The trial of Ward County Sheriff Steve Kukowski – scheduled to begin tomorrow in Minot – has been delayed by order of the state supreme court.
Court records indicate Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle signed a stay on Friday, pushing back the trial by at least two weeks.
Kukowski’s attorney had filed a brief asking for time to appeal an earlier ruling in the case.
The sheriff is on leave pending the outcome of his case.
He’s charged with three misdemeanors surrounding the death of Dustin Irwin, who died shortly after being transferred out of the Ward County jail in October of 2014.
Kukowski’s attorney asked for the case to be dismissed at a hearing just before Christmas saying the charges are offensive to the people of Ward County and devoid of merit.
Former Governor Jack Dalrymple put off a decision on removing Kukowski from office until the court case has been concluded.
That decision will now fall to new Governor Doug Burgum.
