This week prosecutors have slapped Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Minnesota Democrat, with a second felony charge after she allegedly broke into a Detroit home. Prosecutors from Becker County have charged her with possession of burglary or theft tools. This charge carries a maximum sentence of 3 years in jail and a $3,000 fine.
She was charged in connection with a blue crowbar that the Senator allegedly used to break into the home. Officers examined a window which was Mitchell’s ”most probably point of entry.” Officers reported “faint pry marks” on the window. At the time of the incident, a woman called 911 at 4:45 a.m. to report an active burglary at her home.
Police came to the scene of the crime and arrested the 49-year-old state senator. According to local news, Mitchell’s father lived at this property with her step-mother until his death. She contends that her step-mother has illegally stolen her father’s property and pleaded not guilty to all charges. The crime centers on a laptop.
“I was just trying to get a couple of my dad’s things because you wouldn’t talk to me anymore,” the senator said at the time of the arrest. “Officers searched the backpack and discovered two laptops, a cellphone, Mitchell’s Minnesota driver’s license, Mitchell’s Senate identification, and miscellaneous Tupperware,” the complaint read.
The senator told authorities that both laptops were hers and that she had “just gotten into the house,” and added “Clearly, I’m not good at this.” One of the officers explained how he “opened the laptop and pressed a button and victim’s name popped up. The laptop was not password protected. Mitchell then stated that the victim gave her the laptop ‘way back when.”
According to the filing, the laptop was taken into evidence by the Detroit Lakes police and cannot be used to build a burglary charge against Mitchell. “The state may not argue that the defendant stole the laptop from the residence in question as part of any theory of burglary.” “That one piece of evidence was very important to us because of how the complaint was written and how law enforcement perceived her relationship to the item,” her lawyers added.
A statement from the Minnesota Senate DFL Caucus said it “is aware of the situation and has no comment pending further information.” “The public expects Legislators to meet a high standard of conduct. As information comes out, we expect the consequences to meet the actions, both in the court of law, and in her role at the legislature,” GOP Senate Minority Leader Johnson said.
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He added that Mitchell “continues to bring the reputation of the Senate into disrepute.” “The Senate cannot tell the Judiciary what to do, but we can and should hold our own members accountable,” he explained. “Senate Republicans stand by our previous votes to not allow her to vote, to not count her vote, and to remove her from the body. We expect the Senate Democrats who called for her resignation will join us in our efforts this session.”