am.mn logoIris Janeth Maldonado-Arr-eaga, one of 49 immigrants swept up in Willmar in April 2007, has had her conviction for identity theft and forgery reversed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The reason: The prosecution introduced biographical info about her identity that should have been suppressed under the U.S. Constitution. There may be similar cases from that day and subsequent raids, but “a lot of people were deported long before they could appeal,” says a public defender.

Elsewhere in Minnesota headlines this morning …

ST. CLOUD: ID theft hits the kiddie set. Laptops stolen from an early childhood center had personal info on 750 youngsters. [St. Cloud Times]

SLAYTON: Sixteen made citizens on Constitution’s birthday. Immigrants from Ethiopia, Africa, Poland, Vietnam, Mexico swore to defend the Constitution. Now run for office, please.  [West Central Tribune]

ROCHESTER: Senator talks to docs. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s audience at the Minnesota Medical Association’s annual meeting may have heard her story about being kicked out of the maternity ward before. [Associated Press]

LAKEVILLE: John Kline holds rare town hall tonight. Doing his part to fight global warming, since Hell just froze over. [Associated Press]

KENSINGTON: Runestone on the tube. A History Channel show called “The Holy Grail in America” digs up the Kensington Runestone story again on Sunday. [Alexandria Echo Press]

PELICAN LAKE: More illegal aliens. Zebra mussels have found their way into the Red River basin. [Associated Press]