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DAUNTE WRIGHT-OFFICER TRIAL

State seeks long sentence for cop convicted in Wright death

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Prosecutors say the former suburban Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright should face a sentence above the state’s guidelines. But defense attorneys for Kim Potter say she should get a lower sentence — or even probation. Potter is the former white Brooklyn Center officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she killed Wright, who was Black, last April. Guidelines call for a sentence ranging from just more than six years to about 8 1/2 years. But prosecutors say she should get more than that because she endangered others and abused her authority as an officer. Her attorneys say Wright’s actions set the incident in motion and she should not be penalized for that. Her sentencing is Feb. 18.

LEGISLATURE-MINNESOTA

Minnesota lawmakers reconvene with giant surplus for 2022

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota lawmakers returned to the Capitol for the 2022 legislative session on Monday with a $7.7 billion surplus to wrestle over as they take up policy issues including frontline worker bonuses and which party has a better vision to rein in crime. Priorities like rising crime rates, boosts to education funding and reducing taxes were among the agendas of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and the divided Legislature as lawmakers reconvened. GOP Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, of Winona, said his caucus is also going to push for ongoing tax relief.

BC-US-GEORGE-FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL-RIGHTS

Attorneys for 3 cops in Floyd killing question training

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Defense attorneys at the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights raised questions Monday about department training and a culture they say teaches new officers to not question their superiors. Prosecutors say Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao deprived Floyd of his rights when they failed to give him medical aid as Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck. Kueng and Thao are also accused of failing to intervene. Defense attorneys are trying to make the case that the officers’ training was inadequate, including in how to respond to someone in an agitated state.

GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS-ACCESS

Media asks court to ensure access to trial over Floyd death

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A coalition of media organizations has asked a federal appeals court to intervene to ensure public access to the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights. The news organizations, including The Associated Press, petitioned the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday to quash two orders from Judge Paul Magnuson that they say violated the First Amendment by closing a Jan. 21 proceeding and sealing the corresponding transcript. Leita Walker an attorney for the media coalition, told the appeals court that ensuring the trial is fully open to the press and public is imperative.

BUS DRIVER-HIT AND RUN

Bus driver sentenced to 41 months for hit-and-run death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A school bus driver convicted of striking and killing a pedestrian in a Minneapolis suburb and then fleeing the scene has been sentenced to more than three years in prison. Thirty-five-year-old Jason Rynders, of Maple Grove, pleaded guilty in November to criminal vehicular homicide in the March 2020 death of 45-year-old Devon Lizbeth Doherty. Prosecutors say a man who was driving to work that day saw a school bus parked on the right side of the road and then felt his car hit something. He got out and saw that he had hit a woman. Rynders was outside of the bus and the man yelled at him to call 911. Instead, Rynders got back on the bus and drove away.

EMERGENCY LANDING-MICHIGAN

Plane makes emergency landing after smoke sensor comes on

FREELAND, Mich. (AP) — A plane bound for Minneapolis has made an emergency landing at a mid-Michigan airport after a sensor indicating smoke in the cabin came on. The plane with about 70 passengers on board landed without incident at MBS International Airport in Freeland before 3 p.m. Monday. The plane was being examined to see if it could continue on to Minneapolis. WJRT-TV reports the Delta flight operated by Skywest Airlines originated in Hartford, Connecticut. No injuries were reported.

SMALL PLANE CRASH

2 men seriously injured in small plane crash near Hutchinson

HUTCHINSON, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say two men were seriously injured when a single-engine plane crashed in a field south of Hutchinson. The McLeod County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened around 1 p.m. Monday. KARE-TV reports that the men were taken to an area hospital before being flown by helicopter to a metro-based trauma center. No further information was immediately available.

FATAL FIRE-ST. CLOUD

House fire in St. Cloud kills one person, another rescued

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) — A house fire in St. Cloud has taken the life of one person while firefighters rescued another person in a wheelchair. A third person was able to make it out of the burning home. St. Cloud police and fire departments arrived on the scene about 4:30 a.m. Monday and found smoke in the house. They found the person in the wheelchair on the first floor and were advised there was still another person on the second floor. But, due to heavy smoke, first responders weren’t able to check the second level. As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, an adult victim was found on the second floor.