Freedom Fund bails out Myon Burrell on new gun and drug charges

Burrell's life sentence in the 2002 murder of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards was commuted in 2020 by a panel that included Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Myon Demarlo Burrell/Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

The Minnesota Freedom Fund supplied $100,000 bail for the release of Myon Demarlo Burrell earlier this month after he was charged with illegally possessing a firearm and narcotics.

Hennepin County Jail records show Burrell was released from custody on Sept. 2 after supplying bail. However, a document posted by Crime Watch showing that the controversial bail fund supplied the bail wasn’t uploaded into the online court record until Monday of this week.

Burrell, whose life sentence in the 2002 murder of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards was commuted in 2020 by a panel that included Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, was pulled over by Robbinsdale police for erratic driving late last month.

During the police encounter, police said evidence of marijuana remnants were observed in plain view in the vehicle and apparent marijuana smoke billowed out the window. Burrell subsequently became resistant before he was eventually handcuffed and arrested. A search of the vehicle turned up a loaded handgun, marijuana, and capsules and pills containing controlled substances.

The case was turned over to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for a charging decision due to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s conflict of interest involving Burrell in that she previously championed his release from prison and subsequently paid him to work for her election campaign.

Burrell, 38, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Coincidentally, Minnesota Freedom Fund’s board chair, Valentina McKenzie, was arrested by Bloomington police late last month on suspicion of possessing fentanyl. She has yet to be charged in the case.

Burrell’s next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 17

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

 

Crime Watch MN

Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.