Pardon? MPR News’ Brian Bakst reports: “In a quick turnaround, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that unanimous votes are required for pardons to be issued by a state board. … A day after hearing arguments, justices overruled a lower court that had declared the process to be unconstitutional. The ruling means that the board made up of the governor, attorney general and chief justice all must be in agreement to grant a pardon. … Justice G. Barry Anderson signed the order. He sat in as presiding justice because Chief Justice Lorie Gildea was named in the case and recused herself; she was on the side of keeping the unanimity standard in place.”
Another Chauvin “not guilty” plea. The AP reports (via WCCO): “The former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd pleaded not guilty Thursday to allegedly violating the civil rights of a teenager in a separate case that involved a restraint similar to the one used on Floyd. … Derek Chauvin was convicted earlier this year on state charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s 2020 death. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years. He’s also charged in federal court with violating Floyd’s civil rights when he knelt on the Black man’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as Floyd was facedown on the pavement, not resisting and pleading for air. … But another indictment against Chauvin alleges he carried out a similar act against a then-14-year-old boy in 2017. This indictment alleges Chauvin deprived the teenager, who is Black, of his right to be free of unreasonable force when he held the teen by the throat, hit him in the head with a flashlight and held his knee on the boy’s neck and upper back while he was prone, handcuffed and not resisting.”
Also Chauvin related… The New York Times’ Katie Benner reports: “The Justice Department will review how it enforces prohibitions on racial discrimination by law enforcement agencies that receive federal funding, according to a department memo, a move that could broaden the Biden administration’s efforts to combat systemic racism in policing, prisons and courts. … The issue of racial discrimination in policing came to a head last year after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, who died when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, setting off months of nationwide protests. The Biden Justice Department has made civil rights enforcement a priority, opening investigations into allegations of systemic racial discrimination by police forces in Minneapolis, Louisville, Ky., and Phoenix as well as the state prisons in Georgia.”
Contra the Duluth-climate-haven discourse. Joel Brammeier writes in CityLab: “I feel conflicted when I think about climate change and the Great Lakes. As the leader of an organization focused on protecting the lakes, I often hear about how our region is a “climate refuge,” and that when people from rapidly warming parts of the U.S. seek shelter further north, they’ll also bring their dollars and innovation. But this assessment doesn’t acknowledge what climate change has already wrought and the unpredictable reality we’re facing.”
In other news…
Congratulations: “UMN student named first recipient of the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship in Law” [Minnesota Daily]
Congratulations: “Head of art museum in Puerto Rico is named Weisman Art Museum’s new director” [Pioneer Press]
Sort of a landmark: “Gasthof restaurant property in NE Minneapolis fetches $2M” [Finance & Commerce]
Sad: “Minneapolis Teacher Harvey Williams Struck, Killed By Automatic Gunfire” [WCCO]
Far out: “‘Very far from everything else’: NASA Astronaut, SJU grad speaks from space station” [St. Cloud Times]
Unfair: “Rejected State Fair art featured in show at Lowertown’s AZ Gallery” [Pioneer Press]
Aw, fir cute: “In Kanabec County, A Family Takes Care Of A Minnesota-Shaped Pine Forest” [WCCO]
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