DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – A judge has granted a request to indefinitely delay the felony burglary trial of State Senator Nicole Mitchell. Originally scheduled to begin June 16 with jury selection in Becker County District Court, the proceedings are postponed following this weekend’s violent attacks on Minnesota lawmakers.

Mitchell faces charges of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools related to an incident at her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home on April 22, 2024. Police say they found her in the basement at 4:45 a.m. When arrested, she was allegedly attempting to retrieve possessions she described as sentimental, including her late father’s ashes. Mitchell entered a not guilty plea and has denied any criminal intent.

Her legal team requested the continuance “out of reverence” for the recent shootings — in which former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife injured — citing concerns about heightened tensions, public safety, and juror impartiality. Prosecutors did not oppose the request. Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald suggested this was “not a good week” to proceed given current circumstances.

At a June 16 virtual hearing, Judge Michael Fritz emphasized that the timing of the shootings could compromise both fairness and security. He agreed to the indefinite delay, with a follow‑up Zoom conference to establish a new trial schedule.

This postponement marks the second delay in the case. The trial was initially pushed from January to June to accommodate Mitchell’s legislative duties. Her defense maintains that she acted out of familial concern, while prosecutors argue that her actions meet the elements of burglary and criminal intent.

As a sitting senator representing Woodbury and Maplewood, Mitchell has remained active in the legislative process despite the charges. Last year, she appeared before an ethics panel—screening arguments in which she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights—and cast critical tie-breaking votes in a tightly balanced Senate.

Legal analysts suggest the case combines intensely personal dynamics—alleged intrusion into a loved one’s home over emotional loss—with significant political ramifications. A conviction could alter the partisan balance in the Senate, prompt calls for resignation, and potentially trigger a special election.

The parties will reconvene via Zoom soon to set a new trial date. Once begun, court records indicate the trial may last approximately one week, although a pause around the Juneteenth holiday is anticipated.

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