State of Minnesota v. Vern Jason Mouelle

Summary

The court affirmed Mouelle’s convictions for first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree premeditated murder of an unborn child. It held that the judge’s knowledge of defense counsel’s potential-perjury concern did not create even an appearance of partiality, that counsel’s disclosure did not prejudice Mouelle, and that defective jury instructions did not affect his substantial rights. The court reversed the life-without-release sentence for murder of an unborn child because the governing statute did not authorize that sentence and remanded for resentencing.