Attorney stops escaping inmate

Former peace officer chases down a man making a run for it after a court appearance in Isanti County.

When he heard commotion in the hallway at the government center on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, Assistant Isanti County Attorney David Kraemer didn't hesitate.
He dropped the files he was carrying back to his office and dashed towards the noise.
As he rounded the corner near the court administration window, Kraemer saw inmate Cary Barry Kessel of Cambridge running towards the stairs. He was still handcuffed.
Kraemer, trailed by the court baliff, followed him down the stairs. The balliff tasered Kessel for the second time, but he didn't halt.
In the lobby, Kraemer, a former peace officer, caught up with Kessel and stopped him.
It's been 10 years since Kraemer worked as a conservation officer, but his training came back to him.
It's not the first time, Kraemer has stopped an uncooperative suspect. While working in International Falls, he wrestled with a drunk snowmobiler. And as a prosecutor in Douglas County he assisted with escapees if he was around.
"If I'm available I'm going to chase them," said Kraemer. "I'm not going to let them run by.
"The courtroom personnel have difficult jobs to do. If I can help them, I'm going to."
Kraemer added, "You don't know when someone is out of control what they're going to do. The person is not rational. He's got a history of violence. You don't let somebody like that just run out."
Kraemer had noticed during Kessel's bail hearing shortly after 11 a.m. that he seemed agitated and knew he had been a difficult inmate since being locked up on Nov. 8. Kessel had been arrested the week before for second degree test refusal and driving while under the influence of alcohol. The charges were exacerbated by a probation violation for a DUI in 2007. While in custody, the charges related to an incident where he allegedly inappropriately touched a Pizza Hut delivery driver on Oct. 28 were also filed.
On Nov. 12, after the Honorable P. Hunter Anderson informed Kessel that he was to be held without bail, Kessel, who was handcuffed, kicked off his shoes and ran for the courtroom door, according to Isanti County Attorney Jeff Edblad, who had also just left the room. After court officer David Bowman's taser was unable to stop him, Kessel ran out of the courtroom and into the hallway of the second floor of the Isanti County Government Center.
That's where he encountered Kraemer.
After being returned to jail, Kessel kicked out and broke a window in the holding cell.
Kessel is expected to be charged with felony attempted escape from custody and criminal damage to property from the Nov. 12 incident.
As for Kraemer, he's glad no one else was hurt.