Minnesota man freed after conviction overturned
Edgar Barrientos-Quintana is now out of prison after his 2008 murder conviction was vacated Thumbnail credit: Amy Anderson Photography
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Edgar Barrientos-Quintana is now out of prison after his 2008 murder conviction was vacated Thumbnail credit: Amy Anderson Photography
All mail will be rerouted out-of-state to a company that will replicate the mail before sending it back to Minnesota.
Inside Hennepin County Adult Detention Center, inmates are not only serving time but learning skills to keep them from coming back.
So far this year, the Minnesota Department of Corrections says there have been at least 70 cases of suspected overdoses in state prisons, with most leading to lockdowns that frustrate inmates, staff and their families.
Investigators have retrieved new evidence showing how prison inmates continue to smuggle narcotics, including now through books and magazines.
WCCO uncovers the new ways inmates are smuggling deadly drugs into Minnesota prisons. In July, we showed you how mail laced with synthetic drugs was getting to inmates. The inmates tear up the paper and smoke it, leading to prison lockdowns and overdoses. In this WCCO Investigation, Jonah Kaplan looks at the new method being used to beat the system.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday it is asking the courts to adjust the sentencing of Jerome Nunn — a man originally sentenced to life in prison three decades ago — to time served in recognition of Nunn's rehabilitation.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has agreed to provide more help to hearing-impaired inmates as part of a settlement with federal investigators.
The recent two-day lockdown at Stillwater caused by an inmate smoking an unknown substance underscored the limits of the mail pilot program and the risks of persistent drug smuggling.
A 56-year-old man learned his fate on Monday morning for a 2023 carjacking in Elk River, where he beat up his victim before dragging her behind her SUV.
A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed Thursday that the Waseca Federal Correctional Institution was placed on "modified operations" on Sept. 4 after nine inmates were sent to a local hospital for "exhibiting signs of drug use."
A correctional officer at a southern Minnesota prison is accused of smuggling drugs to one of the inmates earlier this month, authorities announced Wednesday.
Investigators in Wisconsin say an inmate serving time for trying to kill his mother killed his cellmate for being Black and gay.
Investigators say an inmate found dead at a maximum-security prison in Wisconsin was strangled in his cell.
The ex-Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd has been transferred to a federal prison in Texas almost nine months after he was stabbed in a different facility.
Contraband isn't new to prisons, but investigators are warning that Minnesota's prison system is being inundated by mail laced with synthetic opioids. It's such a problem that some Minnesota prisons are changing their mailroom protocols.
A WCCO Investigation discovered that deadly drugs are getting delivered to Minnesota inmates, in plain sight. It's become such a problem, that some prisons are actually changing what happens in mailrooms. Investigative Reporter Jonah Kaplan takes us inside Faribault prison to show us how hard it can be to detect this hidden danger.
The facility has been plagued by allegations of staff-on-inmate abuse, including excessive use of pepper spray, restraints and strip searches. A court-appointed monitor is currently overseeing the facility.
Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier has spent most of his life in prison since being convicted in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents in South Dakota.
The warden of a maximum-security Wisconsin prison and eight members of his staff have been charged following investigations into the deaths of four inmates at the troubled facility over the past year.
Gerri, a concerned family member, said she's been told from inside that the lockdowns caused by overdoses have cut into meals and rehabilitation programming.
Minnesota has joined a growing list of states that plan to count prisoners at their home addresses instead of at the prisons they're located when drawing new political districts.
"It really does play major mind games," one inmate said. "I'm not able to call my wife. It does raise the stress level of everybody, and when that happens...it can really push people over the edge."
Inmates at Minnesota's largest prison explain how regular lockdowns are impacting life inside. The inmates aren't acting up, there's just not enough staff to keep an eye on them. WCCO's David Schuman learned more about the problem in Faribault.
WCCO received complaints about inmates at the Faribault Correction Facility not being able to leave their cells, attend classes or get commissary.
The New York Film Critics Circle, one of the nation's oldest and most venerated critics' groups, is kicking movie awards season into high gear Tuesday as they select their choices for the best of 2024.
A judge's overturning of Wisconsin's 13-year-old law that effectively ended collective bargaining for teachers and most state government employees has rekindled a battle over labor rights in a state where the first public sector unions were formed 65 years ago.
Agribusiness giant Cargill is laying off thousands of its employees.
