Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) was found guilty of felony burglary by a Detroit Lakes jury Friday.

The latest: The jury delivered the verdict — guilty on charges of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools — just hours after closing arguments.

• Mitchell did not speak to the press following the verdict, but defense attorney Dane DeKrey told reporters she plans to appeal, per the Star Tribune.

The big picture: The fallout over the verdict could upend the balance of power at the State Capitol, where Democrats have a one-seat Senate majority.

Catch up fast: Mitchell, a first-term Democrat, meteorologist and former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, has faced pressure to resign since police arrested her on the morning of April 22, 2024, following a report of a burglary at her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home.

Mitchell, discovered in the basement dressed in black, told officers at the time that she was there to retrieve her late father’s items, according to a criminal complaint and police body camera footage.

• But Mitchell later denied that her intent was to steal, saying she was attempting to check on her stepmother amid concerns about Alzheimer’s and associated “paranoia.”

What happened: In her trial testimony, Mitchell admitted to trespassing in the home and claimed she lied to police about her reasons for being there, but said she did both things out of concern for her ailing stepmother.

• In his closing argument, Mitchell’s attorney had argued there was a distinction between trespassing and burglary, saying the state couldn’t “rule out that Nicole Mitchell entered just to check on Carol.”

The other side: Prosecutors argued Mitchell’s explanations didn’t add up to a daughter’s concern, pointing out the tools she took with her, including latex gloves a small crowbar.

• “Who packs a freaking prybar just in case?” Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald said during his closing argument.

By the numbers: The felony burglary charge carries a minimum sentence of six months in jail, per Mitchell’s attorney, and a maximum sentence of 20 years.

• A sentencing date has not been set.

Between the lines: Mitchell repeatedly rebuffed Republicans’ calls to resign over the charges in the wake of her arrest.

• While some top Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, have said they thought she should step down, the Senate DFL Caucus repeatedly blocked GOP efforts to remove her from her seat.
• Defenders of Mitchell remaining in the Legislature, including Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations, but said Mitchell had a right to due process.

Zoom in: As a result, Mitchell was able to continue to cast what was effectively the deciding vote whenever the narrowly divided chamber split on party lines.

• Those votes included major pieces of the DFL’s agenda when Democrats held full control of the Capitol in 2024, budget-related bills and procedural fights and resolutions related to her own standing in the Senate.

What we’re watching: What Mitchell — and top Senate Democrats — do next.

• In a statement issued minutes after the verdict, Murphy said Mitchell “has told colleagues that she intended to resign if found guilty of this crime, and I expect her to follow through on that pledge.”
• The governor’s office told Axios that Walz expects Mitchell will resign and will have more information on a special election soon.

The bottom line: The Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in February. If she doesn’t resign, Walz could call a special session for an expulsion vote.

• It would take a vote of two-thirds of the chamber to forcibly expel Mitchell from the chamber. source

 Jude 1:11

(11) Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

(Liar Lawyer & Fraud/Thief Loser) is the opinion we have when you breach a contract and never go to court to handle the contempt case you and your law firm were contracted for, then removed yourself from the case and kept the $20,000. HE SUCKS AT FAMILY LAW (LOSER) AND STEALS AND BREACH CONTRACTS (LYING/FRAUD)

remember like assholes everyone also has opinions! And of how people treat us in business…. That’s important to teach others about your business practices and/or quality of experitse.

Is Gill Law Group and good lawyer? Lets find out, you judge!

in california a contract is a contract and those that do not fulfill such a contract such refund for failure to comply to their own stipulation of their own contract regarding completion of set job/case retained for.

he quit the case an easy case due to the propondrance of evidence in our favor, GILL RAJA never got the evidence in order by remaining in contact with the private eyes. and never completed his assignment. Making him a thief scammer in our opinion, he sure did NOT DO HIS CONTRACTED WORK!

