Minneapolis, MN
Jury convicts three members of Minneapolis Bloods gang at racketeering trial
A federal jury on Tuesday convicted three members of the Minneapolis Bloods gang in connection with the murder of two rivals. The case is notable because jurors found one of the defendants guilty of racketeering. It’s part of a strategy by federal prosecutors to use a law written to target East Coast mob families to take down Twin Cities street gangs.
The lead defendant, Desean Solomon, is already serving a 36-year state prison sentence for the 2020 murder of a rival gang member Marcus Banks outside the 200 Club in north Minneapolis.
Now Solomon, 34, faces up to life in prison after jurors convicted him of racketeering and using a gun to commit murder for the benefit of the Bloods gang, which operates in south Minneapolis.
Standing trial with Solomon were Michael Burrell, 44, who was convicted along with Solomon in connection with Banks’ death. Jurors convicted Leontawan Holt, 26, in the 2022 killing of Rayshawn Brown outside a pub in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. Burrell and Holt were each found guilty of using a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which also carry life sentences.
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Prosecutors in this case not only had to prove the underlying murder charges, they also had to convince jurors that the defendants committed the crimes for the benefit of a gang. Local and federal authorities have long worked together on gang cases because federal sentences are typically longer than state prison terms.
Throughout her closing argument on Thursday morning, Assistant U.S. Attorney Esther Mignanelli Soria said the Bloods are a criminal enterprise because they have a rank structure, a common language, and strictly enforced rules. She said both of the killings stemmed from fights between members of rival groups.
At a news conference Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said the RICO law allows prosecutors to go after an entire criminal organization — not just its individual members.
“One murder at a time is an important and an effective way to go after activity,” Luger said. “But when it’s part of an organization and part of a continuous pattern of crime, it’s better to do it under a statute that allows you to put it all together before one jury.”
Luger noted that testimony from defendants who pleaded guilty and cooperated was key. Soria applauded the courage of victims who stepped forward to testify.
“It is a privilege to do this job,” Soria said. “And it is an even greater privilege to be entrusted with the stories of the members of the community and victims and to be able to amplify those stories in a trial like this one.”
Judge Susan Richard Nelson kept the names of the jurors in the trial anonymous to prosecutors, the defendants and their attorneys. Typically those parties know jurors’ names, even though members of the public know them only by number.
Juror safety is a major concern among federal judges and attorneys in Minnesota after a woman visited the home of a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial in June and attempted to bribe her with a Hallmark gift bag containing $120,000.
Tom Plunkett, Solomon’s attorney, said in his closing that the government never proved that Solomon fired the shots that killed Banks. Karen Mohrlant, who represented Holt, downplayed the rigid gang structure that the government emphasized during the trial.
Mohrlant noted instances of members of rival gangs getting along and even being part of the same extended families. She also argued that Holt was acting in self defense and likely would have died had Rayshawn Brown’s gun not jammed during the Uptown incident.
In his closing, Burrell’s attorney Steven Wolter, argued similarly that the government failed to prove that Burrell killed Marcus Banks and argued that the killing was a personal matter unrelated to the Bloods.
Prosecutors said the fight inside the bar that night started when Solomon and Burrell spotted a man who’d testified against Burell’s younger brother Myon, who was convicted in the 2002 killing of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards, who was in her house doing homework when a bullet came through the wall of her south Minneapolis homes.
The Minnesota Board of Pardons commuted Myon Burrell’s sentence in 2020 after a joint APM Reports/Associated Press investigation found major problems with the evidence, and an independent expert panel called for his release. Myon Burrell, who was in the courtroom gallery for closing arguments, may be heading back to prison after a Hennepin County judge convicted him on gun and drug charges.
The convictions of Solomon, Holt, and Michael Burrell are part of a prosecution effort that Luger and multiple law enforcement agencies launched last year targeting gangs including the Bloods, Highs, Lows, 10z and 20z.
So far prosecutors have charged 83 people, and nearly four dozen have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.
“You will expose yourself to things that most of the public won’t see, except maybe once in their life. But yep, we’re doing it. Fire departments are doing it on a very regular basis,” said Mike Dobesh, president of MNFire, an organization dedicated to keeping firefighters healthy, mentally and physically, and on the job.
