Myon Burrell waives the right to a jury trial

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Myon Burrell has waived his right to a jury in his upcoming trial on weapons and drug charges, meaning the judge will make the decision.

Burrell was released from prison when his life sentence for the murder of an 11-year-old girl was commuted to probation in 2020.

What does this mean?

Burrell's verdict will not be decided by a jury, but by the judge alone. This case is being tried under a court rule that allows the judge to determine guilt based on specified evidence, while the defendant retains his or her appeal rights.

Why Burrell is on trial

Burrell is on trial after being charged after a Robbinsdale police officer initiated a traffic stop in August 2023. During the stop, the officer smelled marijuana in the car and during a search of the vehicle, officers found a Glock 17 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. They also found a backpack containing two baggies of marijuana, 16 pills of MDMA and 21 pills of methamphetamine.

Although Burrell was released on murder charges, his sentence was only reduced—he was not pardoned. Because of this, Burrell is still not allowed to carry a gun.

No cameras allowed in Burrell trial

FOX 9's request to install a camera in the courtroom to record proceedings was denied by Hennepin County Deputy Chief Judge Mark Kappelhoff.

“Basically, it came down to the fact that he [Judge Kappelhoff] said: “I don't think there is enough public interest in this. How can the public be interested in something they don't really know much about?” asked Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota.

READ MORE: Myon Burrell's trial begins this week; judge orders no cameras

Burrell's life sentence was commuted to probation

When Burrell was a teenager, he was convicted in 2002 of murdering 11-year-old Tyeshia Edwards, who was hit by a ricochet bullet while doing homework in her Minneapolis home.

A review of the case revealed questionable witness testimony, reliance on jailhouse informants, and investigators' failure to locate potentially exculpatory surveillance video. Governor Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison made the final decision on the commutation, ultimately concluding that a life sentence was not appropriate for Burrell, who was convicted as a teenager.

Burrell has always maintained his innocence.