In our society we do have courts of laws that seek the truth, in South Dakota justice is what the republican party says it is, and we also have the court of public opinion which can be as valuable as a court of law. SD women you dont have to put up with such nastiness. She has been through hell and back and she deserves all of our support as she goes forward. Then those comments would be taken out of context and used against them. Erickson acknowledged his comments were inappropriate, apologized, and said he would not make any such comments in the future [Complaint, 2015.09.23]. Indeed, Lar. >> Former Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser of Aberdeen is suing DCI chief Bryan Gortmaker and former DCI agent Mark Black for hindering her employment. Think about it: NorthWestern Energy is reaching an agreement with PUC commissioners whose campaign coffers they fill while Mike Rounds pushes for legislation that pads utilities like NorthWestern Energy and Xcel who are paying off his campaign debt after he promised to be the 9 million dollar man. The latest Tweets from South Dakota DCI (@SouthDakotaDCI). WebBrett D Spencer worked as a Dci Special Agent III for the State of South Dakota and in 2020 had a reported pay of $35.02 and a pay frequency of hourly according to public records. 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So, the bad guys got away; not because they were clever criminal masterminds, but because of the corruption and incompetence of SD DCI Law Enforcement. Following trial, Kaiser commented: "I would like to thank the jury for their time and for giving me justice. Maybe it was around in the old day, but not now. She was paid on Wednesday after several months of negotiations. Learn from the gay men. <>>> It happens everyday all over this country, yet when republicans face heat they yell there is another side to this story (without telling it) or that the perp must be proven guilty. <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> >> Lauras complaint will be heard in both South Dakota Federal and State court proceedings. In August 2011, Kaiser was ranked as meets or exceeds in every job category. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Support South Dakotas best independent journalism: donate to. endobj 2 0 obj Demented Criminal Infantile for their acronym. endobj Kaiser then confronted Erickson one-on-one and asked him to stop the harassment. Your email address will not be published. I acknowledge MCs point that there is surely more to the story. The only thing left is for involuntary sex reassignment. Web[1.] WebDCI Special Agent I or II State of South Dakota South Dakota, United States 3 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants See who State of South Dakota has hired for this role 609.5 0.0 0.0 789.1 1.3 1.4 cm %PDF-1.7 You do not have to be silent and you should not be in fear of speaking up. Lets hope she gets a judge that isnt in the tank for the administration. More Highway Patrol Trooper South Dakota State Government 4 0 obj I filed a criminal complaint for Misprision of Felony (SDCL 22-11-12), Obstruction of Justice and Willful Failure to Perform Official Duty (SDCL 3-16-1) regarding: (SDCL 23-3-19) (SDCL 23-3-16) (SDCL 23-3-14) (SDCL 23-3-15) (SDCL 23-3-12) (SDCL 23-3-13) (SDCL 7-16-7) (SDCL 23-3-27) (SDCL 1-12-1) and (SDCL 34-20B-63). <> An anatomy of the dysfunction under which so much of state government operates. Anyone believing Marty and the DCI want federal probes of their white boys club is delusional. /BitsPerComponent 8 Its extremely rare that I hear women made fun of or harassed here. The sentence is always a lifetime sentence of shame. DCI then conducted an investigation focused on Kaiser, accusing her of fabricating allegations as a trust test and placed her on a Work Improvement Plan just a few days later. They are innocent until proven guilty based on a preponderance of the evidence. Thats hard to find in SD. Maybe its the places I go or the people I know. 'GE%ueEy Z"*L>O ;FVIL$E ^tjx%|{/&,8px%q|A`;%)e9SO8w% It caught my ear because it was so unusual to me. endobj Did you know the U of MN has a very active police force of their own to try and fight back all the horrible crimes that are occurring on that campus? Plaintiff considered his offer but decided she would speak to Erickson herself. I hope my experience can give strength to other victims of sexual harassment. Eventually, she was forced to resign in 2012. Special Agents et al, No. Purpose: Conducts independent investigations or coordinates investigations with other state, @Roger Cornelius Curious when you did your nation wide survey that supports your asinine assertion? Since then, Mark Black has stated he never contacted or interviewed by law enforcement or the Attorney Generals office regarding my criminal complaint and only learned about it after the SD AG had dismissed my complaint as reported by news media. 