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.
In Minneapolis' north loop, an inaugural Christkindl Market is now open at North Loop Green.
More of the same for Saturday, until snow moves in for some on Sunday night.
Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route and determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep.
Two lawsuits, filed against the Office of Cannabis Management, are aiming to stop a lottery for cannabis licenses in Minnesota.
A Minnesota man hospitalized for mental health treatments is fighting back.
In Minneapolis' north loop, an inaugural Christkindl Market is now open at North Loop Green.
Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley is the first Kenyan-born state legislator in the country.
More than $37 Million in donations came in to support over 6,000 nonprofits and schools.
Police in St. Paul are investigating after a shooting left one person dead Friday afternoon.
Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
Authorities recovered multiple guns and a "significant amount of ammunition" from the home of a man accused of threatening his neighbor over her sexual orientation, charges say.
Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
State championship football games are happening all day long at U.S. Bank Stadium Friday.
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.
Flames tore through a building and well-known horse farm near Winona on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities are urging a Wisconsin man accused of faking his death and fleeing to Europe to come home and spend the holidays with his wife and three children.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with a case affecting whether the swing state's nonpartisan top elections official can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate.
Documents say Steven Williams resigned from the Prescott, Wisconsin police force "in lieu of termination."
An attorney representing a conservative prosecutor struggled Monday to convince Wisconsin's liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reactivate the state's 175-year-old abortion ban.
Jennie-O turkey brand will display its float at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the fifth consecutive year.
A man is expected to survive after being shot during a possible drug deal in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood Thursday morning, police said.
A warm place to live may be taken for granted, but for a veteran taking over his family home, it's a gift.
Michael Fuller and Mahesh Mathew are finding purpose on Twin Cities running paths together.
One issue veterans face is finding a job after they finish their service. They have skills, of course, but they are not always valued as work experience. The University of Minnesota Medical School is hoping to change that.
Alan Vanhoever and Brian Neidt are honored to have served the United States. Both struggled with addiction for years before giving a specialized long-term program a try.
Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley is the first Kenyan-born state legislator in the country.
Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
The Universal Service Fund was created by Congress in 1996.
Trump loyalist Rep. Matt Gaetz is out of a job for now, but his political future may not be over.
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is now President-elect Donald Trump's choice for his AG after former Congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew on Thursday.
The average price for a typical turkey is about $25 this year. That's 6% cheaper than last November.
"We literally walk in and dust off the jackets because they have been sitting for a while," she said.
Thieves capture radio signals from your key fob by using a device that grabs that fob's signal, even from long distances. That signal can be stored and re-used.
The price of housing in Minneapolis rose less over the last five years compared to other metro areas around the U.S.
The Wild also partnered with community food shelves to give out Turkeys this holiday season.
Authorities recovered multiple guns and a "significant amount of ammunition" from the home of a man accused of threatening his neighbor over her sexual orientation, charges say.
The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
A man is expected to survive after being shot during a possible drug deal in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood Thursday morning, police said.
A woman in her 60s has been charged with fatally striking a person with her car back in July near Hibbing, according to documents filed Tuesday in Itasca County.
Roseville city officials say that more than 18,000 feet of copper wire was stolen.
Last year, Minnesota lawmakers passed new protections after a young woman testified about contamination in her community just before she died. Her sister is now carrying on the fight to protect other families.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have confirmed a total of 15 cases of E. coli related illnesses in Minnesota.
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
A new Minnesota state law requires school districts or charter schools to adopt a policy on the use of cellphones in school by March of next year. But one nonprofit has gotten a jump start, working with students to help them find a balance between devices in and out of school.
The Mayo Clinic says surgeons there successfully performed a face transplant for a Michigan man who was severely injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound 10 years ago.
English hyperpop artist Charli XCX will be coming to Minneapolis on April 26, 2025.
After almost a decade of "Disney on Ice" performances, a Minnesota native is eagerly anticipating his first show at the Xcel Energy Center.
Post Malone announced Tuesday that the "Big A** Stadium Tour" will come to U.S. Bank Stadium on May 20, 2025.
The much-hyped fight pitting the 58-year-old Tyson against Paul, 27, shattered records but was marred by tech glitches.
Betty White will be honored with a stamp in 2025, the U.S. Postal Service announced on Friday.
Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route and determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep.
The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
State championship football games are happening all day long at U.S. Bank Stadium Friday.
RJ Barrett scored 31 points, Scottie Barnes added 17 points in his return from injury, and the Toronto Raptors won back-to-back games for the first time this season by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105.
The head coach of the University of St. Thomas' women's hockey team has resigned following an "incident," according to the school, which would not disclose the details of what occurred.
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.
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.
Did you know Minnesota has a real castle? Miller Castle, near Nisswa.
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.
The tiny sensory organs that cover our tongue allow us to detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami — which is a savory, rich or meaty flavor.
Grabbing a TV for a steal-of-a-deal is a popular move during the holiday season. This year, industry experts are expecting shoppers to go big — like really big.
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.
More of the same for Saturday, until snow moves in for some on Sunday night.
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.
WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso has your latest forecast and he says it'll be a relatively quiet weekend with a chance for snow in some parts of the state Sunday night.
Meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says a cold front could be moving through on Thanksgiving that could bring below average temperatures.
WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak has your latest forecast and it's official: winter is here.
Here are your top digital headlines.
Here's a look at 4 Things to Do Today.
A local nonprofit is throwing an event to help ring in the Hmong New Year later this month in St. Paul. Reg Chapman and Adam Del Rosso learn more.
Trying to get into the holiday spirit AND cross some names off your "nice" list? WCCO's Adam Duxter previews a local holiday market that has the perfect gift for all your loved ones.
From art battles to a Wicked mural made out of Legos, here's a look at this week's Saturdates.