State Sen. Nicole Mitchell will resign after guilty verdict in burglary trial

CBS News

21-07-2025

A Minnesota state senator says she will resign from her seat after she was found guilty Friday of burglarizing her stepmother's home.
Nicole Mitchell was convicted of felony first-degree burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools for breaking into her stepmother's Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, home on April 22, 2024. The jurors deliberated for just over three hours following four days of testimony.
Her defense attorneys announced Monday her resignation will come no later than 5 p.m. on Aug. 4. The announcement said she needs time to "wrap up outstanding legislative projects ... complete ongoing constituent services ... transition legislative staff ... [and] obtain health insurance for her son."
Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat, represents parts of Woodbury and Maplewood. Her resignation leaves the Minnesota Senate tied, as Democrats held a one-seat majority during the 2025 session.
Leaders in the Minnesota Legislature and the governor's office previously said they expected Nicole Mitchell to resign.
Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said Nicole Mitchell "told colleagues that she intended to resign if found guilty of this crime, and I expect her to follow through on that pledge."
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said the verdict confirms Nicole Mitchell's actions "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."
Gov. Tim Walz's office is expected to announce details about a special election after Nicole Mitchell's resignation.
Nicole Mitchell pleaded not guilty, and during the trial, her defense argued that she was at the home to check on her stepmother, who lives with Alzheimer's. Nicole Mitchell herself spent more than five hours on the witness stand, testifying about her relationship with her stepmother, which she said had become increasingly turbulent following her father's death and her stepmother's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Nicole Mitchell's stepmother Carol Mitchell also took the stand, saying that she felt "extremely violated" after finding Nicole Mitchell in her home.
The judge overseeing the trial said Nicole Mitchell could remain free until her sentencing date, which has not been set. She faces a mandatory minimum of 180 days in jail.