Felony Threats Case Linked to Rochester Stabbing Incident Dropped

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Olmsted County Attorney's Office has dismissed the charges that were filed against a Rochester woman who was accused of threatening to kill a person who had apparently stabbed her family member.

According to court records, Rochester police responded to a residence to deal with a report of harassing phone calls on New Years Eve in 2023. The report came two days after officers responded to a stabbing involving the person receiving harassing calls.

Concerning the stabbing, Rochester police indicated that officers responded to an altercation between two women on the evening of December 29, 2023. It was alleged that the victim in the threats case had stabbed or slashed the other woman. Both women were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The criminal complaint that was filed against 44-year-old Marilyn Denise Haywood Ransom stated that one of the women involved in the stabbing incident told Rochester police that she had received threatening messages from Ransom. She indicated the threatening calls were placed during the two days that followed the earlier altercation.

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The court document says Ransom was accused of threatening to kill the woman and her mother, and at one point allegedly leveled a death threat against the woman as she was speaking with police. It was alleged there were 15 threatening calls.

Ransom was charged with a felony count of terroristic threats and a misdemeanor count of obscene/harassing phone calls. The court filing now indicates those charges have been dismissed. The document cites evidentiary issues.