Generally speaking, there are timelines outlined by law governing when criminal offenses can be charged by the State of Minnesota. Those timelines are called the “statute of limitations” and they start running once the crime itself occurs. Crimes may have no statute of limitations or a statute of limitations of six, five, or three years. See Part 1 of this...
In 2019, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known popularly as Joe Exotic from the Netflix series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” was convicted of 17 counts of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder-for-hire. Maldonado-Passage was sentenced to 22 years in prison, but the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in July 2021 that Maldonado-Passage will be resentenced on January 28,...
Generally speaking, there are timelines outlined by law governing when criminal offenses can be charged by the State of Minnesota. Those timelines are called the “statute of limitations” and they start running once the crime itself occurs. Crimes may have no statute of limitations or a statute of limitations of six, five, or three years. See Part 1 of this...
We often hear about labor trafficking in the news and what a problem it is. But what is labor trafficking? Until recently, labor trafficking was an infrequently charged offense, with Hennepin County’s first successful labor trafficking prosecution occurring in just 2020. Under Minnesota Statute § 609.281.5, both the act of labor trafficking and profiting off labor trafficking are crimes if...
Generally speaking, there are timelines outlined by law governing when criminal offenses can be charged by the State of Minnesota. Those timelines are called the “statute of limitations” and they start running once the crime itself occurs. However, there are exceptions to this general rule. There are crimes which have no limitations period under Minnesota law. Homicide; kidnapping; labor trafficking...
Ever wonder if Minnesota has been terrorized by a serial killer? Or perhaps Minnesota is where a serial killer calls home? This blog series will explore serial killers that either have roots in Minnesota or have preyed on Minnesota residents. Part one covers Paul Michael Stephani, who is more commonly known as the “Weepy-Voiced Killer.” Paul Stephani was born on...
If you are driving in Anoka County during the late evening hours, you may notice more police on the road than usual. This is because several local police departments in Anoka County have received DWI Enforcement Grants. The DWI Enforcement Grant Program provides local police with additional funding to combat driving while intoxicated. These new grants are effective from October...
On September 18, 2021, the Minnesota Supreme Court published their decision in the case of State v. Mohamed Noor, who was a former Minneapolis police officer, who was convicted of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the killing of Justine Ruszczyk in July 2017. As a result of the conviction, Noor was sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison for...
Has a friend or family member, or even you, been convicted of a crime they did not commit? The criminal justice system—made up of prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, defendants, victims, and police officers—is designed to seek justice, give the accused their day in court, and achieve a fair result. But sometimes, this system falls short, and the wrong person is...
Car accidents are commonplace and part of the everyday risks of driving. Unfortunately, sometimes these accidents result in a loss of life. Depending on your driving conduct at the time of the accident, you could be looking at a wide range of criminal consequences. Of these consequences, one of the most serious charges is Criminal Vehicular Homicide. Under Minnesota Statute...