Cass County (N.D.) States Attorney Records, 1965-1976
Collection
Identifier: Mss 411
Scope and Content
The Cass County (N.D.) States Attorney Records span the time period between 1965 to 1976. Many of the files contain investigative reports and hand written notes giving a good look into the inner workings of the State’s Attorney’s office as they built their cases for prosecution. The case files are only those files that have been deemed completed and closed, so not every criminal case tried in the district court during this time period is available in this collection. Many of the case files contain restricted content, which must be reviewed and redacted by Archives staff prior to patron use. Restricted content is listed on the folder tab in red, to aid in the redaction of content from the files. The second file in the collection contains the most recent North Dakota case retention schedule as a reference aid in current rules and laws. The collection has been broken down into nine series: mbered District Court Criminal Court Case Files, Unnumbered District Court Criminal Case Files, Numbered Cass County Court Criminal Case Series, Cass County (N.D.) Sheriff Investigation Reports, Fargo (N.D.) Police Department Investigation Reports, Other Investigative Reports, States Attorney/Attorney General Opinions Series, Coroner Certificates Series (Restricted), and Cass County Commission Series.
In the Numbered District Court Criminal Case Files Series, the files are arranged numerically by the case number assigned by the court, and includes type of crime and date of criminal complaint. For privacy reasons the names are not on the finding aid, however there is an internal Excel Database that can be searched by archives staff. Types of information found in the files include, police reports, correspondence, witness and interrogation statements, court proceedings, arrest reports, sentencing, evidence, and in some cases mugshot photographs. Many of the case files deal with drug crimes, especially marijuana. Of interest are Case No. 1428-72, dealing with selling obscene material in Fargo’s adult bookstore. Another large case is 3109-74, the 1974 murder of Donovan Astrup near Tower City.
There are nine files that do not have a case identification number associated with them. They make up the Unnumbered Criminal Case File Series. The case files date from 1965-1976.
The Numbered Cass County Court Case Series contains less serious crimes dating from October 1975 to May 1976. There is one lone case from June 1981. They are organized by number, which was acquired from the Cass County Court Calendars found in the first file of this series. The inventory lists the type of crime, sentence of the court and date of sentencing. For privacy reasons the names are not on the finding aid, however there is an internal Excel Database that can be searched by archives staff. Some case files contain police or highway patrol reports associated with the crime. The majority of the crimes involve driving while under the influence, reckless driving, or driving while license suspended.
The Cass County Sheriff Investigation Reports Series, for the most part is identified by the case number assigned by the Sheriff’s office, name of the person reporting incident, and date. They are from 1974-1976. The Fargo (N.D.) Police Department Investigation Reports Series is arraigned by the “Offense Number” listed at the top of the report, the person or business reporting the complaint and the type of crime being investigated, and the date of the report. The reports extend from December 1968 to December 1976, with the majority of the reports from 1975-1976. The Other Investigative Reports Series are for reports from non-Fargo police departments, the North Dakota Highway Patrol, and citizen’s complaints to the State’s Attorney office. Included in this series are also Fargo Police Department correspondence, and State Toxicologist List of Approved Chemical Testing Devices for the year 1975.
The States Attorney/Attorney General Opinions Series is mostly made of correspondence on legal matters in the State’s Attorney and Attorney General offices from between 1971 and 1976.
There are a set of Cass County Coroner Certificates in the next series, all of which are restricted files.
The Cass County Commission Series has three files, one dealing with the Inter-Community Telephone Company based in Nome, North Dakota and their authorization to provide a AUTOVON Switching Center at Wheatland, North Dakota, 1965-1967. The second file deals with the Cass County Industrial Development Revenue Bond of 1976, and the Northland Research facility in Mapleton, North Dakota. The last file holds a survey of the property belonging to the County Hospital, also known as Golden Acres Haven, dated February 1970.
In the Numbered District Court Criminal Case Files Series, the files are arranged numerically by the case number assigned by the court, and includes type of crime and date of criminal complaint. For privacy reasons the names are not on the finding aid, however there is an internal Excel Database that can be searched by archives staff. Types of information found in the files include, police reports, correspondence, witness and interrogation statements, court proceedings, arrest reports, sentencing, evidence, and in some cases mugshot photographs. Many of the case files deal with drug crimes, especially marijuana. Of interest are Case No. 1428-72, dealing with selling obscene material in Fargo’s adult bookstore. Another large case is 3109-74, the 1974 murder of Donovan Astrup near Tower City.
There are nine files that do not have a case identification number associated with them. They make up the Unnumbered Criminal Case File Series. The case files date from 1965-1976.
The Numbered Cass County Court Case Series contains less serious crimes dating from October 1975 to May 1976. There is one lone case from June 1981. They are organized by number, which was acquired from the Cass County Court Calendars found in the first file of this series. The inventory lists the type of crime, sentence of the court and date of sentencing. For privacy reasons the names are not on the finding aid, however there is an internal Excel Database that can be searched by archives staff. Some case files contain police or highway patrol reports associated with the crime. The majority of the crimes involve driving while under the influence, reckless driving, or driving while license suspended.
