A Hennepin County district judge set a pre-plea court date Tuesday for Jennifer Joan May, the woman charged with firing a bullet into the ceiling of University President Nils Hasselmo’s office.
Judge Peter Lindberg set May’s next court date, a pre-plea hearing, for Sept. 13. Lindberg determined the delay was necessary to give the Court Services Group, which is not affiliated with the prosecution or the defense, time to look into the case.
This group could recommend that May go to trial or that the matter be settled without a trial.
May, 36, was charged with four counts of felony second-degree assault for allegedly firing a gun in the air after being told she would have to wait to see the president. May was charged with one count for each person in the office at the time of the incident.
Elizabeth Cutter, a Hennepin County assistant prosecuting attorney, said that at the pre-plea hearing, the case could be settled. If it is not settled, the next step is for May to enter a plea.
“We need to get more information to make an informed decision as to what would be best,” Cutter said.
Cutter added she did not necessarily want the case to go to trial.
“We want a just result,” she said.
May could face a maximum of seven years in prison or a $14,000 fine, or both, for each count of second degree assault.

— Kamariea Forcier