Crime and Courts

Plus: Bemidji area residents comment in the second and final hearing in the administrative trial for the boundary dispute between Bemidji and Northern Township.

The lawsuit states Robert Slaybaugh was placed in a cell with a sheet and a bunk previously ID'd as a suicide hazard, despite an “overwhelming combination of risk factors.”

Plus: The Minnesota Department of Human Rights announced it secured two settlements against northern Minnesota employers for sex discrimination; and the US Small Business Administration is operating a disaster loan outreach center through Oct. 18 in Bemidji for those impacted by the June 21 severe storms.

The judge further ruled that evidence gathered as part of a driving-while-intoxicated investigation will remain in the case record and scheduled a plea hearing.

Michael Todd Hart escaped custody on Sept. 23, 2025, and was not arrested until two weeks later on Oct. 7, at a residence in Cohasset.

The prosecutor filed a notice of intent to seek the upward departure of sentencing guidelines based on aggravating factors in the case that involved an adolescent.

Charles Justus, 43, is accused of entering a trailer and stabbing a man he believed was having an affair with his wife, Danielle Westphal, 51. Both face numerous felonies.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says his office prevailed in federal court in this case against a retailer accused of enabling straw purchases of firearms.

Minnesota is below the national rate and most other states but it still outpaces most of America's closest international allies.

If a Minnesota landlord accepts a rent payment after finding out about a lease violation, they can’t evict the tenant over that specific breach of the lease.