Minnesota state senator found guilty of first-degree burglary
A jury has found a Minnesota state senator guilty of first-degree burglary.
The Hill reports that the jury reached its decision in the case of Democrat Nicole Mitchell on Friday.
The sentencing phase has yet to take place, so it is unclear whether or not Mitchell will actually face any prison time for this crime. It is also unclear whether Mitchell will resign from the state senate.
JUST IN: The jury in burglary trial of Sen. Nicole Mitchell has reached a verdict, finding her guilty on all charges.
Mitchell, who represents Woodbury, has been found guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools in connection with a break-in at her… pic.twitter.com/Rgxh6dsCSs
— FOX 9 (@FOX9) July 18, 2025
Guilty as charged
According to the Associated Press, it took the jury about three hours to reach its decision.
Per the outlet, "After about three hours of deliberations, the jury found Democratic state Sen. Nicole Mitchell, 51, guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools."
Mitchell was arrested in April 2024. This came after she broke into her stepmother's home.
The Hill reports:
During the trial, Mitchell denied all allegations, even though she admitted going through the window, according to bodycam footage. She said that she wasn’t planning on taking anything and that she was checking on her stepmother’s health issues. She told the police, at the time of her arrest, “Clearly, I’m not good at this.” And, she told her estranged stepmother, “I was just trying to get a couple of my dad’s things because you wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”
Apparently, the jury did not find this defense convincing.
Resignation incoming?
Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (D) has revealed that Mitchell, prior to her conviction, told her colleagues that she would resign were she to be found guilty.
"I expect her to follow through on that pledge," Murphy said.
As of the time of this writing, however, no resignation notice has been given by Mitchell.
Minnesota Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson has released a statement of his own. He wrote:
I applaud the jury and the prosecution for their diligent work to deliver justice in this case. The verdict only confims 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.
Johnson went on to write that "if she is unwilling to resign, she must be expelled as soon as possible to protect the integrity of the Senate."