Mitchell man’s trial for refusing to leave the school board postponed

MITCHELL, S.D.(KMIT)- The trial scheduled for Monday for a Mitchell man who did not comply with a mask mandate at a Mitchell School Board meeting in September 2020 and refused to leave when asked to do so has been postponed.  No makeup date announced.  Reed Bender is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor count of entering or refusing to leave property after notice.  The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail; however, Davison County State’s Attorney Jim Miskimins says he is not seeking jail time for Bender.  Judge Kasey Sorenson will decide the case after denying Bender’s request for a jury trial.  A previous jury trial on a different charge against Bender ended up in a hung jury late last year.