Eight Bison football players charged

[The Sicatoka]

Here's what really makes me laugh:

Bohl (and assumably Taylor) knew about this since before the season started (Bohl said for a couple weeks during his presser) but didn't do anything.

Bohl could have easily sat those eight (or is it more since yesterday?) for the Robert Morris game as "team discipline" and no one would've been the wiser. Then, when the AG and SecState came out this week Bohl could have come before for the cameras and said "It's a matter that's been dealt with internally. If more needs to be done that decision will be made after the charges play out in court."

Bing! He'd be done and he'd look absolutely golden. And he'd have cover with administration, fans, and media until the justice system did run its course. As an added bonus, a one-game suspension sets a tone for what he believes the punishments should be.

He should've seen dealing with it up front would save trouble later. (That's the lesson everyone can learn from Penn State by the way.)

Instead, now, he's having to deal with questions about "Why is Jemison gone but these guys still there for the same A misdemeanor charge?" and "Are you sure that this isn't related to a big game on Saturday?"

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Gene,

If you hate UND and Grand Forks so much, why do you continue to live and work there? It's unhealthy to have so much hate.

Gene from the Gf Herald comment section?! Now all of his comments make sense! Thanks choyt3!!

[The Sicatoka]

Was it sealed with a pipe ceremony?

It would've been medical marijuana in the pipe except ...

[GeauxSioux]

Any of you lawyer types know what the laws in North Dakota are regarding conspiracy to commit fraud? Sure they could just say that a "mistake" was made, but to have eight players from a football team doing the same thing begs the question as to who was orchestrating this? Were they all in one place doing this?

[UNDBIZ]

Synthetic drugs

Because Grand Forks has a worse drug culture than Fargo.

[Oxbow6]

It would've been medical marijuana in the pipe except ...

Hahaha...well played!

[darell1976]

Any of you lawyer types know what the laws in North Dakota are regarding conspiracy to commit fraud? Sure they could just say that a "mistake" was made, but to have eight players from a football team doing the same thing begs the question as to who was orchestrating this? Were they all in one place doing this?

Maybe Bohl and/or Taylor was the mastermind. Where is Scooby Doo to solve this mystery.

[The Sicatoka]

The latest from the Forum:

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/373375/

[darell1976]

The latest from the Forum:

http://www.inforum.c...icle/id/373375/

According to an experienced local defense attorney, from someone’s first court appearance on such a charge to the point a case is resolved by trial could take five to six months, though a guilty plea could shorten that timeline considerably.

5 or 6 months!!! I wonder if I will be picked for jury duty. I could show up in my UND shirt.

[petey23]

Whether you think it is a big deal or not, depending on what kind of line of work any of these guys want to go into once they finish college, they are going to find out how big of a deal this was. Once you check that box on an employment application, even being charged with forgery/breach of trust/fraud becomes a pretty big deal and can/will get you disqualified for jobs.

They will have options. There are several companies looking for go-getters like these. Here are a few companies that may already be recruiting them.

1. 1825 Atlantic MHANY, Inc.
   
2. 4415 San Jacinto Street Corporation
   
3. 5301 McDougall Corporation
   
4. 730 Rockaway MHANY, Inc.
   
