Terrorizing Defense Attorney

Terrorizing is a very serious charge.  You need an experienced attorney!

In North Dakota, generally, terrorizing is when a person intends to place another person in fear for their safety and threatens to commit any crime of violence or act dangerously towards human life. The charge is a class C felony. If the charge alleges a weapon was involved, there is a mandatory minimum two year prison term the judge must impose.

Contrary to the Sticks and Stones rhyme, you learned as a toddler, mere words can get you in trouble. Even engaging in hyperbole and jest, can sometimes lead to a terrorizing charge. In Mr. Edinger's 24 years of experience, it is the most overcharged crime he has personally observed in the criminal justice system. He has seen dozens of cases where the police have arrested a person for terrorizing, but the person was too intoxicated to walk, yet alone physically harm any one. In several cases, the more appropriate charge is menacing, a class A misdemeanor, or disorderly conduct, a mere class B misdemeanor.

In Mr. Edinger's 24 year career, he has been successful in getting dozens of terrorizing charges reduced to menacing, disorderly conduct, or dismissed.

In State v. M.H., Defendant was charged with two counts of terrorizing. The defendant was accused of threatening two people with bodily harm and then threatening to drink their blood. Due to Mr. Edinger's zealous advocacy and his persistence to go to trial, the State amended the charges to two counts of disorderly conduct just two days before the trial. Mr. Edinger refused to accept a plea deal and the case went to trial. At the jury trial, Mr. Edinger successfully argued the State did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and the State's witnesses were not credible. The jury agreed and found the defendant not guilty of the charges! 

In State v. A.A., Defendant was charged with terrorizing.  At the preliminary hearing, Mr. Edinger successfully argued the State did not prove that there was probable cause the defendant had committed the crime. The district court judge agreed and dismissed the case. Subsequently, the State recharged the incident as a disorderly conduct. Defendant pled guilty to the reduced charge.

If you have been charged with terrorizing, menacing, or disorderly conduct, call Attorney Richard Edinger.