7 0 obj Kaiser successfully completed eight of the nine objectives of the plan, one of which required her to undergo a psychological evaluation. In October 2011, Kaiser confided in fellow DCI agent, Mark Black, about how to respond to Ericksons harassment. Purpose: Supervises Division of When watching the recordings of those interrogation videos, Mark Black can be seen receiving text messages and phone calls (along with occasional breaks while leaving each of the children alone for long periods of time in the cold, scary and isolated rooms) during the entire interrogation process. >> Unless she has some kind of admissible digital evidence shes screwed. By doing so, it has become clear that on November 4, 2011, Mark Black was given marching orders to get rid of a few individuals who were about the expose the state of wrong doing that would ultimately lead to major lawsuits against the State of SD. The Court must still decide front pay, which is wage loss post-trial, and attorneys fees. MC, a preponderance of evidence shows that kind of behavior is common place. Our attorneys are zealous advocates committed to fighting for the justice our clients deserve. A South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent is up for a national award, but he needs your help. :"x?W YfP(iv7xE' w2^Pt6kJIy\jhQ"1Bjx "On February 28th I received a copy of that agreement," Kaiser said. Ms. Geelsdottir, I support all those things. She now runs her own private investigation company. What a filthy, nasty man! She charges Black with tortious interference, meaning he underminedher contractualrelationship with DCIto cover his backside. The cold, hard, fact remains, males perpetrate more than 90% of the sexual crimes. /Height 2192 We will not be silenced. WebWelcome to the DCI Website. POSTED ON 6/23/2022 AVAILABLE BEFORE 12/22/2022. endstream I think it important we look at the big picture and the intricate timeline that comes into place with Lauras sexual harassment lawsuit and the criminal acts by the same state players in the Schwab Taliaferro malicious prosecution case. I asked my friends if what they thought about the other table. stream In March 2012, Kaiser received her worst review of her eight-year career. Former DCI agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser says the state of South Dakota delayed paying her $1.5 million settlement, following a lawsuit over workplace sexual harassment. More Highway Patrol Trooper South Dakota State Government As a result of this experience with DCI administration, Plaintiff feared future reports would adversely affect her career [Complaint, 2015.09.23]. The deck is so stacked against the accuser. We believe the both in front of me were our individual cases. It will be difficult to defend Black and anyone who tries to use his words and actions as credible evidence. With no other option, Kaiser resigned from DCI on May 8, 2012. /Parent 3 0 R /Length 8 0 R Supervisor Jason Even took the mens side immediately, accused Zylstra Kaiser of fabricating the sexual harassment allegations against Erickson, and warned her that the issue could lead to her termination. They will never be trusted again. #Bh@*Jpi\uRML)p\;SuS(dO}Ziq.!n1+*T82 ,sV2 #/R9iN6]I#[v`L?K[oWC^3Ch+z;nc. Nor is it about what is happening at the University of Minnesota. MC-you got your story ass backwards. stream Hopefully Lauras story, and the jurys verdict, will play a small part in continuing the message that sexual harassment and retaliation cannot be condoned or allowed.. So youre saying, Bob, dont just feign it? stream I mostly agree with you Jenny. It is easy to figure out, the men all have the same story so they must be right and the lady a lunatic out to ruin their careers. <>>> Erickson told Kaiser to get keys out of his pocket, described sex with his wife to Kaiser, and asked Kaiser if she was horny when she was pregnant, among others. Although she successfully met eight of nine objectives, Plaintiff was involuntarily demoted from Special Agent III to Special Agent II, which resulted in a reduction in her pay. Purpose: Conducts investigations It looks like an impossible trial to get a verdict. Severson initially came to Centerville on August 18, Then, her lawyer continued to attempt to contact the DCI attorney without response. WebTimothy R. Whalen, Esq. Imagine Marty Jackley complying with a federal judge to hand over DCI emails, people. /Width 1693 Makes one wonder if DCI does anything right. demoted from Special Agent III to Special Agent II and moved to a less desirable position. The DCI will get its day in court, but the question is how to give many other apparent miscreants their day in court. there are appealable issues, but he has final say.'". I once saw a group of about a dozen DCI agents called from all over the state to testify at a trial as they arrived and gathered in a courthouse lobby. Amendment S: Crime Victims Bill of Rights, Referred Law 19: Incumbent Protection Plan, Initiated Measure 21: 36% Rate Cap on Payday Loans, Initiated Measure 22: Anti-Corruption Act, Initiated Measure 23: Fair Share Union Dues, revved up their attack on Shirley Schwab and Brandon Taliaferro, Food-Tax Repeal Fails, But Spokesman Claims Noem Did Enough to Promote Promise, LaMie Declines to Investigate Senators for Exercising Legislative Authority over Boobgate Misconduct, Strizheuses Get 28 More Days to Rescue Mansion from Their Own Weak Legal Arguments, Pischke