A University of Minnesota Duluth student involved in planning this week's Occupy Duluth demonstrations had an unusual run-in with the law in 2008 -- an alleged attempted baby snatching -- and says he's sorry for it.
Tyler Ray Nord, 23, from Wolverton, Minn., was charged in June 2008 with attempted felonious restraint for trying to pull a baby carrier holding a 7-week-old boy away from the infant's mother. The woman said she grasped the carrier and Nord pulled her along with it because she wouldn't let ago.
Authorities said Nord only let go when a friend intervened and asked him what he was doing. His friend said the incident was out of character for Nord.
Occupy Duluth is a local effort in support of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations for economic fairness in New York. Nord helped open what was described as the "first general assembly" for Occupy Duluth on Monday, telling the audience what he learned during Occupy Minneapolis demonstrations over the weekend.
The felony Nord was charged with in 2008 was amended to misdemeanor unlawful restraint, the Fargo Forum reported.
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The newspaper also reported that Nord's attorney presented three character letters to the judge saying his client probably believed he was just being a gentleman and helping the woman. The attorney also said there was a lot of alcohol consumed that night.
"I can't explain what made me do that. Neither can any expert," Nord said when reached by phone Tuesday night. "It was a dark time in my life and I think many people experience dark times in their lives. I pled my guilt. I served my debt to society. I never made any excuses for what I did. I left that courtroom only saying two words: 'I'm sorry.' "
Nord said he served 30 days in jail.
