Mon Apr 23, 2012, 06:52 PM

Lars77 (3,032 posts)

Norwegian student risks 35 years in jail in the US - made a wrong turn

http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10073343 Translation follows

This is a story about what must be one of the most unlucky people ever. This is a guy that moved to the states because he was bullied at his school in Oslo. In 2002 he studied in Chicago. He was assaulted by two people while jogging, and in September the same year his school kicked him out because he might be a terrorist. He sued the school so that he might continue his studies elsewhere.

He has spent the last seven months in Navajo County Jail, mostly isolated, with handcuffs and foot chains, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The weapon: His moms rental car.

On Saturday 24th of September last year, John and his mother were driving from Los Angeles to Chicago in John´s Volvo. His mother was driving, when a warning light comes on indicating something is wrong with a tire. She decided to exit at the first opportunity, Winslow, Arizona. However something is wrong with the steering and they crash in the central reserve.

They are taken for a check-up at Winslow hospital, then they need a rental car. A taxi driver took them to Flagstaff where they could pick up a rental car, then they headed back to Winslow to get their belongings. On this day, the annual music festival was going on in Winslow. John mistakenly turns into Winslow´s 2. street going the wrong way down the one way street full of people enjoying the festivities. John drives slowly but some people still hurl abuse and make threatening gestures towards the car.

When he tried to turn into the Auto Shop where his Volvo was towed, a crowd surrounded the car and his mother panicked and told him to get out of there. He backed up against a curb and got a flat tire. He stopped a few meters away from a hot dog stand. There is a woman and her kids inside the hot dog stand, the car never made any contact with them or the stand. Many of the witnessess thinks this is deadly dangerous driving. They drive around the block, enter 2. street the right way and stop. The car is surrounded by people. Michael Mendoza, saw what happened from his store and had chased the car around the block thinking John had attemted to kill his wife and children. John has the window rolled down and is reciving verbal abuse when Mendoza shows up and punches John in the face, spewing blood all over the steeringwheel, breaking his nose.

He panicks, hits the gas, turns in the street and leaves as fast he can. During this maneuver one woman surrounding his car has her toe run over, another woman was scratched as she jumped away from the car. Those are the only injuries.

John calls 911. Right after this, at least 10 police officers show up with their weapons drawn. Both his mom and John is arrested. John has not been released since.

It turns out that the angry witnesses are all related or friends. His lawyer Criss Candelaria, a former DA of 22 years, calls it a scandal. The honrary consul of Norway to Phoenix, Professor George Olander at State University of Arizona says the case is shameful for the United States, and that a ticket for reckless driving would have been enough.

Tomorrow he will recieve his sentencing, a minimum of five years.

