Sen. Nicole Mitchell testifies, says she was there to check on her stepmother’s welfare

Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat from Woodbury, is accused of breaking into her stepmother's home in April 2024.Her defense is that she was there to do a welfare check on her stepmother, who has Alzheimer’s disease.Prosecutors say Mitchell was there to get some mementos of her late father’s — something Mitchell told police at the scene — and is guilty of trying to break in with the intent to steal.Attorneys on both sides say Mitchell's intent is what matters. The weeklong trial included testimony from Mitchell, her stepmother, family and responding officers.A conviction would likely make it impossible for Mitchell to stay in her role as a public official.An attorney with expertise in federal death penalty cases has joined Vance Boelter’s defense team. But prosecutors have yet to say whether they’ll seek capital punishment for the man accused of killing former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.Boelter is charged with the Hortmans murder. He’s also accused of shooting and wounding DFL State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette and attempting to shoot their daughter Hope.A judge today gave the go-ahead for attorney Kimberly Sharkey to work on Boelter’s defense team. Sharkey — based in Las Vegas — is part of the federal public defender office’s death penalty unit. She joins Minneapolis-based public defender Manny Atwal. Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson says a decision on whether to seek capital punishment is months away. He says it’s ultimately up to Attorney General Pam Bondi, with input from local prosecutors and the victims’ families.

Law enforcement shot and killed a person in St. Louis County Tuesday after the person allegedly set homes on fire and shot a weapon at officers. Also, Vance Boelter's attorney says his client plans to plead not guilty to charges he killed Minnesota DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. A grand jury indicted him Tuesday on six counts of murder, stalking and firearms violations. The murder charges could carry the federal death penalty. This is the afternoon MPR News Update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Authorities say the man suspected of killing a DFL state lawmaker and her husband last month likely acted alone. Prosecutors have revealed new details about the investigation. The Justice Department has not decided if it will seek the death penalty in the case.Jurors in the trial of state Senator Nicole Mitchell are seeing what transpired when police responded to her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home. The first witnesses and evidence was presented yesterday in Becker County. Mitchell, a DFLer from Woodbury, is accused of felony burglary. The Minneapolis Police Officer who fatally shot Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022 is responsible for leading the department’s use of force training. Council President Elliott Payne says it was the wrong choice to put the man who killed a 22-year-old Black man at the helm of use of force training, especially as the department works to repair trust with the community.Governor Tim Walz says Minnesota is likely to be confronted with higher costs administering Medicaid after recent federal changes.The federal prison camp in Duluth, which had been slated for closure, will now remain open. The Bureau of Prisons announced last December it would close the facility due in part to aging infrastructure. Now the agency says it’s changing course, following a reassessment and site visit last week from the bureau’s new director. The camp employs 90 people and currently houses fewer than 300 inmates.

Witnesses are on the stand after opening statements today in the burglary trial for DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell in a Becker County courtroom. And more than 200 Minnesota small businesses will get a funding boost from the state under a wave of funding that goes out soon.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Kelly Bleyer. Music by Gary Meister.

Starting next year, Minnesotans who use social media will see new warnings on those sites. And a Minnesota K-9 unit is heading to Texas to help with search and recovery efforts after this month’s devastating flash floods.Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz announced today that a special election to fill the Minnesota House seat of the late DFL Leader Melissa Hortman will take place September 16.And another round of Canadian wildfire smoke is moving across Minnesota today -- and an air quality alert is now in effect for the entire state through Monday morning.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.