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Chao Xiong

Reporter | Hennepin County Courts

Chao Xiong was the Hennepin County Courts reporter for the Star Tribune. He previously covered Ramsey County courts, St. Paul police, the state of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis.

Recent content from Chao Xiong
The parents of Daunte Wright, Aubrey Wright, left, and Katie Bryant cry as they wait to speak to the press after the verdict was read at the Hennepin

Ex-officer Potter is sentenced to 2 years for killing Daunte Wright

The sentence handed down by the presiding judge was about 3 1⁄2 times lower than the presumptive prison term and left Daunte Wright's family and activists angry.
Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Daunte W

Prosecutors change course from asking for longer Potter sentence

State sentencing guidelines call for a prison term between about six years and about 8 1⁄2 years for first-degree manslaughter for a defendant like Potter, who has no criminal history.

Fourth suspect charged in kidnapping, murder of man found in Dakota County culvert

The victim was labeled a "snitch," court documents say.
Retired Hennepin County District Judge Martha Holton Dimick announced her run for Hennepin County attorney Wednesday.

Retired Judge Martha Holton Dimick running for Hennepin County attorney

Martha Holton Dimick cited George Floyd's killing and increase in crime as a factor.
Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao arrives with his attorney Robert Paule for a Sept. 11, 2020, hearing at the Hennepin County Family Justice

'No idea' Floyd was in distress, Thao testifies at civil rights trial

Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao is one of three ex-MPD officers on trial in St. Paul for the 2020 killing of George Floyd.
FILE In this courtroom sketch, from left, former Minneapolis police Officer Tou Thao, attorney Robert Paule, attorney Natalie Paule, attorney Tom Plun

At least two ex-officers plan to testify in federal civil rights trial as defense set to begin

Officers accused of violating George Floyd's civil rights
Also Friday in the federal trial in St. Paul, Alyssa Funari testified that she “instantly” knew George Floyd was in distress. “I observed that o

New body camera video: Officers didn't tell second supervisor about restraint of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are on trial in federal court.
Video played in court Thursday from former officer Thomas Lane’s body camera showed that Lane told the head of the Minneapolis Police Department’s

New footage in trial shows officers didn't tell superior Floyd had no pulse

Defense attorneys are trying to show that evidence was overlooked early on in the investigation of George Floyd's death.

Chief public defender in northwestern Minnesota reappointed despite pushback

Kristine Kolar will serve another 4-year term.
A Minneapolis man was charged with causing a fatal crash last year while he was on a FaceTime call with his wife.

Minneapolis man charged in fatal crash was on FaceTime call

The April 15 crash on Hwy. 62 near I-35W in Richfield killed a 23-year-old woman.

White Bear Lake Township man charged in woman's overdose death

Jesse Lietzau stands charged with third-degree murder
Stephanie Clark

Maple Grove woman sentenced in boyfriend's shooting

Stephanie Clark received 25 1⁄2 years in prison.
Amir Locke was respectful and curious, parents say: 'My heart ripped out of my body' by video of shooting

Amir Locke was respectful and curious, parents say: 'My heart ripped out of my body' by video of shooting

Locke, a DoorDash driver, had permit to carry, they said.
Aaron J. Hjermstad

Former youth coach sentenced to 12 years for sexually assaulting children

Aaron Hjermstad's assaults spanned years.
Hennepin County District Judge William Koch

Hennepin County attorney's request to remove judge from felony cases improper, public defender says

Legal precedent prohibits such moves.

Onetime school bus driver gets more than 3 years for fatal hit-and-run in Brooklyn Park

He left the scene despite pleas from a witness.
Former Minneapolis City Council President Paul Ostrow, who now works as an assistant Anoka County attorney, will run for Hennepin County attorney.

