Trial of Juneau man involved in Sitka protest fight delayed until January
- Daily Sitka Sentinel
- Nov 7, 2025
- 2 min read
By Anna Laffrey
Daily Sitka Sentinel
The trial of Pietr K. Dabaluz, a 19-year-old Juneau man involved in a fight during an Aug. 30 protest at the Sitka roundabout, has been rescheduled to January while a Juneau judge considers a motion to dismiss the three felony charges Dabaluz faces.
The charges stem from the Aug. 30 incident that involved Dabaluz, Marshall Albertson, 59, and Steve Lee, 49, both of Sitka. Albertson was treated at the hospital after the fight.
The case has been in the court system since Sept. 4, when a Sitka grand jury indicted Dabaluz on one count of assault in the second degree, a class B felony; one count of assault in the third degree, a class C felony; and robbery in the second degree, a class B felony.
Class B felonies carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, and a class C felony has a maximum five-year sentence and $50,000 fine.
Juneau Superior Court Judge Amy Mead, Dabaluz, and lawyers representing the state and the defendant met for a hearing Wednesday morning in Juneau, and appeared in the Sitka courthouse via teleconference.
Judge Mead turned first to Dabaluz’s attorney, Andrew Miller, who said the defense has a motion pending in the case that could cause a delay in the tentative Dec. 8 trial date. On Oct. 12, Miller filed a motion to dismiss the Sitka grand jury indictment “because the grand jury did not hear sufficient evidence to indict on any of the three counts.” Assistant District Attorney Catherine Rogers filed a 6-page response on Oct. 23, stating the “defense’s motion does not meet its burden of proof and should be denied.” The next day, Miller filed a two-page reply, maintaining evidence in the case was insufficient to support the indictment.
The court has 30 days from Oct. 24 to decide on Miller's motion, Mead said.
“I will work as quickly as possible to decide the motion, but the decision from the court is not due until November 24,” she said, noting she has multiple trials this month and next.
A readiness hearing was set for Dec. 3, looking in general to a trial in the week of Jan. 12, in Sitka.
• This story was originally published by the Daily Sitka Sentinel.