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243 replies	Author	Time	Post
Norwegian student risks 35 years in jail in the US - made a wrong turn (Original post)	Lars77	Apr 2012	OP
We look more like Nazi Germany everyday	MichiganVote	Apr 2012	#1
I missed the part where all Norwegians were being gassed	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#14
Lower the bar a bit more.	Cerridwen	Apr 2012	#16
"Hey it's Nazi Germany, people are getting arrested for running people over."	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#20
It's astounding the number of people who think/insist	Cerridwen	Apr 2012	#53
So you think the US government is going to, at some point, start mass murdering it's citizens?	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#55
Nice spin.	Cerridwen	Apr 2012	#56
Oh, I see	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#57
I doubt you do.	Cerridwen	Apr 2012	#58
A live one huh?	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#59
Oddly enough, you just described both Goebbels and Limabugh...	LanternWaste	Apr 2012	#120
There is nothing to suggest that this happened because they were from Norway.	karynnj	Apr 2012	#209
Read downthread	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#220
5 years in jail, and not for trying to run people over.	HiPointDem	Apr 2012	#25
That's a funny way to try to not run people over	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#46
How do you know he knew it was closed?	lorddave999	Apr 2012	#52
How can you possibly think he didn't?	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#54
It's reasonable to allow that he was not familiar with the area; this isn't his home country.	pacalo	Apr 2012	#67
I can understand unwittingly going the wrong way on a one way street	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#71
response	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#73
I'm confused, as well, but there are a number of Norwegians who have recently	pacalo	Apr 2012	#75
of corse	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#77
Well, to be fair, our country's reputation for integrity & principle has suffered a lot	pacalo	Apr 2012	#86
Do you have a link to this article?	Eikers	Apr 2012	#104
You are the liar	that_norwegian_guy	Apr 2012	#113
LYING????	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#116
Sources, please?	that_norwegian_guy	Apr 2012	#118
quote.	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#119
Lost in translation	that_norwegian_guy	Apr 2012	#122
You have quoted an automatic translation of the article, right?	Eikers	Apr 2012	#123
makes sense	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#124
Could it be that he was following either a faulty GPS system that	karynnj	Apr 2012	#211
I don't think that was problem, it being closed and full of people was the issue.	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#221
The language is a bit hyperbolic but it's a good point.	vaberella	Apr 2012	#82
7months too little	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#84
No, 7 years	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#87
oh ya	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#88
Oh Jesus Christ. For what?!	vaberella	Apr 2012	#89
what?	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#90
I'm not sure	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#91
Putting people on trial for reckless driving makes us exactly like Nazi germany	4th law of robotics	Apr 2012	#39
Welcome to Arizona...	orwell	Apr 2012	#2
Global climate change may make it uninhabitable.	libinnyandia	Apr 2012	#4
This message was hidden by jury decision.	MattBaggins	Apr 2012	#37
"make it uninhabitable"?	quakerboy	Apr 2012	#45
Even higher temperatures, much less water available.	libinnyandia	Apr 2012	#47
I vowed never to go back after I attended a Grateful Dead show in '93(?)....	Hassin Bin Sober	Apr 2012	#38
I'm stuck here for a while	blueamy66	Apr 2012	#130
Why no full name? It would be a public record. Just curious.	virgogal	Apr 2012	#3
I agree-- a full name would be needed for verification	Art_from_Ark	Apr 2012	#11
I didn´t bother putting in the full name, its in the link.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#27
Seems like the translation dropped the full name.	Saving Hawaii	Apr 2012	#24
FB Group - Free John Kristoffer larsgard	Solmiget	Apr 2012	#35
When you say Arizona justice	sulphurdunn	Apr 2012	#5
Ticket for driving to endanger, and a brain transplant	Mopar151	Apr 2012	#6
His full name is in the article	tommy777	Apr 2012	#7
This happened?	lorddave999	Apr 2012	#8
I salute our Police State	Angry Dragon	Apr 2012	#9
Wat do you mean?	Logical	Apr 2012	#21
What i mean is that the police for the most part	Angry Dragon	Apr 2012	#64
You are a mistaken Angry Dragon	Node	Apr 2012	#153
Retired law enforcement here.	William769	Apr 2012	#154
Should have said 'most' instead of 'any'	Node	Apr 2012	#159
Florida Highway Patrol.	William769	Apr 2012	#163
How is he being sentenced? Was there a trial or a plea?	rug	Apr 2012	#10
Interesting. The jogging assaulters claim he was in Chicago stalking their teen daughter.	DirkGently	Apr 2012	#12
Apparently he was kicked from the University of Alabama, then followed student to Illinois.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#23
Interesting. The guy may have had some issues. But if this is true its crazy. Keep digging :)	Lars77	Apr 2012	#28
U of Mobile, actually, which is a Baptist affiliated school.	dixiegrrrrl	Apr 2012	#135
Thank you...this guy is a bit creepy, IMHO. nt	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#137
where do you get the "teen"?	HiPointDem	Apr 2012	#26
Page 6 of the Memorandum Opinion & Order.	DirkGently	Apr 2012	#60
Thank you. nt	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#62
If anybody can find a link to what actually happened	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#13
Very strange	tommy777	Apr 2012	#15
Is it possible that he is here under a different name?	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#17
No--Liv Larsgard is his mother, has already filed suit.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#22
What a horrible story.	proud2BlibKansan	Apr 2012	#18
"It turns out that the angry witnesses are all related or friends"	Snake Alchemist	Apr 2012	#19
Well, when you plow into a family eating hot dogs at a Festival, it isn't surprising that	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#29
Except that he did not plow into them	Lars77	Apr 2012	#31
