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Beaten by MPD officer, Jaleel Stallings outraged by plea deal
Former MPD officer Justin Stetson is charged with assault and misconduct for the beating of Jaleel Stallings, but a potential deal would allow Stetson to avoid jail.
MINNEAPOLIS — Jaleel Stallings was lying face-first on the ground with his hands up when surveillance video showed Minneapolis police officer Justin Stetson kicking him in the head repeatedly, and striking him nearly a dozen times with his hands and knees.
Now, Stallings says the man who beat him is being offered a plea deal that will spare him any jail time and likely leave him without a felony record.
Stetson has been charged with third-degree assault and gross misdemeanor misconduct by a public officer. The deal is expected to be argued before a judge Wednesday.
“I think what bothers me most is the lack of accountability,” Stallings said in an interview with KARE 11.
The beating occurred on May 30, 2020, while Stetson and his unit were patrolling Lake Street in an unmarked white van amid days of unrest following George Floyd’s murder.
Body camera video captured the leader of the unit, Sgt. Andrew Bittell, telling the officers, “Alright. We’re rolling down Lake Street. The first (expletives) we see, we’re hamming them with 40s,” which are less lethal rubber bullets.
Video shows them firing unannounced at people walking on the sidewalk before the white van comes across Stallings and a few others standing in a parking lot.
“Hit ‘em,” one of the officers yelled. They fired two rounds of rubber bullets, one of which struck Stallings. Stallings, who served in the military and is licensed to carry, said he believed he’d been hit with a real bullet and returned fire.
“At the time, I fired,” Stallings said. “I had no knowledge whatsoever that they were police officers.”
When he realized they were officers, Stallings can be seen dropping his weapon, lying face-first on the pavement and putting his hands over his head.
Stetson is the first one to approach and can be heard on body-worn camera announcing that “he’s on the ground.” Still, surveillance video showed Stetson approach and kick Stallings in the head. According to court documents, he would kick Stallings multiple times, slam his face on the ground and punch or knee him nearly a dozen times.
Stallings suffered facial fractures in the beating but was charged with attempted murder for shooting at the officers. He faced years in prison.
At trial, a jury found Stallings not guilty and agreed he acted in self-defense.
The videos only surfaced as part of the trial and as a result of media attention.
None of the officers have been disciplined by Minneapolis police, but the city settled a lawsuit with Stallings for $1.5 million.
Stetson was eventually charged in December 2022 — more than two years after the beating — with assault. The gross misdemeanor charge was added just last week, ahead of the expected plea deal.
The Attorney General who is prosecuting the case declined to comment on the deal, and so did Stetson’s attorney, Fred Bruno.
Minnesota law requires that victims be notified ahead of a plea agreement. Stallings and his attorney said they expect Stetson will be offered a stay of adjudication on the felony assault charge. That means that if he complies with probation, the charge will be dropped and wiped from his record.
They believe Stetson will be allowed to plead guilty to the gross misdemeanor but any sentence will be stayed, which means no jail time.
Stallings filed an official objection to the agreement with the court, calling the deal “a betrayal of the principles of justice, equity and accountability.”
He also notes that Stetson will be allowed to “walk away from the incident without ‘convicted felon’ marring his reputation, having served no jail time and continuing to receive a monthly disability pension.”
Meanwhile, Stallings says his reputation was ruined when he was labeled an attempted cop killer and he lived not only with the physical effects of the beating but also the fear of going to prison.
In an interview with KARE 11, he noted, “At this point, as the innocent party, I will have served more jail time as a direct result of this than any of the officers involved.”
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Prosecutors charged 45-year-old Trevor Joseph Wunderlich with second-degree murder in the death of his 68-year-old mother, Charlene Gail Wunderlich.
HUGO, Minn. — The man who was the “person of interest” in the north metro search Monday night was charged Thursday morning in the murder of his mother.
Prosecutors charged 45-year-old Trevor Joseph Wunderlich with second-degree murder in the death of his 68-year-old mother, Charlene Gail Wunderlich.
According to court documents, Washington County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call from a home in the 15000 block of Ingersoll Ave. at approximately 5:55 p.m. on Sept. 16.
Dispatchers said they “could hear noises on the line consistent with an ongoing assault or struggle.”
When deputies arrived they found Charlene Gail Wunderlich on the kitchen floor severely injured, according to the criminal complaint. Deputies tried to “detain the defendant, but he ran into the basement of the home and fled out a rear door.”
Charlene Gail Wunderlich told the deputies that her son beat her before she lost consciousness. She was rushed to the hospital but died from her injuries.
Law enforcement agencies across the metro launched a manhunt for Wunderlich. Sheriff’s officials warned the public not to approach him as he was considered dangerous.
Just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, a resident in the 9800 block of 152nd St. N saw a man matching Wunderlich’s description in their trailer. KARE 11 spoke to the woman who owns the trailer, and she says her dogs were growling at the trailer, and when she opened the door Wunderlich was sleeping inside.
The woman said she screamed to her son who was working on the property to call 911. Her son had a brief conversation with Wunderlich and then Wunderlich ran down the road with no shoes to another property where, according to officials, police arrested him.
According to court documents, in 2021 Wunderlich was sentenced to 203 days in prison for violating a domestic abuse no-contact order. While serving that sentence, he was convicted of fourth-degree assault against a correctional officer.
The FDA recently approved the first pill to help symptoms of postpartum depression.
Having a baby is an exciting time in many parents’ lives. But for some parents, that excitement can come with postpartum depression and other emotions that can be difficult to talk about.
Dr. Lisa Saul, the national medical director of women’s health at UnitedHealthcare, visited KARE 11 News at Noon to share tips for parents and loved ones affected by postpartum depression.
First of all, what is it? The Mayo Clinic states that postpartum depression usually begins during or up to a year after a pregnancy. The symptoms include depressed mood, mood swings, crying excessively, difficulty bonding with the baby, withdrawing from friends and family, feelings of worthlessness, and additional symptoms.
The experience is more common than you might expect, as it affects up to 15% of people, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
In August, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill to treat postpartum depression. This medication may lessen symptoms.
Saul also recommended talking about your feelings to loved ones and healthcare providers for support.
August was a promising month for employers, as 14,400 jobs were added.
Minnesota employers logged a remarkable August as they recorded the largest monthly increase in jobs in two years, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
In August, employers added 14,400 jobs. Employment grew by 0.5% in the state, exceeding the national average of 0.1%, according to DEED’s release. Unemployment rates increased to 3.3%, which still is lower than the national rate of 4.2%.
“We added the most jobs in a single month in two years, reflecting employers’ ongoing appetite to hire more workers,” DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek said in a statement. “September is Workforce Development Month in Minnesota, offering a reminder of the initiatives underway to invest in our economic future by recruiting and retaining workers and making sure Minnesota is creating the jobs of the future right here at home.”
Leisure and Hospitality jobs saw the most growth in Minnesota in August, increasing by 1.6%. Education and Health Services and Professional and Business Services also saw notable increases.
As for wages, DEED reported that the average private sector hourly wage is $37.74, which is a 5.9% increase over this year.
“Wage growth has consistently outpaced inflation, which is a good thing as we work to attract and retain talented workers for our labor force,” said Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen in a statement.
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