parents worked, so they had little social interaction, love, attention, and they're free! I sure hope this judge's "all or nothing" approach to this case doesn't backfire and set this punk free- maybe 30 years would have been better... ya think? b/c if the jury has one disent vote, this punk goes free! kind of seems this judge is grandstanding a little- anyone check to see if this guy is up for reelection, or has plans for running for some higher office or something? something is filling the room with eau d' carp here!
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Posted by: MB Location: Fargo, ND on Sep 10, 2008 at 12:18 PM

As long as Judge Irby keeps his head clear and NOT use opinions of such psychologists like Dr. Richard Ascano. Everyone in a three state area knows he's the biggest "pay-off" piece of crap/dr there is. He can meet with children or people for as little as 10 minutes and make multi-page crap documents to say things just as he tried in this case. Check his many cases that the judges find him "not truthful, "non believable", "false", or "opinions based on NO facts". Prayers go out to all involved, but look folks I have had alot of foster kids and sometimes the damage done is "IRREVERSIBLE". We have enough nut-cases and sexual ofenders running wild in this area because Dr. Ascano says they are temporarily insane, oh whatever he will say whatever he is paid to say. The judge has done a great job, so far and lets watch him keep up the good work so another judge doesn't have to clean-up the mess years later.
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