Wheeler v. State

CHUTICH, Justice.

In State v. Johnson , 279 Minn. 209, 156 N.W.2d 218, 223 (1968), we recognized the principle that a district court judge should not "participate in the plea bargaining negotiation itself." The present case requires us to clarify the meaning of "participate" and to determine the appropriate remedy when a defendant proves that the district court participated in the plea bargaining negotiation itself.

The district court in appellant Jetaun Helen Wheeler's case made unsolicited comments about the propriety of the parties' competing settlement offers, including charges and…