North Dakota Supreme Court Considered Pendleton Appeal
The state supreme court is reviewing a post-conviction relief appeal from a man convicted of murder in 2021.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Criminal Justice
The North Dakota Supreme Court is currently reviewing an appeal from Salamah Pendleton, who was convicted in 2021 for the murders of Lola Moore and Cody Holte. Pendleton filed for post-conviction relief in October 2025 following a dismissed application.
Why it matters
The appeal centers on allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel and claims of wrongful conviction, which the state contends are procedurally barred. The outcome will determine whether Pendleton's convictions for two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder will be revisited.
Pendleton was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the death of Cody Holte and 25 years for the death of Lola Moore. The current appeal process follows a district court dismissal of his relief application in March 2026.
The players
Salamah Pendleton
He is the individual convicted in 2021 for the murders of two people during a 2020 eviction attempt.
North Dakota Supreme Court
This is the highest judicial body in the state currently weighing the post-conviction relief appeal.
Donald Hager
He is the district court judge who previously dismissed the initial post-conviction relief application.
The details
The original incident occurred during an attempted eviction in 2020. Judge Donald Hager previously dismissed Pendleton's application for post-conviction relief as untimely, leading to the current appeal before the state's highest court.
Timeline
The initial shooting incident took place in 2020.
Pendleton was convicted of the murders in 2021.
The application for post-conviction relief was filed in October 2025.
The appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court was filed in March 2026.
Oral arguments for the appeal were waived in September 2026.
Legal Context
The case highlights the procedural hurdles inherent in North Dakota's post-conviction relief statute. It follows a pattern of high-stakes appeals where defendants attempt to bypass time bars by alleging constitutional violations.
The proceedings determine the finality of a significant criminal case that shook the Grand Forks community during the 2020 eviction incident. Residents remain attentive as the court resolves whether the original convictions will stand or if further judicial review is required.
The takeaway
The case underscores the difficulty of overturning established criminal convictions once the post-conviction relief period has elapsed. Readers should note that courts typically require significant, timely evidence to bypass procedural dismissals in murder trials.
Further reading
For more background on the state's legal proceedings, visit North Dakota Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Grand Forks Herald.