Iowa officials are suing the Biden administration for access to information on the citizenship status of more than 2,000 registered voters they had questioned in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and Minnesota OSHA have fined a scuba diving weed removal company over $730,000. Their violations led to the death of an 18-year-old in May.
Agribusiness giant Cargill is laying off thousands of its employees.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and Minnesota OSHA have fined a scuba diving weed removal company over $730,000. Their violations led to the death of an 18-year-old in May.
Footage of the fatal 2021 shooting of Winston Boogie Smith by U.S. Marshals task force members in Minneapolis has been obtained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after years of trying to unlock a cellphone.
Rap's reigning hater-in-chief Kendrick Lamar will kick off his next tour in Minneapolis.
Authorities in the northwest metro are investigating a fire that killed one resident and caused the evacuation of multiple others Tuesday morning.
Authorities plan to continue searching Tuesday for a southern Minnesota man who disappeared Monday evening.
The lawsuit alleges USA Powerlifting discriminated against Jaycee Cooper when they denied her entry to two competitions in 2018.
The Republican candidate in a close state House race is asking a judge to invalidate the results and declare a vacancy for that seat, which could prompt a special election sometime early next year.
The Minnesota State Patrol says they've received nearly 2,800 calls for animals in the roadway so far this year.
A judge sentenced a 22-year-old northern Minnesota man to one year in jail for fatally striking a pedestrian with his vehicle after he said he had been "jamming out" to music.
A Milwaukee bar is permanently closed after police found cocaine, bullets and chickens on the premises.
Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions have scored a major legal victory with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law.
Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, says he's joined the race to lead the national party after an election that swept Donald Trump and Republicans to power in Washington.
Wisconsin's election commission leader has quietly certified Donald Trump's victory in the battleground state, a departure from the chaos that surrounded the 2020 election results.
A narrow band of snow quickly dropped three inches on drivers — even sending a semi sliding into a ditch.
A Twin Cities high school hockey team hit the ice for the first time Friday night since losing a teammate to a long battle with cancer. Max Akerson died earlier this week.
The Battis-Bohen bowl tradition is alive and well after 91 consecutive Thanksgivings.
A Red Lake Department of Public Safety officer was one of two people killed in a crash in the northern Minnesota community Wednesday morning.
The cost of Thanksgiving dinner is still nearly 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Union Gospel Mission is lightening the load by welcoming 10,000 families through their meal kit pick-up.
From the Twin Cities to the North Shore, here are the holiday tree lightings and parades in 2024 in the Twin Cities and in Greater Minnesota.
A judge's overturning of Wisconsin's 13-year-old law that effectively ended collective bargaining for teachers and most state government employees has rekindled a battle over labor rights in a state where the first public sector unions were formed 65 years ago.
Iowa officials are suing the Biden administration for access to information on the citizenship status of more than 2,000 registered voters they had questioned in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election.
A Trump loyalist is at the center of new allegations facing Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary.
The Republican candidate in a close state House race is asking a judge to invalidate the results and declare a vacancy for that seat, which could prompt a special election sometime early next year.
Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions have scored a major legal victory with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law.
While there are many Cyber Monday deals out there from legitimate websites, the BBB's Bao Vang says online-buyer beware.
The mall is expecting tens of thousands of shoppers for Black Friday with plenty of deals.
Great deals means Minnesotans are camping out on Black Friday Eve
Are you running out to get a last-minute Thanksgiving dinner ingredient? Here's what's open and closed on Thanksgiving in Minnesota.
GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan says Canadian tariffs would mean Minnesotans will pay between 35 and 50 cents more per gallon for gas, depending on the season, because a majority of the state's crude oil comes from Canada.
Footage of the fatal 2021 shooting of Winston Boogie Smith by U.S. Marshals task force members in Minneapolis has been obtained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after years of trying to unlock a cellphone.
Eight people—four men and four women, all between the ages of 20 and 35—were shot in a house in Chicago Lawn.
A man is dead and authorities are looking for a suspect after a shooting in Robbinsdale Monday afternoon.
While there are many Cyber Monday deals out there from legitimate websites, the BBB's Bao Vang says online-buyer beware.
A judge sentenced a 22-year-old northern Minnesota man to one year in jail for fatally striking a pedestrian with his vehicle after he said he had been "jamming out" to music.
Whether it's for five or 15 minutes, Johnson says the small amount of time spent meditating has made a big difference.
Feds find 11 kids illegally employed for at least 4 years at Seaboard Triumph Foods facility in Sioux City, Iowa.
