Judge nears ruling on medical records release in ex-Gophers QB assault case

A judge is expected to decide this week whether to release the medical records of a Mankato man critically injured in an assault that brought the arrest of a former University of Minnesota quarterback.

Ex-quarterback Philip Nelson is charged with first-degree assault after a confrontation in May with former MSU-Mankato football player Isaac Kolstad.

Prosecutors say another man, Trevor Shelley, allegedly punched Kolstad and knocked him to the ground. Nelson is accused of then kicking Kolstad in the head while he was lying motionless. Shelley is also charged with two felony assault counts

Jim Fleming, Nelson's attorney, wants a Blue Earth County judge to release 11 CT scans taken of Kolstad after the incident. The scans, he added, are important to prepare a defense for Nelson.

"It's important to the extent that you know your facts," Fleming said. "There's facts, medical facts, on these CTs that we need to know."

Prosecutors have said determining which injury caused Kolstad more brain damage will likely be key in this case.