A Minnesota state senator was convicted of burglary Friday for breaking into her estranged stepmother’s home, and faced calls for her immediate resignation from a closely divided chamber where she holds a deciding vote.
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.
She told police right after her arrest that she went there to search for her father’s ashes and other mementos, but tried to back away from that story on the witness stand.
Minnesota state senator Nicole Mitchell was convicted of burglary Friday. AP
Mitchell displayed little emotion as the verdicts were read.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy was quick to issue a statement saying that Mitchell has told colleagues that she planned to resign if convicted, “and I expect her to follow through on that pledge.”
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