Former Bison player accused of terrorizing, gun theft charges will claim self-defense
The former North Dakota State University football player charged with four felonies after an early-morning shooting during a party near campus plans to contest the charges and claim self-defense, his attorney said Wednesday.
Jaiden Pickett, 19, a previously coveted recruit and linebacker for the Bison, sat quietly in court as his appointed public defender, Daniel Bertsch, asked for a continuance of his preliminary hearing.
Officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of 11th Street North just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, just hours after Pickett saw his first playing time for the Bison. The investigation showed people attending a party had gotten into an argument outside, during which a gunshot was fired into the home but no one was injured.
Pickett, a redshirt freshman linebacker from Milwaukee, was arrested in connection with the incident and charged with four felony charges: two counts of terrorizing with a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment with extreme indifference with a dangerous weapon, and gun theft — possession. He was dismissed from the team the following day.
Pickett has been in the Cass County Jail since his arrest. He is being held on $ 50,000 cash or bond, an amount Bertsch asked to be reduced.
“He was screened because of his character by every program in the Missouri Valley (Football Conference). If he had any blemish on his character, he would not have been offered scholarships by those programs — including the University of Minnesota and the University of Wyoming. He has an upstanding character. This is the one blemish on his character, and we have to take that to trial. I believe a self-defense will come out at the preliminary,” Bertsch said in arguing for bail to be reduced to $ 10,000.
Assistant State’s Attorney Ashlei Neufeld acknowledged that Pickett had a number of friends in Fargo, but said his primary connections are in Milwaukee in opposing a bail reduction.
“The firearm that he utilized in this offense was stolen out of Milwaukee,” she said. “There is video of him chest-bumping one of the victims in this case with the barrel of said firearm, not merely holding it at him, but making contact between the pistol and the male victim in this case. He discharged the firearm and the bullet struck a building 3 feet away from where another victim was standing. This is a big concern for community safety.”
Judge Tristan Van de Streek denied Pickett’s bail reduction request.
“When I set bail initially, I contemplated the nature of the offense and Mr. Pickett’s connections to the community, and nothing changes in my analysis,” Van de Streek said.
Pickett’s contested preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 4. The defense plans to call at least three witnesses, according to Bertsch.
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