The Cass County Sheriff Investigation Reports Series, for the most part is identified by the case number assigned by the Sheriff’s office, name of the person reporting incident, and date. They are from 1974-1976. The Fargo (N.D.) Police Department Investigation Reports Series is arraigned by the “Offense Number” listed at the top of the report, the person or business reporting the complaint and the type of crime being investigated, and the date of the report. The reports extend from December 1968 to December 1976, with the majority of the reports from 1975-1976. The Other Investigative Reports Series are for reports from non-Fargo police departments, the North Dakota Highway Patrol, and citizen’s complaints to the State’s Attorney office. Included in this series are also Fargo Police Department correspondence, and State Toxicologist List of Approved Chemical Testing Devices for the year 1975.
The States Attorney/Attorney General Opinions Series is mostly made of correspondence on legal matters in the State’s Attorney and Attorney General offices from between 1971 and 1976.
There are a set of Cass County Coroner Certificates in the next series, all of which are restricted files.
The Cass County Commission Series has three files, one dealing with the Inter-Community Telephone Company based in Nome, North Dakota and their authorization to provide a AUTOVON Switching Center at Wheatland, North Dakota, 1965-1967. The second file deals with the Cass County Industrial Development Revenue Bond of 1976, and the Northland Research facility in Mapleton, North Dakota. The last file holds a survey of the property belonging to the County Hospital, also known as Golden Acres Haven, dated February 1970.
Dates
- 1965-1976
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives. Some files may contain restricted content which require review of Archives staff prior to patron use.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection is held by the State of North Dakota
History
According to the Cass County Government website “The State’s Attorney is the chief law enforcement officer in the County of Cass, North Dakota, and is responsible for prosecuting all of the felonies, misdemeanors and traffic offenses committed in Cass County, not otherwise handled by the Fargo and West Fargo City Prosecutors.” This collection of records encompasses the terms of three Cass County State’s Attorneys, Eugene A. Kruger, who served from 1962 to 1970, and John O. Garaas, who served from 1970 to 1974, and Mervin Nordeng who served from 1974-1979.
Eugene Kruger was born in Jamestown, North Dakota in 1929. He attended school in Edgeley, and graduated from the University of North Dakota at Ellendale. He served in the U. S. Army in Korea from 1951-1953. After he returned, he attended the University of North Dakota Law School. After graduating, he came to Fargo and took over the law practice of Roy K. Redetzke in 1958. Besides his years as State’s Attorney, he was president to the North Dakota Peace Officers, president of the Cass County Bar Association, and appointed attorney and clerk of the Cass County Mental Health Board. He passed away in 1981.
John O. Garaas was born in Wheelock, North Dakota, in 1922. He graduated from Wheelock High School in 1940, attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota from 1940-1943. He served in the U. S. Army’s 10th Armored Division during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of North Dakota and received his law degree in 1949. He had a private law practice in Watford City, and served on a number of McKenzie County posts, including State’s Attorney, state senator, and Watford City attorney. In 1961, he moved to Fargo where he first served as U. S. Attorney for North Dakota until 1969, and Cass County State’s Attorney, from 1970-1974. He was appointed to the district court bench, and served as judge from 1978 to 1988. He passed away in 1997.
Mervin D. Nordeng was born in Watford City, in 1942. He attended North Dakota State University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1964. He spent four years working for the Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1969, he decided to pursue a career in law, and attended University of North Dakota Law School. He gradated in 1971, and spent a year as a clerk with the North Dakota Supreme Court. In 1972, he moved to Fargo to be a full-time assistant to State’s Attorney, John O. Garaas. In 1974, he became the first full-time Cass County State’s Attorney. He served until 1979, after deciding to go into private practice.
Eugene Kruger was born in Jamestown, North Dakota in 1929. He attended school in Edgeley, and graduated from the University of North Dakota at Ellendale. He served in the U. S. Army in Korea from 1951-1953. After he returned, he attended the University of North Dakota Law School. After graduating, he came to Fargo and took over the law practice of Roy K. Redetzke in 1958. Besides his years as State’s Attorney, he was president to the North Dakota Peace Officers, president of the Cass County Bar Association, and appointed attorney and clerk of the Cass County Mental Health Board. He passed away in 1981.
John O. Garaas was born in Wheelock, North Dakota, in 1922. He graduated from Wheelock High School in 1940, attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota from 1940-1943. He served in the U. S. Army’s 10th Armored Division during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of North Dakota and received his law degree in 1949. He had a private law practice in Watford City, and served on a number of McKenzie County posts, including State’s Attorney, state senator, and Watford City attorney. In 1961, he moved to Fargo where he first served as U. S. Attorney for North Dakota until 1969, and Cass County State’s Attorney, from 1970-1974. He was appointed to the district court bench, and served as judge from 1978 to 1988. He passed away in 1997.
Mervin D. Nordeng was born in Watford City, in 1942. He attended North Dakota State University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1964. He spent four years working for the Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1969, he decided to pursue a career in law, and attended University of North Dakota Law School. He gradated in 1971, and spent a year as a clerk with the North Dakota Supreme Court. In 1972, he moved to Fargo to be a full-time assistant to State’s Attorney, John O. Garaas. In 1974, he became the first full-time Cass County State’s Attorney. He served until 1979, after deciding to go into private practice.
Extent
11.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Records of the Cass County State’s Attorney, the chief law enforcement officer responsible for prosecuting all of the felonies, misdemeanors and traffic offenses committed in Cass County, not otherwise handled by the Fargo and West Fargo City Prosecutors. This collection of records encompasses the years 1965-1976.
Provenance
Deposited by the Cass County State's Attorney Office, 2023 (2023-031irs)
Property rights
Title is held by the State of North Dakota.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Cass County (N.D.) States Attorney Records
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu