Media Coverage

Fargoan gets 18 months in riot case
By Brittany Lawonn, blawonn@forumcomm.com
Metro/State - 02/27/2007

An East Central District Court judge rejected a joint recommendation for sentencing Monday, instead giving a Fargo man convicted of engaging in a riot while armed an 18-month prison term.

Judge Wade Webb threw out the recommended sentence that would have required Mevludin Hidanovic to serve 120 days of a one-year sentence and remain on supervised probation for two years, saying Hidanovic “must be punished accordingly” for his felony level actions.

“This type of conduct is not acceptable in this jurisdiction, sir,” Webb said to Hidanovic, 4251 33rd Ave. S.

Webb sentenced Hidanovic, 28, to serve 18 months of a five-year sentence, with the remaining balance suspended for five years. He must also serve five years of supervised probation.

Hidanovic cried, put his hands over his face and eventually sat down, holding his head in his hands.

“I didn’t have nothing to do with the fight,” he said.

Jurors convicted Hidanovic on Jan. 5 of the Class C felony charge after deliberating for six hours. The charge stems from a June 24 brawl on the Red River Valley Fair grounds in West Fargo involving 20 to 30 people.

Witnesses told authorities Hidanovic was part of a riot that took place on the midway about 8:45 p.m.

One man was hit over the head with a bat, which was found at the scene, according to court documents.

Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Boening said he could not prove whether Hidanovic hit the man or if it was someone else, but he said the charge dealt with him bringing the bat, not actually hitting anyone.

Hidanovic’s wife, Chanda, was visibly upset after the hearing, giving reporters a polygraph her husband had taken and saying it would prove his innocence.

She said the couple were on a ride with their two children, ages 10 and 8, when the riot occurred and her husband was not involved.

“They have the wrong person in this,” she said.