| April 15, 2021 The weather will remain cloudy and chilly tonight, with lows near 30 degrees. Friday looks a little more springlike. It will be partly sunny with highs in the upper 40s to mid-50s. And for the weekend, look for partly cloudy skies with highs in the 50s. Get the latest from Updraft. Testimony ended today in the trial of Derek Chauvin without the former Minneapolis police officer taking the stand. He invoked his right against self incrimination when questioned by his defense attorney, Eric Nelson. The jury will get a break until Monday morning, when closing arguments and jury instructions begin. Judge Peter Cahill reminded jurors they will then be sequestered for as long as it takes them to reach a verdict. The former Brooklyn Center police officer charged in the death of Daunte Wright made her first court appearance this afternoon.
Kimberly Potter is charged with second-degree manslaughter for shooting and killing Wright during a traffic stop on Sunday. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrested her Wednesday, and she spent about five hours in the Hennepin County Jail before posting bond.
During a brief hearing, Judge Paul Scoggin confirmed her date of birth and address. She spoke only once — saying "yes" when Scoggin asked if she was present for the Zoom call. The judge kept Potter's bond at $100,000. Her next court appearance is May 17 COVID-19 cases around Minnesota continue their steady climb, while deaths appear to have plateaued. The state is reporting about 2,700 new cases, up from previous days. But while case counts are marching upward, they're growing at a slower rate than they did last week.
Meanwhile, demands on the state's hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients continue to grow as well. And the state health department reported today that an additional 11 Minnesotans have died of COVID-19. Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get the up-to-date Minnesota news twice daily. — Kirsti Marohn | MPR News | 