Nicole Mitchell testifies in her own defense, says she was in stepmother’s home to check on her

The burglary trial of Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, continued Thursday with Mitchell testifying in her own defense.

In April 2024, Mitchell was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary after allegedly breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home. Mitchell’s trial began earlier this week and has examined body-camera footage of that night and heard from multiple witnesses.

On Wednesday, the prosecution rested their case against the legislator and the defense has brought multiple witnesses as they argue that Mitchell was not in the home to steal, but was instead there to check on the 75-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease several years ago.

On Thursday, Mitchell took the stand in her own defense and testified for most of the day. At times, the senator appeared nervous and emotional.

WATCH: Sen. Nicole Mitchell is grilled by prosecutors on cross-examination.

They’re attempting to poke holes in her story that she broke into her stepmother’s house to check on her. pic.twitter.com/5gQBpOjThb

— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) July 17, 2025

Mitchell explained that she has known her stepmother, Carol, since she was four-years-old when Carol and her father, Rod, began dating. She noted that it was nice to have Carol as a “mother figure” in her life.

During testimony, Mitchell said she first noticed signs of Carol’s disease in 2020, and Carol was officially diagnosed in 2022. Mitchell noted that her father was openly worried about Carol which was not something he normally conveyed.

In 2023, Rod passed away and Mitchell said she spent time with Carol, tried to visit her regularly, and wanted to make sure Carol was taken care of.

Shortly before her April arrest, Mitchell said she found medical records that belonged to Carol which said Carol got lost on the way to a doctor’s appointment, no one was with her at the appointment, and the family should be a part of an Alzheimer’s support group.

The state senator told jurors that this concerned and upset her because Carol’s family had assured her that they would take care of Carol. As such, Mitchell said she decided to go to her stepmother’s home to check on Carol and review how she was living.

Mitchell explained to the jury that Carol had gotten lost going to places she had regularly been to before, Carol had become suspicious of the internet and technology, and Mitchell believed Carol was lashing out at times because of the Alzheimer’s disease.

The state senator said she considered contacting government officials to help Carol, but feared that the process was too slow. Mitchell also told the jury she went to Carol’s home dressed in black under the cover of darkness because Carol would become enraged if she knew someone was checking for evidence of her decline.

Answering questions, Mitchell said she brought a list of things to check in the home and did see items that worried her such as bills sitting on the stove, unopened mail on the kitchen table, and furniture blocking the front door.

After checking out the basement and upper level, Mitchell said she went to Carol’s room to examine her phone. The senator mentioned that she had concerns Carol had either turned off notifications on her phone, turned off the GPS, or was otherwise operating her phone in a way that left Carol isolated.

Carol woke up when Mitchell was in the bedroom. From there Mitchell explained how she went to the basement and waited for police after hearing Carol call 911.

In the course of the police response, Mitchell’s arrest, and afterward, Mitchell made a series of statements that included “I have never done anything like this,” “There were just a couple things of my dad’s I wanted to come get,” “obviously not good at this,” “I know I did something bad,” and “I just wanted to get a couple of my dad’s mementos.”

Those statements form the brunt of the prosecution’s case against Mitchell. However, the senator said she made those statements because Carol was either within earshot or getting information from officers when those statements were made, and Mitchell did not want Carol to know she was checking on her for fear of enraging her stepmother.

As such, Mitchell admitted that she lied in those instances to keep from provoking Carol. The senator noted that other statements she made to police were expressions of concern for her stepmother.

During her testimony, Mitchell affirmed that she did not take anything and did not intend to take anything when she was at the house. She noted she could have taken items if she wanted to and left undetected, but said she was there to check on Carol instead.

Mitchell has admitted that she trespassed at her stepmother’s home, but the senator’s legal team has argued that offense does not matter in this case because Mitchell was charged with burglary, not trespassing. In order to get a burglary conviction, the government has to prove that Mitchell intended to commit a crime when she went into the house.

After a brief reexamination by the defense and prosecution, both sides had no further questions for the senator. The trial will continue Friday.

 

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