Theres no info in norwegian papers	Asniels	Apr 2012	#30
Assualt with a deadly weapon. The weapon is the car.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#32
D.A Candelaria says he has never seen this kind of case in AZ before..whats going on?	Asniels	Apr 2012	#33
Contact?	ThwiX	Apr 2012	#34
There might be stuff we don´t know, this guy has been in trouble before apparently.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#36
This reads like a forwarded email from my aunt	Courtesy Flush	Apr 2012	#40
It's not an email from your aunt	that_norwegian_guy	Apr 2012	#129
Are you my cousin?	treestar	Apr 2012	#187
Found something...	lorddave999	Apr 2012	#41
Hm must have gotten lost in translation. There are definately some questionmarks here.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#43
He's been here for 10 years, plus, apparently....nt	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#63
That means nothing.	vaberella	Apr 2012	#95
There are some states I will not travel to or thru. Az is top of the list. n/t	EmeraldCityGrl	Apr 2012	#42
This message was self-deleted by its author	Lars77	Apr 2012	#44
New article on vg.no today	Eikers	Apr 2012	#48
7,5 years	Eikers	Apr 2012	#51
He got 7,5 years in jail minus the 230 days he´s spent already.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#49
:(	lorddave999	Apr 2012	#50
Um..as I noted upthread...his mom is filing a lawsuit.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#61
What does 7,5 years mean?	UnrepentantLiberal	Apr 2012	#105
Sevn and a half (7.5)	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#110
It was a serious question.	UnrepentantLiberal	Apr 2012	#112
Seven and a half	Lars77	Apr 2012	#204
Trigger happy, brainless Americans..	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#65
Hello and welcome to DU.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#66
Angermanagment	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#68
I understand.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#72
please	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#74
Trust me, y'all have my undivided attention.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#76
uh...	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#78
am i right???	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#79
Slick, you need to calm down, ok?	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#80
ok	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#81
Understood.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#83
Your town sounds like it needs defending	Node	Apr 2012	#157
lastly	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#162
Please do post it. As I note downthread, this man's claims smell like bovine fecal matter.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#166
ARIZONA	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#240
You know something your being down right rude.	William769	Apr 2012	#167
Breivik will be in for life. International reporters know this but it makes for a good story.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#92
Hi Lars,	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#179
Yeah i was surprised, maybe its because this is the only US website where this case is brought up	Lars77	Apr 2012	#203
The story is all over the web	dixiegrrrrl	Apr 2012	#208
I'd like to echo what Ruby the Liberal wrote.	pacalo	Apr 2012	#69
thank you.	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#96
I agree – Facts on the table	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#97
About that "truth and justice" vs derogatory generalizations thing	Node	Apr 2012	#158
Where was a gun used in this case?	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#210
why talk crap? the US did nothing. he did	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#70
So tell us the facts on record	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#85
I am very open to the idea that this case was presented as one-sided	Lars77	Apr 2012	#93
JOIN THE SUPPORT MOVEMENT FOR LARS KRISTOFFER!	TheMathia	Apr 2012	#94
I have posted a copy of Lars77 story on CNN iReport	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#98
It has not escaped notice	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#99
I am not Lars77	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#101
Sorry, did not mean to suggest the you were the OP.	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#102
It's not strange at all	terjemann	Apr 2012	#144
New Account Alert!	Node	Apr 2012	#164
Do you think im a propagandist? I have said there might be more to this case than we know.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#106
Again, I really didn't mean to refer to you.	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#127
Oh sorry	Lars77	Apr 2012	#139
I merely quickly translated that story from VG.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#107
But that's the point — Debunk	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#109
True. His previous history raises some question marks, but this case just seems really weird to me.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#111
Lets try to sort out the facts..	terjemann	Apr 2012	#100
facts	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#115
If these are the facts?	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#117
closing	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#121
You are good at discrediting yourself	rotta	Apr 2012	#125
cocernedinaz: learn how to google	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#126
fact is fact	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#128
Not in a small town	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#131
it was	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#133
the facts are facts...?	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#132
Even if the judge has personal motivations?	that_norwegian_guy	Apr 2012	#134
opinion	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#136
Michael Mendoza	terjemann	Apr 2012	#146
First they came for the Norwegian...	kentuck	Apr 2012	#103
The people of Winslow have never been fond of Norwegians.	UnrepentantLiberal	Apr 2012	#108
This man could possible be the most unluckiest man on the face of the Earth nt	MrScorpio	Apr 2012	#114
About the "Expelled from University of South Alabama"	Hello_USA	Apr 2012	#138
I cant find the source right now but apparently he was kicked out for threats against faculty or..	Lars77	Apr 2012	#140
Thanks for creating this ID	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#141
