Larson jury trial to begin in August
Published 9:42 am Monday, December 28, 2009
The jury trial for 19-year-old Ashton Larson, who faces multiple charges tied to alleged abuse of residents at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea, has been scheduled for August 2010.
According to scheduling in Larson’s file, her jury trial will begin Aug. 16, with the pre-trial beginning Aug. 6.
She faces 10 charges, including two counts of fifth-degree assault, five counts of criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult, two counts of disorderly conduct of a vulnerable adult and one count of mandatory failure to report suspected abuse at the nursing home.
The charges stem from alleged incidents at the nursing home from January through May 2008. The allegations surfaced after the release of a Minnesota Department of Health report in August 2008 that concluded four teenagers were involved in verbal, sexual and emotional abuse of 15 residents at the nursing home. The residents suffered from mental degradation conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Larson pleaded not guilty to all counts against her in Freeborn County District Court on Dec. 17.
At that hearing, Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson and Larson’s lawyer said they anticipate the trial itself to last about six days, while picking a jury will last at least one day.
Larson’s lawyer said he and his client have not yet decided whether to request a change of venue.
The trial date for co-defendant Brianna Broitzman, who faces similar charges, is April 12, 2010.