Potential conflict means Dakota County weighing charges in Myon Burrell case

A potential conflict of interest for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office means prosecutors in Dakota County are now weighing weapon and drug allegations against Myon Burrell, the man whose life sentence for the murder of an 11-year-old girl in Minneapolis was commuted in late 2020 after he served 18 years.

Burrell, 37, was pulled over late Tuesday morning by a Robbinsdale police officer who said his SUV was traveling erratically on N. 42nd Avenue. Police say they found a loaded handgun in the front center console and illicit drugs in his vehicle.

Monica Jensen, spokeswoman for the Dakota County Attorney's Office, said Thursday that prosecutors have until midday Friday to file charges or release him pending further investigation. In the meantime, Burrell remained in the Hennepin County jail without bail.

The potential conflict centers on Burrell's role as a paid member of Mary Moriarty's campaign staff in 2022, when she ran for Hennepin County attorney and was victorious.

In December 2020, Burrell left Stillwater prison after the Minnesota Board of Pardons voted to immediately release him from a life sentence in connection with the 2002 fatal shooting of Tyesha Edwards, who was killed when a stray bullet penetrated her Minneapolis home while she was doing her math homework at her dining room table. Burrell has always declared he had nothing to do with Tyesha's killing.

Gov. Tim Walz, a member of the Board of Pardons, proposed commuting Burrell's life term to 20 years and requiring him to serve the remainder of the time — two years — on supervised release. That supervision expired in December. At the time, Walz noted that the board's commutation was not a determination of guilt or innocence, but it was motivated by the "exceptionally long" sentence he received as a juvenile.

According to a Robbinsdale police statement and documents filed this week in District Court:

An officer on routine patrol saw the SUV on N. 42nd and straddling the two eastbound lanes while exceeding the speed limit. The officer pulled Burrell over at N. Indiana Avenue and Lake Drive and spotted "an indication of active drug use in the vehicle," according to the statement.

Police said marijuana and "additional suspected drugs" were in the vehicle, but did not disclose how much marijuana Burrell allegedly had with him. New law in Minnesota makes it legal to possess or transport up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower in a public place.

A search warrant affidavit filed Wednesday specified that "as the driver side window [was] rolled down, a large cloud of smoke emitted from within which gave [the] odor or burnt marijuana."

The filing noted that his eyes appeared glossy and bloodshot. A backpack in the car contained "suspected narcotics in the form of pills," and small amounts of marijuana were on the driver's side floor, the filing continued.

Burrell was asked by the officer to exit the SUV to perform roadside testing for possible substance impairment. However, he "attempted to walk away and then fought with officers."

Police spokesman John Elder said Burrell's brief resistance ended when "they put a series of holds on him."