Gill Law group reviews

Raja S. Gill owns the Gill law Group lawyer firm but that is NOT HIS LEGAL BIRTH NAME this is Hetinder Singh Gill so that should raise eyses as well, why hide your real name by not openly using it everywhere but instead using a pen name

I would never hire this guy again, he raped me financially. He failed and never completed his contractial obligation. When he was hired he was hired to complete and handle a contempt case.  This contempt case was easy for any competant lawyer to win.  gave him rock solid evidence with 3 seperate private investigators to back up our contempt against the mother. The mother was repeatedly allowing a WANTED FUGITIVE SEX OFFENDER AROUND MY 8 YEAR OLD SON multiple times and it is caught on tape by private eyes.  He got off the case, never even presented any evidence in the court, refused to refund me and theen GILL RAJA from Gill Law Group STOLE MY MONEY in my opinion ! breach of contracts and service not rendered means I was robbed in my opinion he should not be hired by anyone. BREACH OF CONTRACT = THEFT IF YOU KEEP THE FUNDS!

HE KEPT $20,000 SO IF YOU WANT THIS KIND OF TRUST OR LACK THERE OF WITH A LAWYER HIRE THIS NICE D BAG

This Gill Law group review is an opinion based on facts and events that took place.  LOOK FOR ANOTEHR LAWYER THEY ARE A DIME A DOZEN. FIND ONE THAT IS HIGHLY RATED THAT DID NOT ANGER THEIR CLIENT SO MUCH THEY HAD A ARTICLE OF TRUTHFUL STATEMENTS PUT TOGETHER TO UTILIZE THE 1ST AMENDMENT OF SPEECH FOR HIS DERELICTION OF DUTY AND BREACH OF CONTACT WHICH ENDED UP IN HIM KEEPING THE $20,000 WHICH AMOUNT TO HIM STEALING MY MONEY WHICH IS THEFT IN MY OPINION

after you have been burned by this guy and his law firm you may need a laugh. try listeing to a great comedy skit below, parodys are wonderful comedy and always remember opinions of how people treat us in business are important to teach others about your business practices and/or quality of experitse.

Gill Law Group Reviews

Check out some of his reviews from other clients of GILL LAW GROUP

The short story and review of the actions and behaviors of the law firm GILL LAW GROUP

now we all need to laugh after having lost $20,000 to a breach of contract d bag who now became a thief for not rendering the servcies he contracted himself into. makes him a fraud as well

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

Gill Law Group Reviews

keep this page ear marked for our peacefully assembly and gathering date and time to protest the behaiors and actions of the owner Raja S Gill

WASHINGTON (7News) — An attempted carjacking late Saturday night turned deadly, according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

D.C. Police said a teenage boy died after he attempted to carjack someone and was shot near 6th Street and D Street in Northwest D.C. just after 10 p.m.

According to police, the victim, an off-duty federal security officer, was waiting in his vehicle for his shift to begin when he was approached by two juveniles. They demanded the victim out of his car, with one holding his hand in his front waistband pocket as if he had a handgun. The victim shot one of the suspects as he was getting out of the car. The other suspect fled.

The suspect that was shot was taken to a nearby hospital where he died, police said. The teen was identified as 13-year-old Vernard Toney, Jr.

Officers are now searching for the second suspect who was caught by surveillance cameras and can be seen below:

D.C. police are searching for a second suspect after a teenage boy died during an attempted carjacking (Credit: Metropolitan Police Department) 

Police said the driver had a legally owned firearm and is cooperating with the investigation.

7News On Your Side had spoken with MPD’s Carjacking Task Force earlier in the week, as carjackings had eclipsed 800 cases so far this year.

We asked the manager of the unit what they were doing to actively prevent these crimes, instead of just responding to them.

Specifically, we are a reactive unit. That’s all we do, is respond. We get cases after the fact. There are other units. We have a robbery suppression unit that’s stood up, and they’re more of a proactive street-based unit,” said Lt. Scott Dowling.

