Caught in the act and now convicted, a Minnesota state senator’s late-night escapade into her stepmother’s home has landed her in hot water with the law and her party.
KNSI reported that Nicole Mitchell, a first-term Democrat representing a St. Paul suburb, was found guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools after breaking into her estranged stepmother’s house in Detroit Lakes, a quiet northwestern Minnesota town.
The saga began long before the break-in, rooted in a bitter family fallout following the death of Mitchell’s father in 2023, after nearly four decades of marriage to her stepmother, Carol Mitchell.
Their relationship crumbled, culminating in harsh text exchanges about a month prior to the incident, where Carol refused to adjust the timing of the interment of Mitchell’s father’s ashes to accommodate a busy legislative schedule. It’s a stark reminder that personal grief can spiral into public scandal when mixed with poor judgment.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of April 22, 2024, when Mitchell, dressed head-to-toe in black with a flashlight bizarrely shrouded in a sock, entered Carol’s home.
She was arrested on the spot, a scene straight out of a low-budget crime flick, but with real-world consequences for a sitting senator. One has to wonder if she thought this was a mission of mercy or just a misguided grab for nostalgia.
Bodycam footage captured Mitchell admitting to police, “I know I did something bad.” That’s an understatement, senator, when you’re caught sneaking around like a cat burglar in a home that’s not yours. Her initial excuse? She was there to retrieve sentimental items—her father’s ashes, photos, even a flannel shirt—because Carol wouldn’t hand them over.
But wait, the plot thickens—Mitchell later testified that her police statements were fibs, claiming she didn’t intend to take anything and only wanted to shield her stepmother from distress.
Defense attorney Bruce Ringstrom Jr. argued these were mere “white lies,” a messy but understandable mistake. Call it what you will, but breaking and entering isn’t exactly a harmless fib in the eyes of the law or common sense.
Carol Mitchell, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, took the stand for the prosecution, though her memory faltered on key details of that night.
She couldn’t recall names or specifics, yet her sense of violation was palpable, a heartbreaking footnote to this family drama. It’s tough not to feel for a woman caught in such a personal betrayal, even if progressive defenders might spin this as a mental health crisis gone awry.
Mitchell’s own testimony painted a picture of concern for Carol’s well-being, citing fears of her stepmother’s paranoia and potential nursing home placement. Yet, if checking on someone’s health involves sneaking through their window at night, perhaps a phone call or social worker would’ve been the wiser, less felonious choice.
The jury wasn’t buying the excuses, convicting Mitchell of first-degree burglary—a felony carrying a mandatory minimum of six months in jail—and possession of burglary tools, a lesser charge but still a black mark on her record. Mitchell showed little reaction as the verdicts dropped, perhaps knowing the political storm awaiting her was just as damning as the legal one.
In the Minnesota Senate, where Democrats cling to a razor-thin one-seat majority, Mitchell’s antics have been a lightning rod. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy noted Mitchell had previously pledged to step down if convicted, adding, “and I expect her to follow through.”
That’s a polite way of saying, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” as the party scrambles to distance itself from this embarrassment. Despite calls for her resignation since her arrest, Mitchell held firm, straining ties between Democrats and Republicans in an already tense chamber.
Democrats, desperate for her vote, refused to expel her or push for resignation, opting to let the courts decide while sidelining her from caucus meetings and committees. It’s a classic case of political expediency over principle, a move that reeks of protecting power over accountability.
Republicans, predictably, tried to oust Mitchell, but lacking the votes, they settled for an ethics complaint that’s been stalled by a partisan deadlock on the Senate’s ethics panel. It’s a frustrating stalemate for those who believe elected officials should be held to a higher standard, not shielded by party loyalty.
The hypocrisy of a system that lectures on law and order while dragging its feet here is hard to ignore. Prosecutor Brian McDonald hammered home Mitchell’s contradictions in closing arguments, calling out “the many lies” she told.
If she was truthful to police on that April night, as McDonald argued, then her intent to steal was clear as day. For conservatives tired of double standards, this cuts to the core: Actions, not words, define character in public office.
Mitchell’s background as a former broadcast meteorologist and retired Air National Guard officer adds a layer of irony to her fall from grace. Once a figure of trust and discipline, she’s now a convicted felon, a cautionary tale of how personal struggles can derail even the most polished public personas. It’s a sad story, but sympathy can’t override the need for consequences.