“The fire service is recognizing that any of those unexpected events that we go to, yes, we sign up to do it, but at the same time, those unexpected events can cause trauma; that trauma can lead to PTSD,” Dobesh said.
However, paying for all those firefighters on mandatory PTSD leave is putting the Minneapolis Fire Department in the red. It’s all the overtime needed to fill in for the firefighters on leave.
“From the therapists that I’ve talked to, usually eight to 10 visits can get that firefighter back on the rig,” Dobesh said, which is the goal of the mandatory leave with treatment. “But then it’s going to be something that’s going to have to be managed for the… probably the rest of their career, because it’s not something that’s just going to go away.”
Dobesh says that PTSD was the number one claim MNFire had on its critical illness policy last year.
In 2023, Minnesota lawmakers created the PTSD leave policy in an effort to keep firefighters from applying for permanent duty disability benefits. The policy requires firefighters and other first responders to take up to 32 weeks of paid leave and get treatment first.
“A trauma-informed therapist can meet with a firefighter, desensitize that firefighter, get them back to work,” Dobesh said.
But that policy is costing some fire departments millions. The Minneapolis Fire Department told the city council this week that 7% to 8% of its firefighters are currently out on PTSD leave, and the overtime other firefighters are working to fill in for them has put the department up to $7 million over budget in recent years. It’s projected to go over again this year.
So what are things they can do to maybe prevent some of these problems that they’re having because of PTSD? Speed up access to treatment, according to Dobesh.
“The sooner we can get in and have that firefighter seen, the more likely they’re going to have a very positive outcome and get back on the job,” he said.
Dobesh says if and when a firefighter needs help varies from person to person, but his organization provides five free treatment sessions for any firefighter who’s struggling.
Minnesota firefighters can call MnFIRE’s helpline 24/7 at 888-784-6634 or visit mnfirehealth.org.
MFD Interim Chief Melanie Rucker shared the following statement late Wednesday night:
“The utilization of these leaves is often unavoidable and reflects benefits that support the health and well-being of our fire personnel. We take the health and wellness very seriously, including mental health. Through transparent communication with leadership regarding evolving staffing needs and necessary overtime budget adjustments, we can effectively address the budget overages and return to a sustainable path forward.”
Click here to watch the Minneapolis Budget Committee meeting on May 4.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey signed a new ordinance that carries a ban on assault weapons but won’t take effect unless there are major changes to state law.
Minneapolis gun ban ordinance signed
What we know:
The Minneapolis City Council approved the ordinance during its meeting last week.
The firearm regulations ordinance includes a ban on assault weapons, ghost guns, binary triggers, and high-capacity magazines. The ordinance also includes safe storage provisions for firearms.
Big picture view:
Many of the provisions in the law won’t go into effect unless there is a change in state law. Currently, Minnesota law prevents municipalities from enacting gun regulations.
Minnesota law only allows cities to bar the discharge of firearms within city limits and adopt regulations that are identical to state laws. Any regulations that go beyond state law are voided, according to state statute.
Local perspective:
Action on the gun ordinance was spurred by last year’s shooting at Annunciation Church and School. Two students were killed while attending morning mass at the church and more than two dozen students and parishioners were hurt in the barrage of gunfire.
Last week, parents of Annunciation students spoke out in support of the ordinance at a public hearing.
Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus threatens lawsuit
The other side:
Last year, St. Paul passed a similar law. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus filed a lawsuit shortly after the ordinance was signed. Arguments were heard last month on the case and a judge has set a trial for next year.
In a statement last week, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said it was evaluating its legal options in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus Chair Bryan Strawser said:
“The City of Minneapolis is attempting to make a political statement with an ordinance it has no legal authority to enact. Minnesota law clearly preempts the entire field of firearms regulation, and local governments cannot simply ignore state statute because they dislike the policy outcome.
“If the City Council moves forward with this unlawful ordinance, we will evaluate every available legal option to challenge it, just as we did in Saint Paul.
“The law is not optional, even for Minneapolis.”
A man was hurt in a shooting in south Minneapolis late Tuesday night, according to police.
A report of shots fired brought officers to the 2600 block of Third Avenue South around 9:50 p.m., the Minneapolis Police Department said. They found evidence of gunfire and began investigating.
Later, a man with survivable gunshot wounds showed up at Hennepin Healthcare.
No one has been arrested.
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