Mark Nelson, chief of police, Grand Forks Police Department (GFPD), hired a man that appears to have been on a mission to kill another man on February 28, 2015.
Nelson did not want that getting out.
Too bad – because on Saturday, July 2, 2016, Nelson blinked during his stare-down with Write Into Action (Timothy Charles Holmseth) and my on-going attempts to obtain video of the David James Elliott shooting.
Nelson parterned with the Grand Forks Herald to publish a video of him talking about the GFPD’s “body cams”. In the video Nelson conveniently mentions there are times he has seen his officers' body-cams break.
Why would Nelson suddenly be talking about body cams breaking?
Here's why.
On June 30, 2016 Write Into Action submitted a public records request for the body-cam footage worn by Sgt, Mark Ellingson on the night (former) UND police officer Jerad Braaten shot David James Elliott in the Altru hospital parking lot.
 |
Write Into Action has been conducting an in-depth independent journalistic investigation into the shooting of David Elliott, which occurred on February 28, 2015 in the parking lot of Altru Hospital in Grand Forks.
Elliott was shot by (then) UND police officer Jerad Braaten at least three times in the head as he hobbled along on flat tires.
Braaten told the North Dakota of Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) that he shot Elliott because he thought Elliott was dragging Sgt. Mark Ellingson. However – according to sources, that story is a complete lie and all the police know it.
Sources, including a person claiming to be David Elliott himself, told Write Into Action that Braaten attempted to shoot Elliott atop the Columbia Road Bridge while his vehicle was stopped and his arms were out the window – but Braaten's gun jammed.
The source said the BCI found a cartridge that had been ejected from Braaten's firearm atop the Columbia Road Bridge, and that Braaten lied about it until his "fingprints" were found on the cartridge.
That would make the shooting that occurred only a few minutes later; premeditated attempted murder.
Oh folks, this spells big, big trouble for Chief Nelson and the gang.
Every little detail makes a person cringe.
Personnel documents obtained exclusively and published only by Write Into Action, show UNDPD issued Braaten a written reprimand for misconduct regarding his camera equipment on the night of the shooting.
 |
Yet, Nelson hired this guy anyway?
How many qualified applicants that don't shoot people and tamper with video evidence were turned down for that job?
Write Into Action has been systematically obtaining police cam video from GFPD and has discovered all video that should show the shooting has been tampered with and obfuscated in various ways. In one video an officer appears to cover the lens with his coat (indicating foresight of the shooting to come). In another video, the footage that captures the shooting has been inexplicably converted to black and white, which obfuscates the details. All the other video is in color.
Simply tampering with evidence is a crime.
 |
Today, July 3, 2016, the Herald re-published their video interview with Nelson and added an article.
However, Write Into Action mentions the July 2 publication of the Chief Nelson video interview in a letter to David Elliott’s former attorney, Darla Schuman.
 |
Darla Schuman
Attorney at Law
Grand Forks, ND
July 2, 2016
Attorney Schuman,
I have received countless texts from a person(s) purporting to be your (former?) client David James Elliott, as well as other communications. The person(s) recollect and describes facts and circumstances regarding the pursuit and shooting of David James Elliott that occurred in the Altru hospital parking lot on February 28, 2015. .
The person(s) seems to have a significant amount of information regarding you.
I have learned a great deal about the shooting that has not been reported to the public. The information contains a very disturbing picture that involves law enforcement, Altru, UND, and others.
There appears to be a colossal breach of public trust related to public safety underway.
I am presently working on a story regarding the David Elliott shooting and GFPD Mark Nelson’s video statements to the Herald regarding body cams.
I have attempted to view the shooting of Mr. Elliott but all the police cam video contains impediments. One video shows very little because it appears the officer placed the camera under his coat. In another video, dash cam footage that captures the shooting scene inexplicably appears in black and white, which obfuscates the details. What is most interesting is the fact that video from GFPD Officer Dan Harvala’s dash cam actually changes – in some video it is color – in the scene where the shooting happens, however, it has been changed to black and white.
I contacted the GFPD and asked why video was changed from color to black and white and they replied they simply don’t know. That answer is unacceptable.
On June 23, 2016, I requested the body cam of (former) UND police officer Jerad Braaten from the night he shot David Elliott. On June 30, 2016, I requested the body cam of Sgt. Mark Ellingson from the night of the shooting.
Braaten told the ND BCI he shot Elliott because he believed Ellingson had been struck or was being dragged by Elliott. I have been told that is absolutely false and that video proves it. I was also told by the person claiming to be David Elliott that Braaten attempted to shoot him on the Columbia Road Bridge but his gun jammed.
I am attaching a screenshot from my cell phone wherein the person texting me mentions you. You can feel free to comment on it if you choose.
Within the last week I have been telephonically contacted by an extortionist talking into a voice changer and told that I and my “children” are going “suffer consequences” for not deleting all my websites as instructed. My little grandchild was previously threatened (all on tape). I was also told by someone presenting as an official that myself and others are going to be put on a “72 hour psychiatric hold” if I don’t delete my websites.
Threatening my children and grandchild was never a good idea.
For purposes of time management, I will be copying ND AG Wayne Stenehjem, GFPD, UND, Altru, and the Grand Forks Herald on this email because all of the aforementioned are baked into the cake of what I view as a very serious public safety issue – for starters.
And … I’m just getting started.
Respectfully,
Timothy Charles Holmseth
Cc: Altru Joint Safety Commission, University of North Dakota / Ed Schafer, Mark Kennedy, UND Police Chief Eric Plummer, ND AG Wayne Stenehjem, Steve Wagner/Grand Forks Herald, GFPD Lt. Derik Zimmel
Timothy Charles Holmseth
320 17th Street N.W.
Unit# 17
East Grand Forks, MN
56721
218.773.1299
218.230.1597 (cell)
www.writeintoaction.com
tholmseth@wiktel.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009187154735
* * * * *