7News On Your Side asked MPD officials on Sunday the following questions:

1. Did you find a gun on the juvenile who was shot and killed?
2. Do you have a description of the other carjacking suspect?
3. Were there any patrols nearby at the time of the carjacking?
4. Earlier this week, the manager of MPD’s Carjacking Task Force told me there’s a robbery suppression unit designed to stop carjackings and other similar crimes before they happen. Was anyone with the robbery suppression unit nearby when this incident happened?
5. How many officers are in the robbery suppression unit?

A spokesperson provided the following response:

At this time, all of the information we have available is in the release. MPD does not provide specifics on operations, tactics, or deployments.

Detectives are searching for the second suspect involved in the carjacking.

MPD currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent crime committed in the District of Columbia. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

On Monday at 9 a.m., the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a public hearing to review the city’s crime reduction programs.

Just after noon on Monday, D.C. Public Schools and Kelly Miller Middle School principal Donnell Cox issued the following statement, concluding it by referring students and parents to the school district’s mental health resources website.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the recent death of one of our students, Vernard Toney Jr. As a 7th grader, Vernard was a valued member of the Kelly Miller community, and we know he will be greatly missed by our staff and students. Vernard was a smart and talented student who created personal relationships not only with his schoolmates but also with many of the staff here at Kelly Miller.  He had a natural comedic ability and loved to make people laugh, especially when he would joke that he was the principal of Kelly Miller MS. Vernard also loved to play basketball and spend his free time on the court with his friends. This loss will surely raise many emotions, concerns, and questions from our community, especially our students, and we want to support everyone through this time.

source

‘Tragedy’: DC officials share new details on 13-year-old killed during carjacking

After a 13-year-old was shot and killed during a carjacking in downtown D.C., District officials spoke about what happened and who the child was.

Vernard Toney Jr. died Sunday after he was shot on D Street NW, in the Penn Quarter area, the previous night. Police say an off-duty federal security officer shot Toney after he and another young person tried to carjack him. One of the juveniles held his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun, police said, and then the officer opened fire. Toney was shot and the other person ran.

Toney was a seventh grader at Kelly Miller Middle School in Northeast D.C. He was smart, funny and talented, his principal said in a letter to families.

“He had a natural comedic ability and loved to make people laugh, especially when he would joke that he was the principal of Kelly Miller MS. Vernard also loved to play basketball and spend his free time on the court with his friends,” the letter said.

Toney had been accused in a string of previous carjackings. Two sources familiar with the investigation say Toney was arrested in May in connection with a number of armed carjackings in Southeast D.C. He was 12 at the time. It wasn’t immediately clear what happened with the cases.

Mayor Muriel Bowser called Toney’s death a tragedy.

“Guns, carjackings, 13-year-olds: recipe for tragedy. And that’s what we have,” she said Monday.

Acting Chief of Police Pamela Smith said she wanted to be sensitive to Toney’s grieving parents and classmates.

“He was known to the Metropolitan Police Department, and it’s just unfortunate that this particular incident happened on Saturday night that caused him to no longer be here,” she said.

Toney’s family declined an interview request. source

12-year-old arrested in Penn Quarter attempted carjacking that resulted in 13-year-old’s death

Police arrested a 12-year-old suspect in a downtown D.C. attempted carjacking in which an alleged 13-year-old accomplice was shot and killed.

Vernard Toney Jr. died Sunday after he was shot on D Street NW, in the Penn Quarter area, the previous night. Police say an off-duty federal security officer shot Toney after he and another young person tried to carjack him.

One of the juveniles held his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun, police said, and then the officer opened fire. Toney was shot, and the other person ran.

The 12-year-old suspect has been charged with armed carjacking.

Two sources familiar with the investigation say Toney was arrested in May in connection with a number of armed carjackings in Southeast D.C. He was 12 at the time. It wasn’t immediately clear what happened with the cases.

Toney was a seventh grader at Kelly Miller Middle School in Northeast D.C. He was smart, funny and talented, his principal said in a letter to families.

Counseling services were offered to Toney’s classmates. source

Woman robbed after being followed home