MINNEAPOLIS — Inside the federal courthouse in St. Paul, a jury is hearing testimony about murder and mayhem allegedly caused by members of the Minneapolis Bloods street gang, which has existed for decades.
Prosecutors say since at least 2020, defendants Desean Solomon, Leontawan Holt and Michael Burrell have been involved in the gang, in the territory centered around George Floyd Square at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis.
All three are charged with Using a Firearm in Relation to a Crime Resulting in Death. Solomon faces an additional racketeering charge used in organized crime cases, known as RICO.
U.S. Attorney Andy Luger first announced the arrest of dozens of alleged street gang members in May 2023 — a federal attempt to curb violence in Minneapolis.
“Violence such as revenge killings, assaults and shootings that included the murder of innocent bystanders," Luger said at the press conference announcing the charges.
In this particular case, the violence spilled out into public places.
In June 2020, Solomon and Burrell were accused of causing a bar fight at the 200 Club in north Minneapolis while confronting a man who testified against Burrell's brother, Myon, in his high-profile murder trial for the death of Tyesha Edwards.
A man was shot to death in his SUV afterwards outside the bar, and federal prosecutors say a photo shows Solomon firing the deadly shots. Solomon's attorney denies he was the shooter.
Then in April 2022, after a bar fight inside Williams Pub in Uptown, prosecutors say Holt shot a man on the sidewalk outside.
Holt and Burrell are both claiming self-defense for their alleged roles in the violent crimes.
The trial was initially expected to last another four weeks, but according to courtroom observers, they appear to be ahead of schedule.
The trial has offered a look at how the Minneapolis Bloods allegedly operate in south Minneapolis.
One explosive detail alleged by the feds in a pretrial court document is that they accuse the violence interrupter group Agape of paying money to the Minneapolis Bloods, including these defendants. A spokesperson for Agape has denied that claim.