MINOT — It rarely happens, but it did at the Ward County courthouse Wednesday. Two men charged in separate cases of Class AA felony murder made consecutive appearances in the same courtroom.
Milo Whitetail, 56, Minot, was the first to appear before Judge Douglas Mattson. Whitetail is charged with the stabbing death of another man at a Minot hotel on May 25, 2020.
Wearing black and white inmate clothing and a protective mask due to coronavirus precautions, Whitetail sat quietly while prosecution and defense attorneys discussed with Mattson a proposed schedule for Whitetail’s upcoming court trial. Five days were deemed necessary for a trial, with jury selection and opening arguments set for March 21.
Minutes after Whitetail’s courthouse session Bradley Morales, 32, Minot, appeared via interactive video network, or IVN, in the same courtroom. Morales was seated in a room at the Ward County Jail where, like Whitetail, he is being held pending trial.
Morales was originally found guilty in the stabbing death of his girlfriend in August 2017 and sentenced to 40 years in the state penitentiary. The conviction was later reversed on the grounds that the courtroom had been closed on occasion during Morales’ trial without first considering alternatives and a re-trial was ordered. He was unable to proceed with a February trial due to having coronavirus.
Mattson asked Morales how he was feeling and Morales replied, “I feel pretty good.”
Discussion followed with State’s Attorney Roza Larson telling Mattson that, according to the schedule of potential witnesses, an April or May trial would be preferred.
“I have no problem with those dates,” responded Morales.
Mattson concluded the hearing by telling both parties that he “can’t guarantee” a trial in that time frame but that he was focused on doing so, even if it meant re-arranging future courthouse schedules.
