Hot Dish 5.31.24

By Rochelle Olson

A long night’s journey into Friday. After two rough days at the Board of Pardons, Gov. Tim Walz stood with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans at an evening news conference Thursday in the hours after a South Minneapolis tragedy that left three dead.

Evans, a lawyer and former police officer who knows the weight of words, called the fatal shooting of officer Jamal Mitchell an “ambush.”

“I’m using the term for a reason,” Evans said. “I’ve seen the video, and [Mitchell] was ambushed.”

Another officer, a firefighter and a bystander also were injured at the confusing and chaotic scene. To understand what was lost, see photographer Aaron Lavinsky’s images from last night of the flag-draped coffin, then scroll down that story to see the photo colleague Renée Jones Schneider took just last year of Mitchell receiving a lifesaving award from Chief Brian O’Hara.

Colleague Josie Albertson-Grove wrote about the outpouring for Mitchell. Legislators issued statements and posted on social media about Mitchell making the ultimate sacrifice. A public defender friend texted me about the lack of resources for mental health treatment. We’ll learn about the shooter(s?) and how they got their guns. We also know it won’t change anything for Mitchell, whose young life is over.

The shooting came hard on the historic news of a New York jury declaring former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 felonies. Trump became the first former president convicted of felonies. The presumptive Republican nominee for president and his allies railed against the decision. Trump declared himself innocent and plans a news conference in NYC later this morning.

It’s been Minnesota Interesting to see the parade calling for Sen. Mitchell’s resignation over one felony charge whilst another parade brushes aside Trump’s actual conviction on 34 counts.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota said on social media, “Democrats just pulled off the biggest sham in U.S. history. The American people won’t forget this corrupt, two-tiered system of justice and will issue the real verdict at the ballot box in November.”

As a former courts reporter, I can say that it’s also highly unusual to see a lawyer such as Emmer denounce a jury verdict. It just doesn’t happen. As for that two-tiered justice system, I highly recommend everyone go see for themselves at felony arraignments any weekday at 1:30 p.m. in Hennepin County Public Safety Facility. Free and open to the public. Spoiler alert: The majority of those appearing aren’t powerful white men.

“I’ve never thought the best way to convict someone is reading a few news stories and a police report,” Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said to me in an interview Thursday. He was arguing that Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, should not resign despite DFL Party Chair Ken Martin calling for her to do so. Mitchell isn’t resigning, her lawyer said in a statement.

The state Board of Pardons, which meets twice a year for two days, is always an eye-opener. Joining Walz on the panel are Attorney General Keith Ellison and Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. The three decide who gets a reprieve, often for crimes when they were barely 18.

KLOBUCHAR TAILS: Colleagues Briana Bierschbach and Tom Nehil explored the question of whether Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s name on the ballot helps other DFLers. Since she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, Klobuchar has easily defeated Republican challengers in two re-election campaigns with more than 60% of the vote.

HOUSE PARTY: Bierschbach’s looking ahead to the House election as well with five things to keep an eye on as all 134 House seats are on the ballot in November.

WHERE’S WALZ:

11:00 a.m.: Dedicating the new veterans home in Montevideo.

Here’s your Board of Pardons list:

2. The governor lamenting that it’s easier to get money to build prisons than it is for programming to help the 95% of inmates who will be released eventually. “Mr. (Lennell) Martin’s going to be our neighbor some day. That is going to happen,” he said. (He was unanimously rejected Thursday, however.)

3. “This lock them up and throw away the key and why are you giving them programs, I could not disagree more with that,” Walz said.

4. Walz giving his standard opening for the two-day session. “You’re going to see every human emotion on display today from joy to heartache.”

5. The governor added this session, “The idea of restoration and a fresh start are real and it starts here.”

6. Chief Justice Hudson taking a moment to address the spouse of one man, thanking her for supporting him and telling him that he’s lucky to have her by his side.

8. Two men who will be released soon and had a room full of enthusiastic supporters: John Hesston and Toby Earl Johnson. Walz and Ellison voted for their releases. Hudson voted no. Johnson’s sister told the panel about his abusive father who hit him on the head with an ax then repaired the wound himself as that was the only medical care the siblings received as children. One of Hesston’s former inmates sat next to me and cheered, “Go Johnny” after the panel voted.

9. Some of the calls are close but not all. Two in particular were frightening men even though they were secured in prisons and appearing via video. Each killed a woman. I’m not using their names because I don’t want them to have mine. If you want to know who they are, DM me rochelle.olson@startribune.com

10. The Ferbers, a Bloomington couple who long ago forgave the man who killed their son. I assure you that standing next to people full of such grace is extraordinarily inspirational.

READING LIST

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