Court

WALKER -- Judge Paul Benshoof has denied Joel Allen Barrick's motion to reduce his 48-month sentence to the men's correctional facility at St. Cloud.

Barrick, 41, Walker, who has served one year of the sentence and completed an in-patient treatment program there, argued his prior clean criminal record meant he could not benefit from prison programs for criminals.

Further, he argued, he could not fully complete the chemical dependency treatment program he had participated in until he could be released from prison for the community phase of it.

The judge ruled the court, under the arguments in this case, lacks authority to amend the sentence. The sentence followed state sentencing guideline recommendations, Benshoof concluded. "The defendant is not entitled to a modification of his sentence."

Barrick's sentence is for criminal vehicular operation resulting in death.

He was the driver of a vehicle May 1, 1997, which crossed the Highway 371 center line south of Walker and struck a vehicle driven by James Dunham. Dunham died at the scene.

Court appearances

WALKER -- The following cases were recently heard in Cass County Court:

Paul Louis Folt, 51, Brooklyn Park, was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve 40 days on the work release program for gross misdemeanor DUI. He will be on probation three years.

Ronald Dean Hunt, 39, rural Walker, pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was placed on two years probation. Hunt also was found in violation of probation he is serving for aiding and abetting fifth-degree controlled substance crime (sell). Hunt was ordered to pay a $125 fine and serve 60 days in jail. He will be on probation five years.

Russell George Bunker, 23, Cass Lake, was ordered with co-defendants to pay $400 restitution for felony theft of stereo equipment from a parked vehicle in Walker last September.

Joseph Edward Connors, 35, Walker, admitted violating probation he is serving for terroristic threats and was sentenced to serve an additional 30 days jail.

Richard Kirkpatrick Dabill, 35, Pine River, pleaded guilty to an amended count of illegal possession of a pistol. The judge ordered Dabill to pay $200 cost of prosecution and placed him on probation for one year.