Stories from April 13, 2021

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott Tuesday called for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to determine if Officer Kim Potter should be charged in the death of Wright. The 20-year-old Black man was shot to death by the Brooklyn Center police officer during a traffic stop Sunday. This is the afternoon MPR News update for Tuesday, April 13, 2021, was hosted by John Enger. Theme music by Gary Meister.
More than six decades after the brutal death of her cousin Emmett Till, Deborah Watts gets emotional talking about her family’s fight for justice — A fight still forging ahead today.
Fed leaders agree: Economics has a racial-disparity problem
Top Federal Reserve policymakers underscored their concern that Black and Hispanic people are sharply underrepresented in the economics field, which lessens the perspectives that economists can bring to key policy issues.
MN Senate GOP promises talk — but not necessarily action — on police changes
The Republican leader in the Minnesota Senate Tuesday promised hearings on police changes following the police killing of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center on Sunday. But the promise fell short of the action many Democrats at the Capitol are calling for.
What you need to know about Minnesota's J&J COVID vaccine pause
Federal authorities are investigating blood clots in six women who got the shot. While the side effects appear to be exceedingly rare, state officials say they are pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in an abundance of caution.
April snowfall totals in northern Minnesota
An April snowfall is piling up across much of northern Minnesota.
How we're processing the killing of another Black man by police in Minnesota
As one former police officer is tried for murder in the killing of George Floyd, a young Black man named Daunte Wright is shot and killed by another officer during a traffic stop. Host Angela Davis talks about the trauma, grief, anger and fear in our communities.
'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev' is a faux music history that rocks
Dawnie Walton's sly narrative is a story about music, race and family secrets that spans five decades, centering on an interracial rock duo who strike it big in the early '70s.
Protests grow in Minnesota and around U.S. over death of Daunte Wright
Police clashed with protesters for a second night in Brooklyn Center, Minn., as outrage spread across the U.S. over Wright's death at the hands of an officer who meant to use her Taser, officials say.
Has the pandemic permanently changed higher education?
It’s been a tough year for universities. Enrollment has dropped, faculty has been laid off, and the bottom line is grim. How might the college experience be forever changed by the pandemic?
Explainer: Chauvin jurors must disregard defendant's silence
Testifying may be Derek Chauvin's only hope of rebutting video at the heart of prosecutors' case that shows Chauvin pinning Floyd for about 9 1/2 minutes. But doing so would also open Chauvin to potentially devastating cross-examination by prosecutors.
Consumer prices jumped. Should you worry? That's sparking a heated debate
Consumer prices jumped last month as businesses struggled to keep pace with booming demand, but the Biden administration and the Federal Reserve say the uptick in inflation is likely to be temporary.
Following rain and snow Tuesday, the rest of the week trends drier. Temperatures stay cooler, running near to below average for the next week.
Biden, lawmakers pay tribute to slain Capitol Police officer
Slain U.S. Capitol Police officer William "Billy" Evans will lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday during the second such memorial ceremony this year for a force that has edged close to crisis in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Tuesday stays cloudy and cool, with more of the state getting light snow.
A mystery under study: How, why and when COVID vaccines aren't fully protective
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective but don't always provide perfect protection. Some vaccinated people later exposed to the virus still get sick. Why and how often that happens is under study.
U.S. recommends 'pause' for J&J vaccine over clot reports
In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating clots in six women in the days after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S.
Police clashed with a large crowd Monday who gathered for a second night to protest the killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. The Brooklyn Center police chief said earlier in the day that officer Kim Potter had intended to stun the man with her Taser gun but accidentally drew her handgun instead and fired once. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, April 13, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
'The Souvenir Museum' is an exhibit to savor
Elizabeth McCracken's new story collection dazzles with verbal flexibility, insight and feeling, capturing the oddities and mixed bags, the loves and losses that make up most people's lives.
Crookston Bishop Hoeppner resigns after Vatican probe into cover-up
Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Michael Hoeppner and named a temporary replacement to run the Crookston, Minn., diocese, the Holy See said in a statement. Hoeppner is 71, four years shy of the normal retirement age for bishops.
Vaccine brings hope as Ramadan begins
After a long, challenging year, the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine has brought hope to many in Minnesota and around the globe. Islamic leaders pushed to get the vaccine to as many Muslims as possible before the start of Ramadan, with vaccination clinics planned at mosques in the Twin Cities, Rochester and St. Cloud.
April 13 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccinations, hospitalizations rising
State officials believe the state’s vaccination effort this spring will ensure that Minnesota doesn’t relive the worst of the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the next few weeks will be easy.
Chauvin trial: Ex-cop did not use deadly force on Floyd, expert testifies
The defense has begun its case at the murder trial of former officer Derek Chauvin. Barry Brodd, a retired officer who has trained police, testified that he believed Chauvin was "justified" in his actions, and that he acted with "objective reasonableness.”
Brooklyn Center officer, chief resign; mayor wants AG Ellison to handle Wright case
Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott appealed for calm with demonstrations set to resume over the police killing of Daunte Wright. Minneapolis, St. Paul order 10 p.m. curfew. Ben Crump, the George Floyd family attorney, is now representing the Wright family.
Mother-daughter memoir of autism exemplifies the power of language
Heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure, “I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust” is a chronicle of not only finding one's voice, but of learning to make others understand that voice.
The Universal Title: Muhammad Ali's Spiritual Journey from Christianity to Islam
From America Abroad Media, The Muhammad Ali Center and PRX, “The Universal Title” is a one-hour special on Muhammad Ali’s spiritual journey from Christianity to Islam — And what really made him “The Greatest.”
Explainer: How does an officer use a gun instead of a Taser?
Police in Minnesota say an officer who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop accidentally drew her firearm instead of her stun gun. Experts say such cases are rare, but they do happen occasionally. Similar cases have been reported in recent years in California, Oklahoma and Missouri.