The Senator of the Minnesota State was convicted of burglary for hacking into the home of her alien stepfather and encountered calls for immediate resignation from a closely divided palace where she has a decisive vote.
After about three hours of deliberations, the jurors found that the democratic elder Nicole Mitchell, 51, was guilty of first -degree burglary and storing tools. After the arrest, she told the police that she had gone there to look for her father’s ashes and others, but tried to retreat from the witnesses of that story.
Mitchell showed little emotion when the sentences were read.
Erin Murphy, the leader of the Democratic Senate, quickly issued a statement saying that Mitchell told colleagues that she plans to resign if she was convicted, “and I hope she will take place during that pledge.”
Mark Johnson, the leader of the Republican Senate minorities, repeated the long -term GOP requirement to resign or send immediately.
The government’s Tim Walz office said she expected it to resign. However, one of Mitchell’s lawyers in Dane Dekrey said she did not know if she would pay attention to the calls. He said they were investigating their ability to appeal.
Democrat from St. Paul Woodber’s suburb maintained his innocence and refused to resign from arrest since 2024. April 22 In the early hours of their stepmother at home during the Northwest Minnesota City Detroit Lakes.
Mitchell’s father died in 2023 at the age of 72. For almost 40 years he was married to Mitchell stepfather Carol Mitchell.
The jury saw a Bodycam video in which Mitchell told the police after her arrest that she broke into her home because her stepmother refused to give her father’s sentimental value, including some of his ashes, photos and flannel shirts.
The first -period senator was dressed in a completely black color and, when arrested, had a flashlight covered with a black sock. The video shows that she told the police, “Obviously, it is not good for me” and “I know I have done something bad.”
But Mitchell testified on Thursday that despite what she told the police, she really did not intend to take anything. She said she was increasingly worried about her stepmother’s worsening memory problems and paranoia and wanted to check her well -being. She testified that her stepmother was afraid to be admitted to the nursing home. Mitchell said she thought her stepmother would be less upset to hear that she wanted some of her father’s belongings or to question her competence.
A former broadcast meteorologist and now retired an air National Guard officer has been convicted of one calculation for the first-degree burglary of occupied housing, which has a mandatory six months in prison in prison if the intention is to steal. She was also convicted of hacking tools, smaller crimes without a mandatory minimum.
The judge did not establish the date of punishment.
Prosecutor, Becker County lawyer Brian McDonald, called for the swear to focus on “many Nicole Mitchell Mel” and evaluate her testimony with the mind and common sense. And he urged them to view a body camera video showing what she had told the police after the arrest.
“I am giving you that she told the truth on April 22, 2024 and if you think she told officials the truth, then you know she was going to steal. She told you. She told officials.”
Defense attorney Bruce Ringstrom Jr. said the jurors said he had never stole or intended to Mitchell. He acknowledged that she had taken advantage of a poor decision. He said everyone said “white lies,” and that Mitchell’s goal was to further avoid their stepmother mistrust.
“We all know the difference between white lies and meaningful, damaging,” the Ringstrom said. “The problem is that it happened in view of what was a terrible mess, a mess that Nicole did. But it was a mess.”
In such difficult circumstances, the Ringstrom said, “Nicole white lies have the perfect meaning.”
Mitchell rejected the calls to resign after the arrest terminated the Democrats’ and Republican relations in a narrowly divided state Senate.
Democrats in the Senate have only one place, so they needed her vote. They said she deserved to play a legal process.
Republicans periodically attempted to be pushed out of the palace, but he lacked voices. The Senate cannot vote to send it until she conveys it next time, and this is not because he will meet again until February.
If she resigned, the governor would plan a special election. His office said he would soon provide more information. Mitchell district votes most democratically. The Harris-Walz ticket scored 61% of the votes last year.