Justice Department to probe whether Minneapolis police have pattern of misconduct

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Justice Department to probe whether Minneapolis police have pattern of misconduct: The U.S. Department of Justice will undertake a sweeping investigation into [whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a "pattern and practice" of illegal conduct](, including whether officers routinely used excessive force during protests. - Derek Chauvin spends night in prison after murder conviction: A sheriff's deputy led former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin away in handcuffs Tuesday after [jurors convicted him of murdering George Floyd](, a dramatic ending to a case that transfixed the world and became the latest flash point in a raging debate about police brutality against the Black community. The conviction, almost a year after [a bystander video captured Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck]( for more than nine minutes, was the first time in Minnesota history that a white police officer was convicted of killing a Black civilian on the job. [Chauvin spent the night at Oak Park Heights Prison](, segregated from the other inmates in the state's "most secure unit" for his own safety, a Minnesota Department of Corrections spokeswoman said Wednesday. Chauvin is expected to be sentenced in June. [The presumed sentence is 12 1⁄2 years](, according to Minnesota sentencing guidelines, though prosecutors are seeking a longer sentence. - Minneapolis streets erupt with elation over guilty verdicts For those who believed history would repeat itself — that the white policeman would go free — news of the verdict brought a strange relief. [Some expressed newfound optimism in the criminal justice system](, saying they never believed it worked for them. [Here's how current and former elected officials and others reacted to the verdict.]( "There is still time for Minnesota to become the best version of itself, if we harness the energy around this collective demand for change," [writes columnist Myron Medcalf.]( - FDA inspection found problems at factory making Johnson & Johnson vaccine: The Baltimore factory contracted to make Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine was dirty, didn't follow proper manufacturing procedures and had poorly trained staff, resulting in contamination of material that was going to be put in the shots, [U.S. regulators said Wednesday.]( - Declining hospitalizations, positivity rate offer hope that Minnesota's third COVID wave is peaking: Both key benchmarks of pandemic activity had been steadily increasing since early March, with the positivity rate rising from 3.4% on March 2 to 7.4% on April 11 before falling back slightly to 7.3%. The 676 COVID-19 cases in Minnesota hospital inpatient beds on Tuesday also tripled the recent low of 210 on March 6. But that number declined slightly from 686 on Monday. State health officials cautioned that [it is too soon to conclude that the worst of the latest wave is over]( in this pandemic — which in total has caused 7,044 COVID-19 deaths and 560,450 known infections in Minnesota. That includes 13 deaths and 1,611 infections reported Wednesday. - Minnesota settles lawsuit with New Prague tavern that violated COVID restrictions: St. Patrick's Tavern & Restaurant in New Prague [has agreed to pay a $15,000 fine and comply with future COVID-related restrictions]( as part of a settlement with the Minnesota attorney general's office to resolve past noncompliance. Attorney General Keith Ellison's office sued the bar along Hwy. 13 in Scott County on Dec. 21, after investigators on multiple visits found St. Patrick's continued serving food and drinks to customers indoors, despite state orders at the time prohibiting that to slow virus spread. - Police in Ohio kill Black teenager who attacked two with knife: [The fatal police shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant](, a Black teenager seen on video charging at two people with a knife, came within minutes of the verdict in George Floyd's killing — causing outrage by some over the continued use of lethal force by Columbus police. Officials with the Columbus Division of Police released footage of the shooting Tuesday night just hours after it happened, a departure from protocol as the force faces immense scrutiny from the public following a series of recent high-profile police killings that have led to clashes. - Two men killed in fiery high speed crash in Lowry Hill tunnel are identified: Lucas M. James Jr., 34, and Denver Smith Jr., both of Minneapolis, [died at the scene after the car they occupied crashed]( and burst into flames in the tunnel, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office. WATCH THIS The scene at George Floyd Square after Chauvin's verdict was read: Star Tribune visual journalist Renée Jones Schneider produced [a short film documenting the reaction to yesterday's verdict]( at the site of the killing, which is now a makeshift memorial to Floyd. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Five years after his death, Prince fans are keeping his legacy alive: Five years have passed since the Minneapolis superstar was found dead at Paisley Park on April 21, 2016. And that's a mighty long time. Since then, we've seen a host of musical tributes, a steady stream of treasures from his vault and a feud among heirs (and the IRS) over his spoils. [Today, we look at how fans are keeping his legacy alive.]( And longtime critic Jon Bream reflects on how his views of the Purple One's music have changed over four decades. - 3 Minnesota road trips to enjoy beautiful spring scenery: As Minnesota emerges from winter, and summer feels like the reward, spring shouldn't be merely endured. Proof that it offers its own joys lies in the flowers that pop up through brown grass and waterfalls that roar with snowmelt. [Here are three of the best places to embrace the season.]( - Looking back at the 7 greatest "Best Picture" winners: Throughout the history of the Academy Awards, you won't find many best picture winners you'd describe as "fun." Although that's not a requirement for a movie to be excellent, obviously, it doesn't hurt. [Here are seven movies that are among Oscar's very best.]( SPORTS ROUNDUP - Twins support vaccine decisions, including when players refuse: There is concern within the organization that the Twins will never reach the 85% threshold because of a small group of players who, for various reasons, are not willing to be vaccinated, [writes La Velle E. Neal III.]( Infielder JT Riddle, who was called up from the taxi squad Tuesday, is t[he latest player to go on the COVID Injury List.]( Riddle did not test positive for COVID-19, but rather was a close contact with someone who tested positive. - With no recent game film and no combine, evaluating talent has a new process: Prospects and NFL teams are adapting to having to rely on university-hosted workouts, teleconference interviews and video analysis, data that isn't standardized and, in most cases, wasn't collected in person, [to make their draft cases.]( - Long-suffering Augsburg wins game, declares itself "MIAC champions": Augsburg's football team won only one conference games in 2018 and 2019. So beating tiny Martin Luther over the weekend called for an outsized celebration, [writes Patrick Reusse.]( Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK They hacked McDonald's ice cream machine and started a cold war: Secret codes. Legal threats. Betrayal. How one couple [built a device to fix McDonald's notoriously broken soft-serve machines](—and how the fast-food giant froze them out. FROM THE ARCHIVES April 21, 2016: Antonio Carnell, 20, was among throngs of Prince fans who spontaneously gathered outside First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis to pay tribute to the Minnesota music legend as news of his death stunned the world. (Photo: Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune) Connect with Star Tribune [facebook]([twitter]([pinterest]([instagram]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]( • [Unsubscribe]( This email was sent by: StarTribune, 650 3rd Ave S, Suite #1300, Minneapolis, MN, 55488 © 2021 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](