this keeps getting better and better..	Nor_wegian	Apr 2012	#142
Newspaper articles from 2001 on Larsgard being suspended from University	Eikers	Apr 2012	#143
Thank you for creating this ID to discuss this	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#147
Interesting	Bota	Apr 2012	#145
Thanks for creating this ID	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#148
7 counts of ag assault while driving under the influence will get you 7 .5 years in jail.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#149
If he was on painpills	terjemann	Apr 2012	#150
Thanks for creating this ID and weighing in.	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#151
:]	wingzeroday	Apr 2012	#156
In America we don't drink & drive.	William769	Apr 2012	#155
This message was self-deleted by its author	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#171
I'm not sure this kind of speculation is helpful	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#178
Funny i lived in Kentucky for a while. Seemed like that was the only thing people had to do.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#226
What does Kentucky have to do with this.	William769	Apr 2012	#227
Kentucky is in America, ref your "In america we don´t drink and drive"	Lars77	Apr 2012	#228
Use the whole quote. Just like your buddy here, it makes you look foolish.	William769	Apr 2012	#231
Now you're just being rude	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#233
As far as I am concerned the conversation is over.	William769	Apr 2012	#235
But that's exactly the problem	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#236
I don´t think you´ve read all my posts.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#237
Good thing your out of the conversation	BigLoser	Apr 2012	#238
Sorry but you are wrong	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#229
If you want to quote me fine but when you don't use the whole quote, it only looks bad on you.	William769	Apr 2012	#230
You are right	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#232
No drinking and driving in Norway either for that matter...	Eikers	May 2012	#241
It might have been....do you have any actual documentation from the trial?	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#161
I have no reason to be bombastic	terjemann	Apr 2012	#198
is it because your newspapers never get it wrong?	William769	Apr 2012	#200
7.5 years for seven counts of aggravated assault is not a harsh sentence	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#213
Personally I'm not buying anything, merely referencing	Eikers	May 2012	#242
If that is true...	Bota	Apr 2012	#152
I wouldn't assume Mom wasn't lying for him.	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#165
Definately good point	Bota	Apr 2012	#173
Well, then what was he actually charged with???? Not a person defending him has bothered to state	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#175
yes	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#176
He's lucky he got such a light sentence. nt	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#183
He was looking at a maximum 35 years	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#185
Yep..aggravated assault is pretty serious. He got seven counts. nt	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#192
Confused?	Bota	Apr 2012	#193
I believe you're at the core of the matter now	Eikers	Apr 2012	#206
You don;t have to hurt someone to be charged with assault	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#215
We definitely need more facts but	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#223
I agree -- it would usually be 25-50	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#214
Apparently he was "stalking" a teenager from Mobile to Illinois.	dixiegrrrrl	Apr 2012	#212
While I agree Mr. Larsgard certainly seems like a sketchy fellow	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#222
I am pretty sure his mom drove the first car, not him.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#224
I'm really troubled by the lack of US media about this and now..	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#160
Apparently Norwegian media was there, and didn't bother to get anything like, well, the	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#168
Thank you for creating this ID	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#177
Thanks but I'm not sure I follow	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#180
dems_rightnow is the official thread greeter.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#201
The pay is very good	dems_rightnow	Apr 2012	#207
i lol'd again	wingzeroday	Apr 2012	#189
This man deserves freedom and NOW! nt	AverageJoe90	Apr 2012	#169
ooook...	cocernedinaz	Apr 2012	#170
Seriously with all due respect	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#172
This doesn't smell right.	sendero	Apr 2012	#174
OP did a manual translation	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#182
Agreed	Bota	Apr 2012	#194
Found a damn interesting petition from Mr. Larsgard of Gurnee, Illinois...	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#181
This story just keeps getting better and better.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#184
This dude.....not tossed from school because of "terrorism," but for being an asshat...	msanthrope	Apr 2012	#186
Amen to that.	DURHAM D	Apr 2012	#188
It's the extended Larsgard family =)	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#190
Happy to have all of you.	Ruby the Liberal	Apr 2012	#191
Why not debate the issue	terjemann	Apr 2012	#199
Most of us don't get excited about defending guys who stalk girls	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#216
I hereby declare this a:	hootinholler	Apr 2012	#195
I was there! =) nt	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#196
Internet panic-du-jour?	chrisa	Apr 2012	#197
CNN	terjemann	Apr 2012	#202
A local Norwegian pretending to be from Winslow perhaps	Son of Gob	Apr 2012	#205
hahahahaha	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#217
All y'all have failed with your googlefoo.	hootinholler	Apr 2012	#218
03/27/2012 Guilty	Ptah	Apr 2012	#219
This is by far the most commotion i´ve ever caused on the internet. lol	Lars77	Apr 2012	#225
Well, your signature line is dead on	Luce Nox	Apr 2012	#234
bit more info at link	wingzeroday	Apr 2012	#239
Comments on the legal merits of the case - an attorneys view	Eikers	May 2012	#243