Ex-Mpls. City Council president runs for Hennepin County attorney

Five candidates are now in the race.
Tyler Kline

Robbinsdale City Council member apologizes for fleeing, drunken driving, announces plans for treatment

Tyler Kline's statement said he had "immense shame."
Tyler R. Kline

Robbinsdale City Council member charged with fleeing police, drunk driving

Tyler Kline was driving the wrong way on Hwy. 100
Jamal L. Smith

Suspect in Hwy. 169 shooting seeks murder charge dismissal, citing prosecutorial misconduct

County attorney says defense motions "without merit."
Live updates: Testimony in trial of 3 former Minneapolis police officers

Live updates: Testimony in trial of 3 former Minneapolis police officers

Shooter gets life in prison for killing Minneapolis woman

Devon Manley intended to shoot Shanette Marable's male companion
Live updates: Testimony begins in trial of 3 former Minneapolis police officers

Live updates: Testimony begins in trial of 3 former Minneapolis police officers

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In its defamation lawsuit against Mike Lindell, a prominent Trump supporter and CEO of the Chaska-based MyPillow, voting technology company Smartmatic

Second voting technology company sues MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell for defamation

Smartmatic says Lindell falsely accused it of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Courteney Ross, the girlfriend of George Floyd, makes her way into the Warren E. Burger Federal Building as jury selection begins in St. Paul, Minn.,

Jury seated in federal trial for 3 former officers in George Floyd death

The jury has eight men and 10 women. Judge Paul Magnuson told them to return Monday for opening statements.
From left, former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao

June 13 set for state trial date for 3 ex-officers in Floyd killing

The state trial of three former Minneapolis police officers was postponed because they are being tried in federal court in the case.
Javeyon Tate

Minneapolis man charged with aiding teens in robbery leading to their shooting

One of the teens, 15, died.
Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter cried as she testified on Dec. 17 about the events leading up to the shooting and killing of Dau

Odds for successful appeal appear slim for Kimberly Potter

Seasoned attorneys say it's difficult to overturn a jury verdict.

Shooter pleads guilty in Minneapolis woman's death

Minneapolis man arrested in father's killing

The man's death is the second homicide of 2022 in Minneapolis.
Robert McCloud

Brooklyn Center man indicted in ex-wife's fatal shooting days after remarriage

New charge is premeditated first-degree murder.
FILE - This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows from left, former Mi

State trial of three officers charged in George Floyd killing postponed

Attorneys were ordered to meet to select a new date for the state trial, between March 14, 2022 and Jan. 9, 2023.
The Minnesota seal above the bench in a Hennepin County courtroom.

Public defenders take caseload, staffing concerns to Minnesota Legislature

Citing flagging funding, public defenders say extreme caseloads are disproportionately affecting minority defendants
“Jasper has been found and is alive very cold and hungry but we have him back!!!!” Michelle Cramblett Baker posted on Monday, Jan. 10.

Owner of dog missing in stolen van says Jasper has been found alive

The boxer and his owner were in town for a dog show in St. Paul.

Northern Minnesota public defenders plead against reappointment of chief of staff

Some staffers sent an anonymous letter to the Minnesota Board of Public Defense imploring it not reappoint Kristine Kolar.
The courtroom where the Derek Chauvin trial took place at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis. The trial was allowed to be livestream

Minn. public defenders, staff overworked at cost to clients, survey says

Some will testify about the issues at a legislative hearing Tuesday.

Washington County man acquitted in fatal jailhouse overdose

The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that a Frazee, Minn., woman’s constitutional rights were not violated when a witness who was exposed to COVID-1

Minnesota appeals court: Defendant's rights not violated by virtual testimony during pandemic

Right to confront witnesses in person not absolute, judge says.
Damik Bryant, Daunte Wright’s brother, and Emajay Driver, Wright’s close friend, react after the guilty verdict was read Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021 o

Potter convicted on both counts, will be sentenced in February

Jurors convicted former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter of both manslaughter counts filed against her Thursday in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright. Potter was taken into custody by deputies.
In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter stood with defense attorney Earl Gray as the guilty verdicts were rea

Jury convicts Potter on both manslaughter counts

Verdicts read Thursday after deliberation spanning four days.
“Daunte” is written in the snow outside the Hennepin County Government Center during the jury deliberations in the trial of ex-Brooklyn Center Pol

3rd day of jury deliberation ends without verdicts in Potter trial

The jury is expected to resume work Thursday after completing a full day of deliberations without questions to the judge.
“Daunte” is written in the snow outside the Hennepin County Government Center during the jury deliberations in the trial of ex-Brooklyn Center Pol

Kimberly Potter jurors had no questions and gave no communication to the court in third day of deliberations

The jurors ended a total of 24 hours in deliberation since they were handed the case Monday afternoon.

