It was the biggest crisis of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's political career.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld a 2023 state law that restores voting rights for felons once they have completed their prison sentences.

Rather than trying to keep their seats in Congress, two of North Carolina’s U.S. representatives are vying for a role closer to home: state attorney general.

In wide-ranging interviews with The Associated Press, six sitting Black attorneys general discussed the challenges and opportunities of serving as the top law enforcement officer in their respective states.

The American legal system has never faced greater challenges or demands for reform from people of all races and across the political spectrum.

Detroit native and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison authored a new book detailing his experience trying the officers responsible for George Floyd's death.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison reveals in a new book how worried prosecutors were that a judge would move the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin out of the city where he killed George Floyd.

Minnesota Democratic leaders will convene an emergency meeting Thursday evening to respond to the chaos that broke out during a convention to endorse a candidate for a Minneapolis City Council race.

A judge has found a former Minneapolis police officer who held back bystanders while his colleagues restrained a dying George Floyd guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter.

Minnesota has announced a settlement in its lawsuit against Juul Labs and tobacco giant Altria.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has personally opened his state’s lawsuit against Juul Labs and tobacco giant Altria.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is slated to lead off opening statements expected Tuesday in his state’s lawsuit against Juul Labs.

A Minnesota town has backed away from a proposal to let people sue abortion providers, including organizations that provide abortion drugs by mail, after the state attorney general warned that the plan was unconstitutional.

George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police officers in May 2020 sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of his arrest.

Jury selection is getting underway in the trial of two former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death.

Keith Ellison gave up a safe seat in Congress to run for Minnesota attorney general, saying it was his best chance to push back against the policies of Donald Trump.

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Scott Jensen scored easy victories Tuesday in their primaries to set the stage for their fall matchup in Minnesota’s top race this fall.

The Supreme Court's decision to end the constitutional right to abortion likely will lead to legal battles as already divided states grapple with the new landscape of abortion access.

Dr. Scott Jensen, a skeptic of the government’s response to COVID-19, has won the Minnesota GOP’s endorsement to challenge Democratic Gov. Tim Walz in the November election.

A teenage cousin of Amir Locke has pleaded guilty to a murder that prompted police to conduct the no-knock warrant that led to Locke's killing in February.

Minnesota prosecutors have declined to file charges against a Minneapolis police SWAT team officer who fatally shot Amir Locke while executing an early morning no-knock search warrant in February.

George Floyd’s death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

Data show it's rare for police officers to be convicted of on-duty killings.

Outgoing Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is leaving a progressive legacy behind when he steps down Saturday after eight years.

Minneapolis voters have rejected a proposal to replace the city’s police department with a new Department of Public Safety — an idea that arose from the May 2020 death of George Floyd.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he’s hoping a judge’s 22 1/2-year sentence imposed on former police Officer Derek Chauvin will be a “moment for change.”.

George Floyd's death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison resisted calls for weeks to take over the prosecution of the white suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot Black motorist Daunte Wright.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says his office will lead the prosecution of a former suburban police officer who is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright.

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It’s no secret that Detroit has produced leaders all over the country, the city can now add the Minnesota Attorney General to that list. Keith Ellison is making a big impact in the Derek Chauvin case, surrounding the death of George Floyd.

“I could not be more happy and proud. He was born for this moment since he was a kid he has been an advocate and champion for issues of justice and righteousness,” said Church of the New Covenant Pastor Brian Ellison. “His life path was set from a very early age.”

Activists, members of George Floyd’s family and some public officials say the guilty verdicts against Derek Chauvin are just a start, and they will continue to push for systemic change in policing in Minneapolis and beyond.

Crowds nationwide are reacting with jubilation but also with deep awareness of the progress left to be made after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of murder in the killing of George Floyd.

George Floyd's death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

A white former police officer is being charged with second-degree manslaughter in the killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, just three days after the Black man was shot during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb.

As the trial approaches for Chauvin, who is charged with murder in Floyd's death, prosecutors are putting the time Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck at about nine minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. AdMay 31 — Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death. AdFeb. 12 — City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Defense attorney Eric Nelson also raised the possibility of renewing his previously unsuccessful motion to move Derek Chauvin's trial to another city. AdMayor Jacob Frey deferred questions about the timing of the settlement to City Attorney Jim Rowader, who declined to comment. Potential jurors questioned later didn't mention hearing of the settlement, and neither attorneys nor the judge directly asked if they were aware of it. At least four potential jurors dismissed Monday said they couldn’t be impartial. Three other former officers face an August trial on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

As the trial approaches for Chauvin, who is charged with murder in Floyd's death, prosecutors are putting the time Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck at about nine minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. AdMay 31 — Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death and the nationwide protests continue. Feb. 12 — City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Jury selection begins Monday, March 8, 2021, for Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's death. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)MINNEAPOLIS – Jury selection begins Monday for a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's death. City, county and state officials are preparing for any sort of reaction that trial testimony or a verdict might elicit. AdTHE JUDGEHennepin County Judge Peter Cahill is respected and has a reputation as a no-nonsense, fair judge. AdPROSECUTIONDays after Floyd's death, Minnesota's governor announced that Attorney General Keith Ellison would take the lead on prosecuting the case.

Just hours after receiving the news, he walked out the front door of Stillwater prison into below-freezing temperatures. The AP investigation that followed sparked national outrage and gave Burrell’s family and community organizers the ammunition they needed to get Klobuchar’s attention. One had his 16-year prison sentence cut to three. He said the justice system failed his family, and media coverage and support for Burrell’s release overshadowed his sister’s death. Edwards III, Tyesha’s brother, said news of Burrell’s release is especially hard after the death of his mother last year.

WASHINGTON – The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local):9:20 p.m.Joe Biden says he has learned from the mistakes that Hillary Clinton's campaign made four years ago in the Midwest. After her stunning loss to Donald Trump in 2016, many Democrats criticized her campaign as overconfident and too complacent. President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are campaigning hard to win both states, where Trump scored narrow victories in 2016. The campaign announced in addition to his Monday trip to the state, Biden will campaign in Philadelphia on Sunday. The Minnesota Department of Health has linked 28 coronavirus cases to other recent Trump campaign events in the state.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2015, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden administers the Senate oath to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., as Coons' wife, Annie Coons, watches during a ceremonial re-enactment swearing-in, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. The theme and timing of Coons speech on the pandemic-altered convention schedule underscore Democrats' interest in engaging with religious voters on the basis of shared values with Biden. For Joe, faith isnt a prop or a political tool, Coons is set to say, according to prepared remarks shared with The Associated Press ahead of time. Coons is also one of the more vocal Democrats when it comes to coaxing fellow party members to be more open about faith. When it comes to speaking for Biden about faith, though, Coons will have the most prominent forum.

Tim Walzs executive orders requiring 6-foot social distancing and the wearing of face masks at worship services. The Thomas More Society, which specializes in litigation on religious issues, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in California Superior Court against Gov. A few churches have been openly defiant, including one in California's Ventura County which held indoor worship services Sunday despite a judges temporary restraining order. Earlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court upheld state COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings in a suit filed by South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista, California. In June a federal judge blocked New York state from enforcing restrictions on indoor religious gatherings to 25% capacity when other types of gatherings were limited to 50%.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)Several prominent Muslim American elected officials endorsed Joe Biden for president in a letter organized by Emgage Action ahead of an online summit that starts Monday and features the presumptive Democratic nominee. A Biden administration will move the nation forward on many of the issues we care about, it said, citing racial justice, affordable health care, climate change and immigration. The Muslim American officials also praised Bidens agenda for their communities. Other state- and local-level Muslim American officials signing onto the pro-Biden letter hail from 10 states, including Michigan a state where Alzayat said he believes there are more than 150,000 registered Muslim voters. Farooq Mitha, senior adviser for Muslim engagement with Bidens campaign, said reaching out to Muslim American voters is a priority for Biden, pointing to his own appointment as an example.

Republican John James is here to talk about his race with incumbent Gary Peters. James was introduced to Michigan voters two years ago in the Senate race against Debbie Stabenow. And schools and universities point to reopening plans for the fall, even as the coronavirus is spiking in many states. Earlier this spring we talked with Wayne State University President Dr. M. Roy Wilson about the pandemic and its impact on the school, students and faculty. Segment Two:Wayne State University President Dr. M. Roy Wilson.

MINNEAPOLIS A Minnesota judge on Friday rejected allowing cameras in the court for pretrial proceedings of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd. Minnesota rules allow the judge, prosecutors or defense attorneys to veto camera coverage during criminal court proceedings before a conviction. The judge will rule later on whether cameras will be allowed at trial. A defense attorney filed a motion Thursday on behalf of the ex-officers to allow recording of all pretrial and trial proceedings. Doing otherwise allows these public officials to geld the Constitution, wrote attorney Thomas Plunkett, representing J. Kueng, one of four fired officers charged in Floyd's death.

What does that mean for Michigan after it recently lifted its lockdown and reopened its economy? And there is a fight over mail in voting in Michigan. The Secretary of State will defend her position, but one of her chief critics is going to weigh in on the topic. Segment One:Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun is the Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Segment Two:Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Kent County clerk, Lisa Posthumus Lyons.

DETROIT Calls to abolish, defund or reform police departments are growing louder across the country. What should be done to make the system more just for everyone? Well talk about it with Democratic Rep. Brenda Lawrence. There will also be a discussion on how racial disparities affect health, wealth and so many other aspects of life here in Metro Detroit. Segment One:Democratic Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence of Michigans 14th Congressional DistrictSegment Two:Portia Roberson, CEO, Focus: HOPE and Michael Rafferty, president and CEO of New DetroitSegment Three:Flashpoint host Devin Scillian wraps up this weeks episode.

Doing so is giving Ellison a national platform to talk about race in America. Ellison, the first African American elected to his job, is now tasked with nothing less than making that system work. What we need is accountability from a top lawyer like Keith Ellison to put these cops in jail. If Ellisons national reputation was as a progressive purist, his work as attorney general has been more tempered. The Floyd case could bring some tensions with progressives who have long viewed Ellison as an uncompromising ally.

(Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP)Minnesota's pardons board on Friday granted a posthumous pardon to a black man imprisoned a century ago in the alleged rape of a white woman, part of a case that included the infamous lynchings of three other black men in Duluth. The board voted 3-0 to pardon Max Mason, one of several traveling circus workers accused in the 1920 case. According to the summary, the young man made no mention of any attack when dropping off Tusken at her parents house but related the story to his father early the next morning. Mason was allowed to travel to the circus next city, but was re-arrested the next day, and eventually identified as an attacker by Tusken and the young man. In recent weeks we have seen an injustice at the hands of those who are sworn to serve and protect in the murder of George Floyd, Tusken said.

The now-former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with unintentional second-degree murder in addition to third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers involved in the incident have been charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and second degree manslaughter. Still, Ellison says he is committed to prosecuting the former Minneapolis police officers to the fullest extent of the law. For 100 years after that, we were held as second-class citizens -- including in the north, like in Detroit and Minneapolis. His message comes just days after Minnesota agreed to ban police chokeholds and neck restraints following the killing of Floyd.

And a man suddenly in the very hot spotlight is the attorney general of the State of Minnesota who happens to be a native Detroiter, Keith Ellison. When he ran for the US House in Minnesota, he became the first ever Muslim American elected to Congress. If he thought he was stepping out of the limelight when he left Congress and became Minnesotas attorney general, it didnt exactly work out. So what kind of concrete steps can be taken to stop the bleeding of this wound that just doesnt heal? Segment One:Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. ___PORTLAND, Ore. Police in Portland deployed tear gas to disperse a large crowd downtown late Sunday night after authorities said projectiles were thrown at officers. Thousands of people marched throughout Oregons largest city on Sunday, the third day of George Floyd protests in Portland. Unlike Dallas, where police made dozens of arrests to enforce a downtown curfew, Austin doesnt have a curfew and demonstrators have been roaming downtown from the police station to the state Capitol several blocks away for nearly 10 hours. The demonstration over the death of George Floyd came after turbulent protests that led to the arrest of 83 people Saturday night.