Grand Forks man pleads not guilty to July 4 murder – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS – A Grand Forks man

accused of shooting another man to death on July 4

at a downtown bar waived his preliminary hearing on Monday, Nov. 4, and pleaded not guilty to his four felony charges after arraignment.

Nicholas Jon Narveson, 27, is charged with Class AA felony murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole. There is a mandatory minimum sentence of four years.

Narveson is also charged with three Class C felonies: terrorizing with a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment involving extreme indifference and criminal mischief causing damage between $2,000 and $10,000.

The terrorism and threatening charges each carry a minimum term of two years.

Law enforcement was dispatched to Sledsters Food & Brew for a reported shooting shortly after 7 p.m. on July 4, according to an affidavit filed in the case. Witnesses reported seeing Narveson pull back a gun, fire multiple bullets at James Erwin Jorgenson and flee the bar.

Jorgenson, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were a number of other customers in the bar at the time, which created a significant risk of additional injuries and made people fear for their safety, according to the affidavit. The bullets fired also damaged the company.

Narveson was found at a nearby business and taken into custody without incident, the affidavit said.

He

was ordered to undergo a psychological and criminal responsibility evaluation in August

before his criminal case could proceed, and he was committed to proceeding on October 11.

A final dispositional conference is scheduled for January 30 at 1:30 p.m.