N.D. Defense Lawyer Charged in Shoplifting Case—His 3rd

A prominent North Dakota defense attorney and former federal prosecutor was arrested after a struggle with a loss prevention officer today and charged with disorderly conduct and suspicion of shoplifting.

Dennis Fisher, 64, is accused of having stolen a hunting knife from Sportsman's Warehouse in Fargo, reports the Forum.

Fisher, who refused to identify himself at the scene but was recognized by responding officers, lost his job as an assistant U.S. attorney after he was twice arrested, in 1996 and 1997, in other shoplifting cases, the newspaper reports. He was convicted only in the latter case, in which he pleaded guilty to taking two pairs of shorts with a value of $76 from a Fargo department store.

He admitted his guilt in the earlier case, however, as part of attorney disciplinary proceedings, the Forum says. At issue was a $60 fishing tool allegedly taken from a Grand Forks sporting store.

In the incident today, according to police, "The prevention officer was able to get one handcuff on Fisher, but an off-duty Barnes County sheriff’s deputy had to assist in getting the second handcuff on Fisher, who had to be physically restrained," the newspaper writes.

Fisher was released on $400 cash bail, after spending about 20 minutes in jail, and is expected to appear in court later this month.