Jury members will hear about former Albert Lea schools band director Russell Allan Konrad’s alleged past sexual improprieties when the matter comes to trial, a third-district court judge ruled.

Thursday, April 12, 2001

Jury members will hear about former Albert Lea schools band director Russell Allan Konrad’s alleged past sexual improprieties when the matter comes to trial, a third-district court judge ruled.

Konrad has been charged with inappropriately touching and kissing a student last spring. Allegations of sexual misconduct by former students and written reprimands from Albert Lea High School administration for viewing sexually oriented Web sites from school computers will be allowed as evidence in the case, wrote Judge James Broberg in a Feb. 7 order to the court.

Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson asked the court to admit the evidence, not directly related to the case, to show Konrad’s alleged tendency to engage in sexually inappropriate behavior. Konrad’s attorney, Sam McCloud, opposed the admission of the evidence, saying it would confuse jurors and was irrelevant to the case.

Broberg found that the evidence was admissible and relevant.

The incidents may illustrate Konrad’s motive, opportunity and intent, as well as a possible pattern of inappropriate relationships with women at his workplace, Broberg wrote in his decision.

The judge also denied McCloud’s request for prosecutors to compile a list of any witness records that could aid in Konrad’s defense.

Konrad’s trial is scheduled to begin in November, but Nelson said he will likely ask the court to hold it sooner.

It has been a year since the investigation was completed, and further delays will complicate the hearing, he said.

&uot;Key witnesses in this case are going to be leaving the area, going to college,&uot; he said.

Nelson will file a motion for a speedy trial after conferring with his assistants and reviewing his schedule. If the motion is granted, the court would be obligated to schedule the trial within 60 days of that date, he said.

The date of the trial is not certain, but the case will go to trial, he said. Konrad’s attorney has not approached the county attorney concerning the possibility of a plea agreement, and the county would not likely consider an agreement in any case.

&uot;Given the nature of the charge, there really isn’t a whole lot of latitude for a plea agreement,&uot; he said.