Saturday, January 2, 2010

A&E "The First 48" Featured Minneapolis Murderer Edgar Barrientos...

Stock photo by John Hoff

Convicted murderer Edgar Barrientos has at least one North Minneapolis connection: one of his lawyers was Ben Myers, who was so involved in the messy, pointless "Old Majority" attempt to retain power in the Jordan Area Community Council, (JACC) a matter extensively reported (and sometimes parodied) on this blog.

In the course of the "Old Majority" court trial, this blog reported on the concurrent murder trial of Barrientos and the composition of the jury which--like practically every jury in Hennepin County--looks like an Apple Valley PTA meeting.

Indicted criminals in Hennepin County should desperately seek a plea bargain.

I'm just saying.

Anyway, recently, an episode of of the television program "The First 48" (click for their website) featured Edgar Barrientos and gave an inside look at how Barrientos was singled out as the prime suspect in a Minneapolis murder. The episode may have been a re-run, but I'd never seen it before.

I knew the Minneapolis police were good at solving murders. I didn't realize this particular murder had been solved so quickly or, for that matter, how it was the subject of a gripping documentary.

Keep up the great work, MPD!

(As for Ben Myers--Ben, you continue to suck)

(Do not click "Read More")


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Johnny - Where's the link to the story (direct link) or title of the 48 Hours mystery?

Johnny Northside said...

To be clear, it's "The First 48 Hours" not "48 Hours." This post was corrected after your comment.

The website for "The First 48 Hours" does not have individual URLs for individual episodes. There is an episode guide with summaries, but there are more than 100 to go through and, well, Barrientos is buried in there somewhere.

If anybody can tell me the individual episode number--and share it with other readers--that would be great. I'd like to find out which boxed DVD set has that episode.

However, it should be noted there are a number of OTHER Minneapolis murders listed in the episodes. So if you like Minneapolis detectives and watching that work behind the scenes, this A&E drama is right up your alley.

Johnny Northside said...

While looking around I found this "tribute video" to the victim of the shooting, Jesse Mickelson.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Mplsplayer1989

If you live the thug life, nobody should act surprised when you die the thug life.

Johnny Northside said...

Information found online would indicate the particular episode is called "Up In Flames/Drive By."

Here is a summary found online.

Drive-By: In Minneapolis, Minnesota an emergency operator gets a call around 6:34pm. The caller says there has been a drive by shooting in the South End. Head detective Sergeant Robert Dale and Christopher Gaiters were delegated to the case.

By the looks of the scene it seemed as if kids were outside playing football. The victim was Jesse Michelson in which was shot twice. Michelson’s Cousin Heidi Crandell said that the shooter was in a white car. The detective then brought 6-7 people for the party to the office to be interviewed. No one from the interview could identify who the shooter was.

Dale noticed that there was a convenience store at the end of the alley and he went to check the surveillance cameras to see if there was a visual of the car. They spotted the car, but the image was too grainy to see the make or model of it.

The detectives took a visit to Michelson’s father and he told him of his great reputation. The detectives then went to their office again. Dale felt that one of the kids interviewed was holding information and decided to bring one of them back in. The kid arrived and Dale began to use reverse psychology and the guilt trip on him. He then showed him a picture of Michelson again and it made him give up some information.

The witness identified the shooter as Smoky aka Edgar Barrientos (25 years old). The detective then brought in a picture from the line up of Smoky and the witness verified him as the shooter.

Eleven days later, cops bring Barrientos in from work to be interviewed. He said that he was in a fight with someone in the neighborhood of Michelson prior but was in Maplewood all weekend. Barrientos gave the info to detectives to his alibi and she tells them that he was there most of the time except for a four hour time span. Barrientos was charged with 1st degree murder, but innocent until proven guilty.

(Update by JNS: Guilty)

Johnny Northside said...

Video of the sentencing of Barrientos.

http://208.111.134.1/video/play/974017/gang_member_gets_life_with_no_parole

Johnny Northside said...

Here's the criminal complaint against Barrientos from the Hennepin County Attorney's website.

http://www.hennepinattorney.org/Portals/0/edgar%20barrientos-quintana.pdf

JNS Reader said...

It's just "The First 48", to be precise, and that show is riveting.

Johnny Northside said...

You are correct. I went back and changed the headline and the text accordingly, but I'll keep my old comments up there. Thank for your help.

MeganG. said...

Here's a link to the short promo clip of that episode - it's episode 125 from season 9

http://www.aetv.com/the_first_48/episodes/index.jsp?bcpid=32546634001&bctid=18763721001

Unknown said...

Your a very judgmental child!!!

Anonymous said...

My brother did not live the thug life. Just to make that comment clear. Just because of what you see in pictures does not give you the right to be judgemental. My brother was a very caring and well mannered young adult and did not derserve to die behind someone elses gand differences. The shooting had nothing to do with my brother. If its wrong to go outside of your home because you see a friend you go to school with and want to say. That's messed up. He did not deserve to lose his life. No matter how someone else thinks of him. He was not a thug and that is very judgemental of you for someone who has never met my brother ever in life.

angel mickelson said...

Fuck you Johny northside...
You have no reason to say anything bad about my brother!! He was never a "thug". You deserve to be tortured. Dumb bitch