Media Coverage

Last man pleads guilty to role in brawl
By Brittany Lawonn, blawonn@forumcomm.com
Metro/State - 03/13/2007

The last man facing charges for his role in a brawl at the Red River Valley Fair last summer pleaded guilty Monday under a plea agreement.

Sinan Suljic, 3140 33rd St. S., Fargo, pleaded guilty to a Class C misdemeanor charge of menacing for his involvement in the June 24 fight at the West Fargo fairgrounds. The fight involved 20 to 30 people.

Suljic, 34, originally faced a Class C felony charge of engaging in a riot while armed, which carries a maximum five-year sentence.

East Central District Court Judge Steven McCullough sentenced Suljic to 120 days in jail Monday. He will serve 30 days and the remaining 90 days will be suspended for two years.

He will be on unsupervised probation for two years and must pay $300 in fees and $2,062.50 in restitution.

Suljic apologized to the judge for what happened and said he became involved in the brawl to protect his son.

McCullough granted a request by Suljic’s attorney, William Kirschner, to delay the start of Suljic’s 30 days in jail by two weeks so he could save up enough money to pay taxes. Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Mark Boening did not object to the delayed sentence.

Suljic will have to report to the jail at 7 p.m. March 23. He posted an additional $1,500 cash bail to the $500 already posted at the judge’s request.

A Fargo man charged with the same felony that Suljic originally faced for his involvement in the brawl was convicted by a jury in January and sentenced last month.

Mevludin Hidanovic, 28, was sentenced 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.

Two Fargo men also charged for their roles in the June fight pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor charges.

Fahrudin Hidanovic, 25, pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in a riot. Fikret Golubovic, 31, pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct. Both received a 30-day suspended jail sentence and were placed on probation for one year. They were each also fined $475.