Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat from Woodbury, Minnesota, has formally pleaded not guilty to charges of burglarizing her estranged stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes following her father’s passing. Mitchell was accused in April after allegedly breaking into the residence seeking sentimental items, such as her late father’s ashes, which her stepmother reportedly refused to hand over.

In a recent court filing, both defense and prosecution attorneys stated that Mitchell maintains her innocence and has requested a settlement conference along with a jury trial. The agreement also outlines that prosecutors will not assert that Mitchell stole a disputed laptop seized during her arrest, but can introduce evidence from it if the case proceeds to trial.

Mitchell’s arrest had significant implications during the 2024 legislative session, causing disruptions and putting ethics proceedings on hold pending developments in her criminal case. Despite facing pressure from Republicans to resign, Mitchell denied any wrongdoing. Her status as a senator created challenges for fellow Democrats due to their slim majority in the Senate, necessitating her vote for non-bipartisan legislation.

At the time of her arrest, Mitchell was reportedly attired in all black, including a black hat, and was quoted in the complaint admitting, “I know I did something bad.” Her attorney attributed the dispute with her stepmother to a strained relationship exacerbated by age-related issues.

According to her father’s obituary, Mitchell’s father passed away in March 2023 at the age of 72 after 40 years of marriage to Mitchell’s stepmother.