5. A Community Voice (ACV)
   
6. ACORN Community Land Association of Pennsylvania
   
7. ACORN Community Land Association, Inc.
   
8. ACORN Global Enterprises, L3C
   
9. ACORN Loan Program
   
10. Action NC
    
11. Action Now
    
12. Action Now Institute
    
13. Action United
    
14. Action United Education Fund
    
15. Action United Political Action Committee
    
16. Advancement Project
    
17. Advancement Project California
    
18. Advocates and Actions
    
19. Affiliated Media Foundation Movement, Inc.
    
20. Affordable Housing Centers of America (AHCOA)
    
21. Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania
    
22. Agape Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.
    
23. Alliance for Justice (AFJ)
    
24. Alliance for Justice Action Campaign
    
25. Alliance Institute
    
26. Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment
    
27. Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Institute
    
28. American Home Day Care Workers Association, Inc.
    
29. Applied Research Center
    
30. Arizona Center for Empowerment
    
31. Arkansas Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.
    
32. Arkansas Community Institute
    
33. Arkansas Community Organizations (ACO)
    
34. ASI Community Center
    
35. Association for Rights of Citizens, Inc.
    
36. Association for Union Democracy
    
37. Austin Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
    
38. Baltimore Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
    
39. Baton Rouge Association of School Employees
    
40. Broad Street Corporation
    
41. Catalist LLC
    
42. Center for Labor Education and Research, Inc.
    
43. Center on Policy Initiatives (CPI)
    
44. Chicago Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
    
45. Chief Organizer Fund, Inc.
    
46. Chincoteague Cultural Alliance, Inc.
    
47. Citizens Consulting Inc.
    
48. Citizens Services, Inc.
    
49. Communities United
    
50. Communities United New Jersey
    
51. Communities United Training and Education Fund
    
52. Communities Voting Together
    
53. Community Asset Development Redefining Education
    
54. Community Empowerment Education Fund
    
55. Community Labor Administrative Services, Inc.
    
56. Community Organizations International
    
57. Community Voices Together
    
58. Connecticut Working Families Party
    
59. Dallas Monthly Meeting of Friends, Inc.
    
60. Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement, Inc.
    
61. Delawareans for Social and Economic Justice (DSEJ)
    
62. Elysian Fields Corporation
    
63. Elysian Fields Partnership
    
64. Fifteenth Street Corporation
    
65. Flagstaff Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.
    
66. Florida Institute for Reform and Empowerment (FIRE)
    
67. Florida Watch Action, Inc.
    
68. Floridians for All PAC
    
69. Forefront Organizing
    
70. Good Jobs = Great Houston
    
71. Good Jobs Now, Inc
    
72. Good Jobs, Better Baltimore
    
73. Greenwell Springs Corporation
    
74. Hammurabi Fund, Inc.
    
75. Health Care for America Now
    
76. Home Defenders League
    
77. Housing Here and Now
    
78. Houston Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
    
79. Impact Restoration Community Development
    
80. Institute for Neighborhood Action
    
81. Jobs With Justice
    
82. Jobs With Justice Education Fund
    
83. KABF Radio
    
84. KNON
    
85. Labor Education and Research Project
    
86. Labor Neighbor Research and Training Center
    
87. Leadership Center for the Common Good
    
88. Leadership Center for the Common Good Action Fund
    
89. Living United for Change in Arizona
    
90. Massachusetts Jobs With Justice
    
91. McLellan Multi-Family Corporation
    
92. MHANY 1 Associates, L.P.
    
93. MHANY 1 Inc.
    
94. MHANY 1999 Housing Development Fund Corporation
    
95. MHANY 1999 II Housing Development Fund Corporation
    
96. MHANY 2 Associates, L.P.
    
97. MHANY 2, Inc.
    
98. MHANY 2002 Housing Development Fund Corporation
    
99. MHANY 2003 Housing Development Fund Corporation
    
100. MHANY 2004 Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
101. MHANY 2005 Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
102. MHANY 2007 Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
103. MHANY 2011 Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
104. MHANY 2012 Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
105. MHANY 2012 II Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
106. MHANY 3 Associates, L.P.
     
107. MHANY 3, Inc.
     
108. MHANY 4 Associates, L.P.
     
109. MHANY 4, Inc.
     
110. MHANY Bristol Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
111. MHANY Bristol, Inc.
     
112. MHANY Holdings 2012 LLC
     
113. MHANY Management Inc.
     
114. Middle South Home Day Care Workers Association, Inc.
     
115. Minnesota Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (MNOC)
     
116. Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition
     
117. Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE)
     
118. Montana People’s Action
     
119. Mutual Housing Association of New York (MHANY)
     
120. National Housing Resource Center
     
121. New England United for Justice (NEU4J)
     
122. New Jersey Working Families Alliance
     
123. New Majority Education Fund
     
124. New Mexico Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
     
125. New York Agency for Community Affairs (NYACA)
     
126. New York City Parent Organizing Consortium
     
127. New York Communities for Change (NYCC)
     
128. New York Communities Organizing Consultants, Inc.
     
129. New York Communities Organizing Fund (NYCOF)
     
130. New York Organizing and Support Center
     
131. North Carolina Social Justice Project
     
132. Nwannedinamba of Columbus, Ohio
     
133. OLE Parents Association
     
134. Organization United for Reform Washington (OUR Washington)
     
135. Organize Now
     
136. Organizing for Action California
     
137. Organizing in the Land of Enchantment (OLE)
     
138. Our City, Our Schools
     
139. Our D.C.
     
140. Pennsylvania Communities Organizing for Change (PCOC)
     
141. Pennsylvania Institute for Community Affairs, Inc.
     
142. Pennsylvania Neighborhoods for Social Justice (PNSJ)
     
143. People’s Equipment Resource Corporation
     
144. Phoenix Estates Housing Development Fund Corporation
     
145. Phoenix Hunts Point Corporation
     
146. Phoenix Organizing and Support Center, Inc.
     
147. Progressive Future Education Fund
     
148. Progressive Maryland Education Fund
     
149. Progressive Maryland, Inc.
     
150. Project Vote
     
151. Public Services for the Public Good
     
152. Radio New Mexico
     
153. San Francisco Labor Council
     
154. Sankofa Community Development Corporation
     
155. SEIU 1199
     
156. SEIU Healthcare Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas
     
157. SEIU Local 21 LA
     
158. Services Employees International Union
     
159. Sixth Avenue Corporation
     
160. Southern Training Center
     
161. St. Louis Organizing and Support Center
     
162. St. Louis Tax Reform Group
     
163. Start Corporation
     
164. Texas Organizing Project (TOP)
     
165. Texas Organizing Project Education Fund (TOP ED)
     
166. Texas United City-County Employees Inc.
     
167. The Black Institute
     
168. United Family Corporation, LLC
     
169. United Labor Foundation of Greater New Orleans, Inc.
     
170. Voter Alliance to Improve Democracy
     
171. Wal Mart Alliance for Reform Now, Inc.
     
172. Working Families Association, Inc.
     
173. Working Families Party
     
174. World Owerri People’s Congress Inc., Columbus/Franklin County Ohio Chapter
     

If none of these work out for them they could just work directly for the Democratic Party!

[tnt]

Here's what really makes me laugh:

Bohl (and assumably Taylor) knew about this since before the season started (Bohl said for a couple weeks during his presser) but didn't do anything.

Bohl could have easily sat those eight (or is it more since yesterday?) for the Robert Morris game as "team discipline" and no one would've been the wiser. Then, when the AG and SecState came out this week Bohl could have come before for the cameras and said "It's a matter that's been dealt with internally. If more needs to be done that decision will be made after the charges play out in court."

Bing! He'd be done and he'd look absolutely golden. And he'd have cover with administration, fans, and media until the justice system did run its course. As an added bonus, a one-game suspension sets a tone for what he believes the punishments should be.

He should've seen dealing with it up front would save trouble later. (That's the lesson everyone can learn from Penn State by the way.)

Instead, now, he's having to deal with questions about "Why is Jemison gone but these guys still there for the same A misdemeanor charge?" and "Are you sure that this isn't related to a big game on Saturday?"

I think that is the key thing here. Sometimes you can't control the stupid things kids do in college, and players on a team are just as likely to do some of these things, if not more, because they have always been told how great they are. But when things like this do inevitably happen, you can get out ahead on it and people can respect that. It amazes me that politicians and administrators haven't figured out by now that you can't keep things hidden in today's society.

[watchmaker49]

One thing that keeps getting overlooked here is no one has been charged with anything. So they are suppose to be suspended though they have not been charged, much less convicted?

[watchmaker49]

Gene from the Gf Herald comment section?! Now all of his comments make sense! Thanks choyt3!!

Another mindless comment from the cheap seats.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Another mindless comment from the cheap seats.

It's true though, right?

[homer]

One thing that keeps getting overlooked here is no one has been charged with anything. So they are suppose to be suspended though they have not been charged, much less convicted?

The thing you are overlooking is your head coach just released a backup player coming off of hip surgery a couple weeks ago before he was ever charged with anything, much less convicted. Do you understand how it looks to someone who isn't blinded by green and gold glasses?

Backup who will see the field in special teams and has no prior incidents- don't let the process play out.

Starters (which includes possibly 2 All-Americans one of which is on strike 5)- we better let the process play out before reacting. I understand that they are two different situations but Jemison may not even go to court or have to have a plea deal, more than likely these 8 are going to face something.

[Teeder11]

It's true though, right?

Not that it matters... but Gene from the Herald comments section is a down-and-out UND languages professor, who is angry at the world (especially UND administrators, Grand Forks and North Dakota) becuase he missed out on advancemnt opportunities and because they'll (UND) never give him tenure. He has positioned himself as the local curmudgeon and contrarian on everything that happens in Grand Forks and North Dakota. He's one of those guys who sits on his computer all day -- probably on a state computer at work at Merrifield -- stirring the pot on local and state issues just to make his sorry dead-end life more interesting. I think he's a transplant from Riverside, Calif., who got trapped here in the 80's, and he blames the world for his "misfortunes."

[Oxbow6]

One thing that keeps getting overlooked here is no one has been charged with anything. So they are suppose to be suspended though they have not been charged, much less convicted?

You called someone out earlier today for not having a clue what they were talking about...post #299 of this thread, but charges have been filed...post #16.

Pull your foot out of your mouth whenever it's convenient for you!

[The Sicatoka]

One thing that keeps getting overlooked here is no one has been charged with anything. So they are suppose to be suspended though they have not been charged, much less convicted?

Earlier this summer NDSU LB Brendan Jemison was dismissed from the NDSU team when the reports came out he was about to be charged with a class A misdemeanor. He was gone before the charges were filed. These guys: A misdemeanor, not yet charged, but still on team. That discrepancy is what is being questioned.

I know many are saying "there's more that Bohl knew when he decided on Jemison" but that, honestly, is a whisper campaign and no one should be in favor of those. If there's more Bohl should've been clear as to why the Jemison situation is different. Yes, he gave a "not drugs, not sexual" answer about why the current eight are still on the team. It sounds nice, but is unsatisfying to the media because "it is NOT ..." isn't an answer. The media wants the "it IS ..." answer.

If you don't give the media an "it IS ... " answer they'll go and dig to find one* (and may not be pleasant to people they believe to be withholding in the mean time).

*No guarantees what they find is really the right "it IS ..." answer either.

[JohnboyND7]

UND not retiring the Sioux name in 2000 is considered doing some questionable things?? There was no NCAA policy at the time. The alumni (nearly all of them, not just Engelstad) never would've allowed it.

Your attempting (poorly I might add) to compare keeping an historic sports nickname to keeping a bunch of criminals who attempted to defraud the state of North Dakota.

I believe I have read on multiple places that he made some threats to the administration. Not going to go any further than that. Everyone know those things. You think these kids were trying to get in the way of democracy? Or were they trying to reach a quota that got them a few more bucks? Keep that in mind before you crucify them. Something tells me the judge is going to look at what they did and why they did it. I imagine after that he will give them a punishment far lesser than what the penalty normally would be because the fact that they didn't have any intentions to do anything bad other than get a few more bucks out of an employer. You are just going "BUT THAT IS A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR, GIVE THEM THE BIGGEST PUNISHMENT! GET THEM OFF THE BISON! IN FACT, INVESTIGATE THEIR PROGRAM!" It comes off as silly.

The thing you are overlooking is your head coach just released a backup player coming off of hip surgery a couple weeks ago before he was ever charged with anything, much less convicted. Do you understand how it looks to someone who isn't blinded by green and gold glasses?

Backup who will see the field in special teams and has no prior incidents- don't let the process play out.

Starters (which includes possibly 2 All-Americans one of which is on strike 5)- we better let the process play out before reacting. I understand that they are two different situations but Jemison may not even go to court or have to have a plea deal, more than likely these 8 are going to face something.

