Star Tribune
Ramsey County settles wrongful death lawsuit for $75,000
The Ramsey County Board on Tuesday approved a $75,000 settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Abigail Simpson, who was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in 2020.
The lawsuit alleged that the county and others failed to monitor Terrion Sherman, who had been treated for his mental illness, before he killed Simpson.
Ramsey County spokesperson Casper Hill declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying the county does not comment on pending, ongoing or settled litigation.
According to criminal charges against Sherman, St. Paul officers found 21-year-old Simpson dead from multiple stab wounds inside of her apartment on the 300 block of N. Pierce Street on February 26, 2020. Sherman, then 23, stood in the living room covered in blood as police arrived. They arrested and charged Sherman, who stated that his 2-year-old nephew “became possessed by a dog and told Sherman that [Simpson] was really a guy.”
The complaint said Sherman also said he is prescribed medication, but “does not need them, because he is not crazy.”
He was convicted for second-degree murder in October and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The lawsuit filed by Simpson’s parents alleges that Sherman, whose previous charges include assault and aggravated robbery, was deemed mentally ill and chemically dependent before being committed to the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center in 2018. Minnesota’s Department of Human Services provisionally discharge Sherman in 2019 to the care of Joyful Home Health Care in Fridley, and Ramsey County was responsible for Sherman’s discharge plan.
But between July of 2019 and the day he killed Simpson, Joyful Home officials reported that Sherman missed 76 days of medication meant to treat his schizophrenia, substance abuse disorder, psychosis and depression, according to the lawsuit.
LAFAYETTE, Wis. — About 25 children and adults were injured Wednesday when a wagon carrying them overturned at a western Wisconsin apple orchard.
The children, parents and chaperones were on a field trip to the orchard in Lafayette when one of two wagons being pulled by a tractor turned sideways and rolled over, Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes told reporters. Hakes said the tractor was traveling at a low speed when the wagon rolled over while going downhill.
Three people suffered critical injuries, while injuries to five others were considered serious. Authorities didn’t say how many of the injured were children.
The elementary school-age children attend a school in Eau Claire. Lafayette is northeast of Eau Claire.
After about five minutes and several warnings that students participating in the protest would be suspended,, the protesters exited Northrop and Cunningham continued her speech. They later gathered outside on the mall afterwards to shout, “Cunningham, you will see, Palestine will be free.”
Cunningham recounted the story of Norman Borlaug, the U alumnus and agronomist whose research in wheat saved millions from starvation, and said she would prioritize keeping a college education affordable for students.
Cunningham actually took over presidential duties on July 1, replacing Interim President Jeff Ettinger. She oversees a budget of more than $4 billion to run the university’s five campuses, which enrolled more than 68,000 students and employed 27,000 people during the last academic year.
She was chosen for the job last winter over two other candidates: Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State University and former dean of the U’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and James Holloway, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico. She is the U’s second woman president, following Joan Gabel who held the office from 2019 to 2023.
Cunningham will be paid more than $1 million per year — about $975,000 in base pay and an additional $120,000 in retirement contributions. The compensation puts her in the top quarter of Big Ten university presidents.
Sgt. Gordon Blackey, once a security guard to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, allegedly admitted to tracking the woman’s movements in her vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.
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