Asking for Criminal Prosecution of Frye-Muellers Suspenders, Crabtree: Senate Not Likely to Revive Food-Tax Repeal, But Noem Still a Hall-of-Famer, SB 149: Senate Approves Special Fund for All Those Yummy Medicaid Expansion Dollars from Uncle Sam, David Johnson Leads Minor Republican Opposition to Meyers Appointment to Board of Education Standards, Tobin Does Not Follow Through on Trying to Resurrect Noems Anti-China Farm Sale Audit Bill, Odenbachs Center for American Exceptionalism Fails to Get Two-Thirds Approval, Noem Fails to Get Food Tax Repeal Through Committee. He said, she said, with the DCI boys holding the stay out of trouble card in the form of shared talking points. Zylstra-Kaiser is doing the right thing by exposing them all. A memorial sign honoring their sacrifice was placed north of Spearfish on U.S. Highway 85. On November 4, 2011, Laura was in Pierre and aware of all of the state player (regarding her case and ours) that were present in Pierre as well. Most importantly Laura has the truth on her side. I know thats not the law, but frankly, these kinds of situations make me so angry . % Box 127 Lake Andes, SD 57356 Telephone: 605-487-7645 Attorney for Plaintiff and Appellant ______________________ Robert B. Anderson May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson P.O. ;8bUOacWkLV}g$iE"$EaH5fjov,R W4N6RFOfrE>FjZ Zkp Y FUC#4L=p5AkLF drA*15Dxhl[JE,+0K@&Z]uo *JKLWd,|:9d=0w$Ec=yY/xIUF!JyZ1f1==4VKP,R#.U1/g nUv./m-71iqJAis Gutd 4sLwi /MediaBox [ 0 0 612 792] There is nothing in our legal system that says the public can not scrutinize public cases and come to our own conclusions. Yea. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My country ranch church in northwest SD was like that. D-D$3I20eV&,$~ n. Finished: John D. MacDonald's 'The Brass Cupcake'. . South Dakota has a criminal for a governor just like voters wanted. I have had numerous interactions with various DCI agents over the past 40 years. Statewide, SD. That agreement along with forthcoming agreements included a non-disparagement clause, which forbid Kaiser from saying anything negative about the case, the people involved in the case or her former employer. VY9H~d&D#iu.QUCoHB(L}~JOI:xw9x0Gh=,~]\c"r-)o!Jx_%1+^Iy$UYXc,WE A special agent of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) sought several search warrants involving the Implicated Individual. stream Following a five-day trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota, a six-person jury returned a $1.2 million dollar verdict in favor of former South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent, Laura Zylstra-Kaiser. Do any of you know the complex and exhausting process Laura Kaiser had to go through before she could actually file this type of complaint in both Federal and State Court? If not, it really doesnt matter, their lives might as well, be over. )/ For the record, I was never contacted or talked to by the AGs office about my criminal complaint and I also heard about the dismissal of my criminal complaint by the AG from news media. We need to get Gortmaker, Black, Erickson, and Jackley speaking on the record to what happened. Over the past couple of years, Laura and I have compared our particular time lines along with documented facts and discovery. The language of the settlement agreement states the following: The payment will be made by delivering the checks to Kaisers attorneys so that the checks are in their hands no sooner than May 21, 2018, but in no event later than June 8, 2018. %PDF-1.5 %PDF-1.5 That seems to be SOP for the DCI for a while now. They sure dont need to kill her. Unbeknownst to Plaintiff, Black told Brown County Deputy Damian Bahr and DCI Agent Dave Lunzman, the only other law enforcement in the Aberdeen office, about Ericksons treatment toward Plaintiff. Both grievances were denied. Plaintiff was reassigned to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Pierre, South Dakota, over 150 miles from Aberdeen, effective January 3, 2012. Clearly you must understand the difference between a court of law and the court of public opinion. There are some parts of SD where women are treated with respect and dignity. We are only seeing one side of the story. }1-"y, b.|7h" i>1d&1 Im not sympathetic to the cry of males being picked on.. When they speak, I will report. $100,000?" Black, however, told other members of DCI and the Brown County Sherriffs Office about Ericksons harassment. Lets look at Zylstra Kaisers complaint, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen, to learn what thesuit is about. None of the men, including Ross Erickson, were disciplined by DCI or the Brown County Sherriffs Office. 