FARIBAULT, Minn. — A trial date has been set in the case of a Rice County man charged with second-degree murder in the death of an elderly motorist.
During an Omnibus hearing Wednesday 53-year-old Leslie Sanders officially entered a not guilty plea in connection with the incident, which took place on June 27, 2022.
In an amended criminal complaint filed against Sanders on March 7, prosecutors allege that on the day in question Sanders was driving near Northfield when he passed an SUV driven by 79-year-old Larry Myers. Witnesses say Sanders clipped the vehicle of Myers when re-entering the traffic lane, stopped his truck and proceeded to punch the older driver numerous times in the face and head.
Myers suffered numerous facial fractures along with a traumatic brain injury that left him unable to breathe on his own. Doctors felt he would never recover, so Myers was taken off life support based on his end-of-life instructions, and he passed away July 6.
Along with one count of second-degree murder Leslie Sanders is charged with two separate counts of assault.
On Wednesday Rice County Attorney Brian Mortensen told a judge he anticipated needing five days to present his case against Sanders, and said the discovery documents he has received from the defense "checks the boxes for a number of defenses" but supports none of them.
Mortenson told Judge Troy G. Timmerman he did not know how many witnesses he would call at this point, and defense attorney Ryan Garry agreed. Garry confirmed that Sanders has waived his right to a speedy trial and asked for a late summer-early fall trial.
Judge Timmerman set the start date for Sept. 11, surmising that the trial will take two weeks, including jury selection. Family members and friends of Myers logged on for the Zoom hearing.
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