Jemison had his dong out in public. End of story. Get him off the team. That is it. Simple as that.

A lot also depends on the conversation Bohl had with the kids. Ojuri will probably get in a lot more hot water than the others considering his past. And don't call Ojuri a possible All-American. He splits carries.

[VMeister]

It was an innocent mistake that they will be punished for.

I think that's the part that doesn't sit well. At least a DUI is an impaired decision. How long would it take to forge hundreds (thousands?) of fake names? Too long for it to be innocent.

I've made innocent mistakes in my life. Not once did the state Attorney General call a press conference.

I am going to assume you, or daddy, or a loved one has a DUI or two. Driving drunk puts lives in danger, least importantly the driver, most importantly anyone on the road.

Johnny,

As GeauxSioux pointed out, I'm not defending drunk driving in any way. My point was when you make a decide to drive drunk, it is by definition an impaired decision. Seems to me forging signatures and certifying they are authentic might be a bit more premeditated, no?

But since you asked, in my 51 years I've never had an alcohol citation. Can you say the same for yourself for say, the last 90 days?

DUI is infinitely worse than what these guys did. These guys went through a phonebook and put names down. No physical harm.

Of course there was no physical harm. That's kinda how fraud works. Bernie Madoff physically harmed no one. There are laws for a lot of things that doesn't involve people getting hurt.

No one is suggesting these people should be lined up and shot. But to imply that these players and Fargo Football, Inc. don't have a major shitstorm on their hands just makes you look silly.

[Bison06]

From the articles I am reading in the forum, they seem to make it pretty clear that no charges have been officially filed at this point in time. Does that dampen anyone's aggessiveness on getting these kids punished as fast as possible?

It certainly does for me. And yes I realize that Coach Bohl dismissed Jemison before any official charges were filed, but from my sources I understand that there was a conversation making Coach Bohl believe that it happened and charges would be filed very soon after. These kids may never be charged with a crime, should they still be punished?

[tnt]

From the articles I am reading in the forum, they seem to make it pretty clear that no charges have been officially filed at this point in time. Does that dampen anyone's aggessiveness on getting these kids punished as fast as possible?

It certainly does for me. And yes I realize that Coach Bohl dismissed Jemison before any official charges were filed, but from my sources I understand that there was a conversation making Coach Bohl believe that it happened and charges would be filed very soon after. These kids may never be charged with a crime, should they still be punished?

... and there wasn't a conversation that made him believe this happened?

[UNDvince97-01]

From the articles I am reading in the forum, they seem to make it pretty clear that no charges have been officially filed at this point in time. Does that dampen anyone's aggessiveness on getting these kids punished as fast as possible?

It certainly does for me. And yes I realize that Coach Bohl dismissed Jemison before any official charges were filed, but from my sources I understand that there was a conversation making Coach Bohl believe that it happened and charges would be filed very soon after. These kids may never be charged with a crime, should they still be punished?

If these players are not charged, then the AG should resign and the players should file a lawsuit.

[watchmaker49]

You called someone out earlier today for not having a clue what they were talking about...post #299 of this thread, but charges have been filed...post #16.

Pull your foot out of your mouth whenever it's convenient for you!

Suspects named in the case face charges of facilitation of voter fraud or filing a false statement, according to Stenehjem and Jaeger, who said the Cass County state’s attorney’s office will handle the cases.

Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Cherie Clark said charges had not been filed as of Tuesday afternoon, and she said she could not discuss the cases.

So when were the actually charges filed? Were they filed yesterday? If they were filed yesterday why do the papers not list that they were charged?

This was

[UNDvince97-01]

Johnny,

As GeauxSioux pointed out, I'm not defending drunk driving in any way. My point was when you make a decide to drive drunk, it is by definition an impaired decision. Seems to me forging signatures and certifying they are authentic might be a bit more premeditated, no?

What if they were impaired with the very substance they were promoting on the petition when they made these supposed 'stupid and lazy' mistakes?