4:2012cv04002 - Document 45 (D.S.D. WebDCI Special Agent I or II South Dakota State Government Statewide, SD. They greeted each other with an extended ritual of feigned nut-grabbing and knee-lifts-to-groins that would have appeared immature among 10-year-olds, and was performed in front of the county treasurer and auditor windows. No. In the meantime, let us all take a breath, put politics and rhetoric aside, and support this courageous young lady. . Kaiser again said she didn't want to wait for the money and refused to sign any agreement until she had the checks in hand. <> Were anticipating special agent openings in all investigative areas across the state, so learn more about what it means to be a DCI Special Agent and how you can apply by visiting http://ow.ly/WcWn50Ii1XtSee more Almost immediately, he began making sexually explicit comments to Plaintiff, revealing personal information, and making her feel uncomfortable, including, but not limited to: Now the properworkplace response to such behavior is to take this behavior straight to the boss, whose response should be to drop the hammer on the harasser. Anyone know if Marty has to recuse himself from this case before a federal judge? 5 0 obj There are just too many smart capable women in power. Remember, her life will be an open book before they would get through, and those low lifes arent just setting around playing racehorse pitch. x3>J, .$Sku4ftRQJ~}9NdHq.qP/zixl~omw77DH?cI,(RV/{~,HAI56i%R,LW|R//7,XEZ!o@%BCW%rQ5IY\FrR},X@%YtLs6IEE$Q$ YYZwLwK/woUJm7rwznh?h-;o yGH-S$$O"hIc This is one of those rare situations where the accused should be guilty until they prove themselves innocent. As Shirley Schwab points out, Ms. Zylstra Kaiser was going through her experience at the same time the DCI and AG office were performing on the Taliaferro-Schwab debacle, and Blacks conduct is a matter of a trail transcript which leads to the judge dismissing the case against them with specific mention of Blacks performance being one of the reasons. WebIn 2018, I began my career as a Special Agent with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), where I was primarily charged with leading full-spectrum, complex Its likely that Mike Clark isnt crazy enough for Daugaard by somebody like Roger Hunt or Allen Unrubb might just be insane enough for Denny. WebDivision of Criminal Investigation Welcome to the DCI Website. endobj ", Lucas Kaster, one of Kaisers attorneys, stated: We are very happy for Laura. Phone: (605) 330-4862 . Child abuse cases ought to have the same standard. Zylstra Kaiser says she went to work for the DCI Drug Task Force straight out law school in August 2003. I hope Zylstra Kaiser rips them to shreds. . Zylstra decided to talk about the harassment with fellow Aberdeen agent Mark Black, with whom she had a close relationship. (Remember, this is the same Mark Black who eventually was fired from the DCI following revelations of violent behavior toward his own wife.) She mentioned she regretted telling Black[Complaint, 2015.09.23]. WebThe DCIs work isnt always about enforcement: its about education, too! I have worked with the nicest, most decent, sweetest homosexual men and can tell you that I much prefer them over some straight guy that thinks hes gods gift to women. Males need to change other males. /Resources WebThe South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is accepting applications for DCI Special Agent I or II at this time. Kaiser was represented by James Kaster, Matt Morgan and Lucas Kaster of Nichols Kaster, PLLP in Minneapolis. Thats a wonderful policy. When called to account, Black allegedly turned against Zylstra Erickson: Later that day, Plaintiff approached Black and asked why he shared her personal information. c+g4]AjC`D93P=%OEY&TJ?2m;_e[F(Q\yv|.hxysU-nu#oRmX&{;=e|h=*)X+eZR~,-Erh? My Mother first reported these crimes to agent Joshua Bobzein who was so horrible that I actually had to file a criminal complaint against Bobzein. Zylstra Kaiser filed grievances over the demotion and transferwith Gortmaker and Attorney General Marty Jackley. $20 says this thing never goes to court and is settled for an undisclosed ammount. It was a wonderful atmosphere. endobj Whalen Law Office, P.C. WebClass Title: DCI Special Agent III Class Code: 688804 Pay Grade: L6 _____ A. All you need to know about him is that he is an habitual liar. 4 0 obj Cops lives suck. Kaiser said she's not sure what Jackley's role in her settlement was, but believes blame for the delay partially falls on him. In a court of law under one party rule,the truth is whatever the one party decides it is. In the summer of 2011, Ross Erickson from the Brown County Sherriffs office joined the Drug Task Force and began making sexually harassing comments to Kaiser. . [/PDF /ImageC] {H% Q"4#H" b+X)o)0QfxR%) sY&){%=@XIO}6GLqGpbZ}Z*JvE|*T9c427]L93a>]rO[ $Y9G$\gUf E@S|#8 z{LjS(}[v=]j>aTSy?7.ZSzvQ_e+*-Aq:)K=IooGwLMMqBR|r.k`,R&? If she did something wrong, like breaking the law to catch someone breaking the law, that would be enough. Comment on blogs in support of these things? Plaintiff approached Erickson on or about October 18, 2011 and explained that she was not comfortable with his sexually-oriented comments. As you look through the sections that describe the duties of the Division of Criminal Investigation, you will notice that we are very busy working in the background to keep South Dakota citizens safe. Youve already gotten more of my time than I usually give you, sock puppet. They got both in front of me., Erickson: Stick with me Ill take you to the promised land.. On or about October 20, 2011, Erickson told Plaintiff that Black had told the entire office about what was happening.