Crime, Law and Justice

Court backs Minneapolis in denying legal expenses to ex-cop in chokehold suit
Minneapolis won’t cover legal costs for a former police officer accused of excessive force after the state Court of Appeals upheld the city’s decision not to indemnify him.
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe sues 3M, other companies over 'forever chemicals' contamination
The lawsuit says the band's testing found "alarming" levels of PFAS in lake water, fish and deer on the Leech Lake Reservation. Tribal members depend on hunting, fishing and cultivating wild rice for food, and for cultural and religious practices.
Man enrolled as White Bear Lake student sought girls as young as 14, police say
White Bear Lake police report the 22-year-old man who enrolled at White Bear Lake Area High School sought to “befriend girls as young as 14” and reportedly had sexual contact with girls under 16.
Local leaders call for state action allowing cities to pass gun restrictions
Local leaders say if legislators allow cities to act, they would seek bans on public possession of assault weapons; bans on devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into automatic firearms; and the ability to prohibit the possession of guns in public spaces like community centers and parks.
Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones' appeal of $1.4 billion defamation judgment in Sandy Hook shooting
The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and left in place the $1.4 billion judgment against him over his description of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting as a hoax staged by crisis actors. 
Pennsylvania man pleads guilty in arson attack at governor’s mansion while Shapiro’s family slept
A man who scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Cody Balmer entered the plea Tuesday for the April attack that caused millions of dollars in damage to the state-owned building in Harrisburg. 
Hundreds of DWI cases in doubt after breathalyzer goof
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has ordered law enforcement agencies statewide to inspect and verify their breathalyzer machines after calibration errors made hundreds of DWI tests inadmissible in court. The agency has also suspended use of the devices until they’re reviewed and will now handle all future maintenance to prevent similar mistakes.