Potter jury's questions to judge suggest lack of consensus

The jurors issued a pair of questions in court, one suggesting that they're having trouble reaching a consensus and a second asking to handle her gun.
Kimberly Potter’s defense team huddled as prosecutor Matthew Frank delivered his rebuttal argument Monday in Hennepin County District Court.

Jury ends first day of deliberations in Potter trial, will resume today

Attorneys argued over what police body camera videos captured when Potter shot Daunte Wright with her handgun and not her Taser.

Jury ends first day of deliberations in Potter trial, will resume today

They received the case early Monday afternoon following closing arguments.
'I'm so sorry,' Kimberly Potter weeps from the stand

'I'm so sorry,' Kimberly Potter weeps from the stand

The former officer testified that she was yelling "Taser" and saw fear on a fellow officer's face before shooting the driver.
Kimberly Potter defense rests; closing arguments set for Monday

Kimberly Potter defense rests; closing arguments set for Monday

Kimberly Potter testified in her own defense Friday and recalled the moments on April 11, when "it just went chaotic" before realizing she shot Daunte Wright with her handgun and not her Taser as he resisted arrest.
Defense opens its case in Kimberly Potter trial

Defense opens its case in Kimberly Potter trial

The former Brooklyn Center police officer's case will likely conclude Friday with testimony from Potter and a psychologist who will testify about "slip and capture errors."
In this screen grab from video, Timothy Gannon, former Brooklyn Center police chief, testifies in the trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer K

Kim Potter's former boss: 'I saw no violation' of policy, law

Court was adjourned Thursday afternoon, with the defense's final two witnesses, including Potter, expected to testify Friday.
Expert: Potter not justified in using deadly force against Daunte Wright

Expert: Potter not justified in using deadly force against Daunte Wright

The day ended with Arbuey Wright getting emotional sharing memories of his son.
Case vs. Potter focuses on Taser training; defense elicits support

Case vs. Potter focuses on Taser training; defense elicits support

Two of Kimberly Potter's former superiors took the stand. Central to the state's first-degree and second-degree manslaughter case against Potter is that she ignored her training.
Potter's former superiors tell of Taser regulations, training

Potter's former superiors tell of Taser regulations, training

Also, a Police Department commander speaks up for Potter's use of deadly force.
Potter prosecutors lay out differences between Taser, gun

Potter prosecutors lay out differences between Taser, gun

A medical examiner testified that Daunte Wright likely died within seconds to minutes in the April 11 shooting.
Differences between Taser, gun described in Potter trial

Differences between Taser, gun described in Potter trial

Kimberly Potter's handgun weighed more than twice as much as her Taser, was different in color, grip and holstering, jury is told.
Potter's former supervisor calls use of deadly force justified

Potter's former supervisor calls use of deadly force justified

Former supervisor says Kim Potter was justified in using deadly force, even though that's not what she intended in shooting Daunte Wright.
Kimberly Potter's former supervisor details immediate aftermath of the Daunte Wright shooting

Kimberly Potter's former supervisor details immediate aftermath of the Daunte Wright shooting

Mychal Johnson testified that he could have been injured or killed during struggle with Wright.
Wright passenger: 'I replay that image in my head daily'

Wright passenger: 'I replay that image in my head daily'

Prosecutors also called witnesses who said police waited several minutes to extract Daunte Wright from his car and begin life-saving measures. Prosecutors attempted to show that several officers encountered uncertainty because they weren't informed until much later that Wright had been shot by an officer.
Daunte Wright's girlfriend testifies of his final harrowing moments

