BISMARCK - The arraignment date for state workers' compensation officials charged with conspiring to release confidential information is up in the air after several changes in judges assigned to the case.
Charles "Sandy" Blunt, executive director of Workforce Safety and Insurance, and Romi Leingang, the agency's fraud unit head, were charged in April with the felony.
South Central District Judge Donald Jorgensen ruled Aug. 30 that there's probable cause to send the case to trial.
South Central District Judge David Reich was assigned as trial judge, using the court's rotational system. An arraignment, at which Leingang and Blunt will enter pleas, was set for Oct. 1.
But Reich recused himself. The case then rotated to Jorgensen. Blunt's attorney, Michael Hoffman, filed a demand for change of judge, and it was then assigned to South Central District Judge Bruce Haskell, with an arraignment date of Sept. 24.
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The prosecutor, Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Cynthia Feland, filed a demand for change of judge against Haskell.
On Thursday, it was assigned to South Central District Judge Thomas Schneider, but without an arraignment date.
Each party can file one change-of-judge demand in a case without giving a reason. Leingang's attorney, Tim Purdon, hasn't objected to any judges but still could. He said Thursday he'll discuss with Leingang whether to keep Schneider or file a demand.
The charges
The charge alleges Blunt and Leingang broke state law by printing Department of Transportation drivers' license photos for a questionable probe into the origin of an e-mail to the agency. State law restricts use of the photos as confidential records. They each face a maximum of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted.
Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns the Herald.