Response to Lars77 (Original post)

Mon Apr 23, 2012, 07:03 PM

MichiganVote (18,989 posts)

Norwegian student risks 35 years in jail in the US - made a wrong turn

1. We look more like Nazi Germany everyday

14. I missed the part where all Norwegians were being gassed

16. Lower the bar a bit more.

20. "Hey it's Nazi Germany, people are getting arrested for running people over."

53. It's astounding the number of people who think/insist

55. So you think the US government is going to, at some point, start mass murdering it's citizens?

56. Nice spin.

57. Oh, I see

58. I doubt you do.

59. A live one huh?

120. Oddly enough, you just described both Goebbels and Limabugh...

209. There is nothing to suggest that this happened because they were from Norway.

220. Read downthread

25. 5 years in jail, and not for trying to run people over.

46. That's a funny way to try to not run people over

52. How do you know he knew it was closed?

54. How can you possibly think he didn't?

67. It's reasonable to allow that he was not familiar with the area; this isn't his home country.

71. I can understand unwittingly going the wrong way on a one way street

73. response

75. I'm confused, as well, but there are a number of Norwegians who have recently

77. of corse

86. Well, to be fair, our country's reputation for integrity & principle has suffered a lot

104. Do you have a link to this article?

113. You are the liar

116. LYING????

118. Sources, please?

119. quote.

122. Lost in translation

123. You have quoted an automatic translation of the article, right?

124. makes sense

211. Could it be that he was following either a faulty GPS system that

221. I don't think that was problem, it being closed and full of people was the issue.

82. The language is a bit hyperbolic but it's a good point.

84. 7months too little

87. No, 7 years

88. oh ya

89. Oh Jesus Christ. For what?!

90. what?

91. I'm not sure

39. Putting people on trial for reckless driving makes us exactly like Nazi germany

2. Welcome to Arizona...

4. Global climate change may make it uninhabitable.

45. "make it uninhabitable"?

47. Even higher temperatures, much less water available.

38. I vowed never to go back after I attended a Grateful Dead show in '93(?)....

130. I'm stuck here for a while

3. Why no full name? It would be a public record. Just curious.

11. I agree-- a full name would be needed for verification

27. I didn´t bother putting in the full name, its in the link.

24. Seems like the translation dropped the full name.

35. FB Group - Free John Kristoffer larsgard

5. When you say Arizona justice

6. Ticket for driving to endanger, and a brain transplant

7. His full name is in the article

8. This happened?

9. I salute our Police State

21. Wat do you mean?

64. What i mean is that the police for the most part

153. You are a mistaken Angry Dragon

154. Retired law enforcement here.

159. Should have said 'most' instead of 'any'

163. Florida Highway Patrol.

10. How is he being sentenced? Was there a trial or a plea?

12. Interesting. The jogging assaulters claim he was in Chicago stalking their teen daughter.

23. Apparently he was kicked from the University of Alabama, then followed student to Illinois.

28. Interesting. The guy may have had some issues. But if this is true its crazy. Keep digging :)

135. U of Mobile, actually, which is a Baptist affiliated school.

137. Thank you...this guy is a bit creepy, IMHO. nt

26. where do you get the "teen"?

60. Page 6 of the Memorandum Opinion & Order.

62. Thank you. nt

13. If anybody can find a link to what actually happened

15. Very strange

17. Is it possible that he is here under a different name?

22. No--Liv Larsgard is his mother, has already filed suit.

18. What a horrible story.

19. "It turns out that the angry witnesses are all related or friends"

29. Well, when you plow into a family eating hot dogs at a Festival, it isn't surprising that