Minnesota State Senator Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) was found guilty Friday on two charges including felony first-degree burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools after breaking into her stepmother's Detroit Lakes home last year.
Closing arguments wrapped up Friday morning with jurors getting the case around 12:30 p.m. setting up for about three and a half hours of deliberations.
Mitchell had pleaded not guilty in the case.
DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy released a statement after the verdict was read:
"Senator Mitchell has been afforded due process, a trial by a jury of her peers, and that jury has delivered a verdict. I am relieved to see the end of Senator Mitchell’s trial. The case’s resolution brings clarity to the situation. Senator 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. Our caucus remains focused on the issues that matter to Minnesotan families and communities."
Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) released the following statement in response to the verdict:
“I applaud the jury and the prosecution for their diligent work to deliver justice in this case. The verdict only confirms the fact that Sen. Mitchell’s actions the night of April 22, 2024 failed to meet the level of ethical behavior we expect from elected officials, and her continued participation in the Minnesota Senate leaves the body with a stain on its record for every time her vote was the deciding vote in passing legislation. Senate Republicans have been clear since day one that this conduct is unbecoming of a Senator and we expect her immediate resignation from the Senate. If she is unwilling to resign, she must be expelled as soon as possible to protect the integrity of the Senate.”
Earlier Friday, prosecutors spoke to the jury inside the Becker County courtroom.
"Three things I asked you at the start of this case will lead you to the truth," said Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald. "Trust your eyes and ears. Do not get distracted. Use your common sense and good judgment. If you do these three things, you can be confident in the decision to convict the defendant."
On Thursday, Mitchell testified that she broke in through an egress window on the night of April 22, 2024 to check of the well being of of her stepmother Carol Mitchell who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
"Going upstairs means welfare check," says Mitchell's Lawyer Bruce Ringstrom. "They can't have it both ways. The moment you understand the real reason she was there, the welfare check, Nicole's white lies make perfect sense."
Mitchell admitted on the stand to lying to officers about being there that night retrieve some of her late fathers belongings, now claiming she was only there to check on her stepmother.
McDonald addressed the jury calling Mitchell an admitted liar.
"She also testified that sometimes you have to lie to protect people, and yesterday you saw a fine example of that," McDonald says. "Her testimony yesterday was carefully crafted to protect the one person that she cares the most about in this case, herself."
Mitchell took the stand on Thursday to explain her reasons for entering her stepmother’s home without her knowledge describing their unraveling relationship that she says was deeply impacted by Carol's Alzheimer's disease.
"The law demands that you make a fair decision based solely on the evidence," the Becker County judge told the jurors. "Your individual evaluation of that evidence, your reason and common sense, and these instructions."