Carlson assault case begins

• Carlson

Sergei Carlson appears on interactive television Wednesday in Cass County District Court for his arraignment on escape attempt charges. (David Samson/The Forum)

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FARGO, N.D. - A teenager sentenced to life in prison for killing his sister seemed to smirk during his initial appearance Wednesday on felony charges for assaulting a correctional officer last month while trying to escape.

Cass County District Court Judge Steven Marquart set bail for Sergei Isaac Carlson at $100,000 cash – which was a formality because he is not eligible for release – and appointed him a public defender.

“I don’t think it really makes any difference,” Marquart said.

Carlson appeared briefly in court via interactive television from the Cass County Jail with a grin on his face as he approached the camera.

Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Tracy Peters said Carlson likely will not face extra time for the charges, but the charges are important because they may affect where he is held as a prisoner and the amount of security and restrictions placed on him.

“We want the folks that are going to be handling him to know that he has tried to escape,” Peters said.

The charges also were filed to show others they will be held accountable for their actions while in custody.

“Correctional officers have to put up with a certain amount of misbehavior, but this really crossed the line,” she said. “And we want people to know … that if they cross that line they’re going to be appearing in front of a judge on new charges because that’s just not something we’re going to tolerate.”

Other residents at the Cass County Juvenile Detention Center told investigators Carlson told them the day of the assault that he wasn’t going to prison. Instead, he was plotting the attack and trying to recruit others to join and escape to California, court documents show.

Carlson repeatedly struck the correctional officer in the head with trim from a bookcase before being tackled to the ground by another deputy, who had been distracted by two female residents when the Sept. 25 assault occurred, court documents state.

Carlson’s next court appearance is set for Nov. 26.

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