Daunte Wright's girlfriend testifies of his final harrowing moments

Alayna Albrecht-Payton opened the second day of testimony in Kimberly Potter's manslaughter trial.
Wright's mother tells of distress after shooting: 'I knew, I knew'

Wright's mother tells of distress after shooting: 'I knew, I knew'

Daunte Wright's mother tearfully described his final moments to a jury as the first prosecution witness in ex-Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter's manslaughter trial Wednesday.
In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kim Potter sat at the defense table, right, as the prosecution, left, and the de

Most jury instructions finalized in Potter case; opening statements Wednesday

They provide a glimpse of what jurors will consider after hearing testimony.
In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kim Potter sits at the defense table, right, as the prosecution, left, and the d

Jury instructions hashed out before testimony begins in Kimberly Potter trial

Motions argued in court
This screen grab from video taken at the Hennepin County Courthouse shows the prosecution, left, and the defense during jury selection Friday in the t

Kim Potter's decision to testify a bold but effective strategy, defense attorneys say

But they also say there are risks to announcing it so early in the trial.
In this screen grab from video, the defense team stands at a table as potential jurors enter the courtroom during the manslaughter trial of former Bro

Jury seated for manslaughter trial of ex-officer Potter in Wright shooting death

Attorneys are scheduled to make their opening statements on Wednesday. The jury is considerably less diverse than the one that convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the May 2020 murder of George Floyd.
In this screen grab from video, defense attorney Earl Gray, left, points out his client while questioning a potential juror during the manslaughter tr

12 jurors now seated for Kim Potter's trial; one concerned over name disclosure but remains

One juror's name and other identifying information came out on the first day of jury selection.
In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kimberly Potter, middle, is flanked by defense attorney Earl Gray, left, and def

9 jurors are now seated in Potter trial in fatal Wright shooting

The former Brooklyn Center officer intends to testify about her actions resulting in the shooting of Daunte Wright.
Activists with Visual Black Justice set up an art installation outside the Hennepin County Government Center as jury selection began in the trial of f

Four jurors chosen in first day of ex-officer Potter's trial

The former Brooklyn Center officer's defense said Tuesday that she will testify.
Activists with Visual Black Justice set up an art installation outside the Hennepin County Government Center as jury selection began in the trial of f

Potter to testify in own defense in trial over Wright shooting

The first four jurors were selected Tuesday in the manslaughter trial of Kimberly Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer who shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April.
Early Tuesday, inside the Hennepin County Government Center authorities were preparing for the trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly

Trial to begin in Wright shooting for ex-Brooklyn Center officer

The trial of former Brooklyn Center officer Kimberly Potter is likely to differ significantly from other trials who have killed civilians on the job, several attorneys say.
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Man charged in north Minneapolis shooting, attempted carjacking

Several bystanders pulled the man out of a woman's car at Cub Foods and detained him until police arrived.

Brooklyn Center man charged in apparent accidental shooting

The courtroom where the Derek Chauvin trial took place. Two months after Chauvin’s trial, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an order asking a commi

Committee reviews policies on cameras in Minnesota courtrooms

The committee will send a report and recommendations to the Minnesota Supreme Court by next July.

Charges: Minneapolis woman fatally beat infant son

Charges allege that Addison S. Perdew sent a video to someone days earlier that showed her admonishing her two-month old son for crying in a car seat.
Kimberly Potter

Judge: Former officer Kim Potter's trial will be livestreamed

The presiding judge said COVID-19 and public health — not protesters — prompted her to allow the livestream.
Attorneys Christopher Scott, left, and Jeff Storms spoke to the media during a news conference outside Minneapolis City Hall Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 in

Minneapolis police officer makes first appearance in court for fatal crash

Leneal Frazier's family said the hearing and charges are a step toward justice.

Minneapolis police officer makes first appearance in court for fatal crash