Plea change hearing set for Mason City man accused in December 2023 murder

MASON CITY — A plea change hearing has been scheduled for a Mason City man charged with murder.

52-year-old Frederick Olson was charged with first-degree murder after the death of 63-year-old Leroy White at a home located at 1916 South Grover Avenue in Mason City last December 18th. A criminal complaint states that Olson physically assaulted White, causing his death.

Olson’s trial was scheduled to start on November 18th, but court records show that District Judge Gregg Rosenbladt filed an order on Tuesday afternoon, stating that Olson has asked the court to schedule a guilty plea hearing. That has been scheduled for this Friday afternoon in Cerro Gordo County District Court.

At last check, there’s no indication of the charge Olson plans to plead guilty to. First-degree murder is a Class A felony punishable by life in prison without the opportunity for parole, but if Olson as part of a plea deal pleads guilty to second-degree murder, a Class B forcible felony, he’d face 50 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 35 years having to be served before he’d be eligible for parole.