Minnesota Vikings legend and NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss said he is "battling something internal" and asked for prayers on Sunday.
A first-of-its-kind treatment center aimed at helping those living with or at risk of HIV is now open in Minneapolis.
In a recent study, nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults say something causes them stress this time of year.
The New York Film Critics Circle, one of the nation's oldest and most venerated critics' groups, is kicking movie awards season into high gear Tuesday as they select their choices for the best of 2024.
Rap's reigning hater-in-chief Kendrick Lamar will kick off his next tour in Minneapolis.
Legendary Australian rockers AC/DC are Minnesota-bound for the first time in nearly a decade.
Elton John says he's lost his eyesight and struggled to see his new musical, "The Devil Wears Prada" after a "severe" eye infection.
Target is the only place you can buy the latest Taylor Swift merch, including a new book, vinyl and CD.
Meet a student athlete from Chisago Lakes with endless drive, despite a surprise diagnosis. Plus, Becker and Totino-Grace battled at U.S. Bank Stadium for the Class 4A championship.
Overall, the Vikings have received the fourth most votes of any team, behind the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
Julius Randle scored 18 points and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Los Angeles Lakers 109-80.
Minnesota's second five-game winning streak of the season has been filled with setbacks, comebacks and down-to-the-wire finishes.
Before returning to his alma mater of Cretin-Derham Hall to lead and coach, Kim Royston had the unique experience of being a star defensive back for both the Wisconsin Badgers and the Minnesota Gophers.
In this election, Klobuchar faired much better than all other Senate Democrats — she won by a significantly larger margin.
For Democrats the postmortem continues on why Vice President Kamala Harris and her Running mate Governor Tim Walz performed more poorly with almost every demographic than Joe Biden did in 2020. In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar did much better than Harris with some of those same groups.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
"Thomas Dambo, he believes the trolls really help us kind of shine a light on how we can take better care of the environment and be better to each other," said Stearns.
There are a lot of quirky town names in Minnesota: Embarrass, Nowthen, Clontarff, Kiester. But the people of Nimrod believe their name stands out from the rest.
Did you know that donkeys are fast, smart and can build life-long bonds with other animals and people? It's believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs.
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theater in St. Paul — but is it also haunted?
Wisconsin bars are known for their pints and their patrons. About the last thing you'd expect to discover in such a place would be 55 feet of historic American artwork.
From turkey, to mashed potatoes, stuffing and pies, many are ending Thanksgiving with full stomachs and refrigerators.
We're just over two weeks since Minnesota's deer opener and already hunters have harvested more than 123,000 of them using firearms. That could equal huge dollars for the state if they all took one extra step.
This holiday season, you might pull out a Betty Crocker cookbook to find a tried and true recipe.
Krueger is the third-generation owner of Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm. While he finds joy in knowing the evergreens will make a family happy, they might not realize the effort it took to reach these towering heights.
As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his cabinet, there's one department for which he's yet to announce a leader. That could be because he promised it wouldn't exist after taking office.
Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota share photos of their tiniest patients dressed to the nines for Halloween.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Thursday night due to the arrival of a severe geomagnetic storm.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Monday night.
Storms ripped through parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday evening. There were several reports of tornadoes and trees were downed in the metro and beyond, including in Cottage Grove, Anoka, Champlin and Fridley.
A powerful thunderstorm tore through the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night, delaying Tuesday's opening.
Temps are about to take a tumble, says NEXT Weather Meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
We have a roller-coaster of a forecast this week. We will warm up Wednesday with temps close to the 30s. It will be windy and there's a chance for precipitation. Thursday morning morning will be one of the coldest we've seen so far. Joseph Dames breaks down this weeks forecast.
An arctic front will hit on Wednesday, bringing light snow, gusty winds and a sharp temperature drop.
Temperatures will briefly rebound in the Twin Cities on Tuesday before an arctic plunge arrives midweek.
A Minnesota-based food production giant plans to lay off 5% of its employees worldwide.
State fire marshalls are investigating the cause of a deadly fire that broke out early Monday morning in Robbinsdale.
Temps are about to take a tumble, says NEXT Weather Meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
Footage of the fatal 2021 shooting of Winston Boogie Smith by U.S. Marshals task force members in Minneapolis has been obtained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after years of trying to unlock a cellphone.
The Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs has their Winter Concert this Sunday. They will perform at the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley.