Feb 7,2012
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP) - A lawyer for a Jamestown woman charged with beating and stabbing to death a Somalia immigrant says his client did not inflict the injuries.

22-year old Janelle Cave is 1 of 2 people charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the death of 18-year-old Abdi Ali Ahmed. His body was found in a ditch near Spiritwood on April 30, 2011. Authorities say he was beaten and stabbed.

Cave's lawyer, David Ogren, told the
jury, Tuesday during opening arguments in the trial in Jamestown, that Cave did not have anything to do with the physical injuries to the victim.
Ogren indicated that Cave plans to testify in her own defense.

Prosecutor, Stutsman County state’s attorney, Fritz Fremgen's, opening statement contained basic information of the case.

Testimony in the trial is set to begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Stutsman County Courthouse, and is expected to last for another week.


The trial for 34-year-old Leron Howard of Jamestown is scheduled to begin August 7, 2012 in Southeast District Court, in Jamestown. He also has pleaded not guilty to murder and criminal conspiracy


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Jury Sellection Starts In Cave Trial

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) -- Jury Selection began Monday (Feb 6, 2012) in Southeast District Court in Jamestown, in the trial of 22-year old Janelle Cave of Jamestown. Extra security is in place at the Stutsman County Courthouse.
The only available entrance to the courthouse will be the front door facing south to the parking lot, with a metal detector at the door. Bags, purses and briefcases are prohibited in the courthouse during the trial.

Thomas Merrick will preside over the 12-person jury trial.
Cave is charged with murdering 18 year old Abdi Ali Ahmed, a Somali immigrant, on April 30, 2011.
In the same case, 34 year old Leron Howard is also charged with murder and conspiracy, Class "AA" Felonies. The pair were arrested on the day the body was discovered. Cave and Howard are being held in the Stutsman County Correctional Center on $450,000. If convicted the felonies are punishable up to life in prison without parole.
Originally they were to stand trial together, but the cases have been separated.
Howard is scheduled to go on trial August 7-17, 2012. Judge Thomas Merrick will preside over both trials.

Prosecuting the cases is Stutsman County States Attorney Fritz Fremgen. Cave's attorney is court appointed, David Ogren, of Grand Forks. Fremgen says the first witnesses in Cave’s trial may be call on Wednesday this week.

Ahmed's body was discovered in a ditch near Spiritwood. An autopsy showed that Ahmed had been stabbed and suffered blunt force trauma to the head, the listed cause of death.

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