Good morning, Windy and cold today. Spotty showers. Highs near 50. Wind NW 15-25 mph. Possible snow north. Check out the latest forecast from Updraft. Police deployed tear gas and flash-bang grenades Sunday night to clear protesters who gathered outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department in the wake of the fatal police shooting of a 20-year-old man earlier in the day.
Some protesters calling for justice for Daunte Wright lobbed projectiles at officers in riot gear in front of the building, and a crowd of several hundred people remained at the scene after police deployed the munitions just before 10 p.m. Law enforcement ringing the building continued to sporadically fire munitions for more than an hour.
Wright, who was identified by family members, was stopped by police at around 2 p.m. as he was driving in a residential neighborhood. Brooklyn Center police said in a statement that officers discovered “an outstanding warrant” and tried to take him into custody, when he got back into his car. An officer shot Wright, who managed to drive off but crashed into another vehicle several blocks away. He was declared dead at the scene. Chauvin trial:
: - Defense expected to start presenting its case this week
- Medical examiner who ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide said stress of police restraint was too much for Floyd given underlying health conditions, drugs in system
- Case expected to hinge on responsibility for Floyd’s death; defense points to Floyd’s health conditions, drugs; prosecution points to Chauvin’s actions
Defense readies its case as testimony resumes Derek Chauvin’s defense is expected to start making its case to jurors this week as testimony resumes in Chauvin’s murder and manslaughter trial in the killing of George Floyd.
In cross-examining prosecution witnesses the past two weeks, defense attorney Eric Nelson has posited that Floyd’s underlying medical problems and the drugs in his system were responsible for his death. Prosecutors say Chauvin’s actions to subdue Floyd killed him.
The prosecution’s argument got a boost Friday when Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker told jurors the actions by Chauvin and other officers to subdue Floyd as they arrested him on May 25 tipped the man from life to death.
The session slog: Legislature to start voting on budget Minnesota lawmakers settle in this week for the part of session where they grind through budget votes — a process that will mean marathon floor sessions to debate sprawling bills.
The first of more than a dozen tax and spending bills is expected to land on the House and Senate floors on Wednesday. Each represents the opening offer in a negotiation that will last well into May — and maybe beyond.
“There’s a fair amount of difference between the House and Senate, but that is our job to make those two come together and pass them and get them to the governor,” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, told colleagues last week. “So we’re going to be very busy from here on out.”
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Hopeful, sad milestones may be reached this week
- About 46.5 percent of adults with at least one vaccine dose; more than 31 percent completely vaccinated
- Hospital admissions, active case trends highest in months; vaccination trends hit a record high
- Health officials say coronavirus variants likely are driving increase in new cases
— Michael Olson, MPR News | Find me on Twitter @publicmic
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