Last coffee break

Waseca County Attorney Rachel Cornelius and challenger Brenda Miller took part in the final round of the Waseca Coffee Break debates at the Waseca High School Performing Arts Center, Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

Moderator for this final session was senior Lindsey Kopetzki. “We volunteered and drew names out of a hat,” Kopetzki offered as she clarified for those watching how one becomes a moderator. Hailey Deml assisted in the electrician’s booth, helping Chuck Pollock. Sophia Krause assisted as the afternoon’s official timer. 

Opening statements included resumes from both candidates, along with many statements of thanks to the school, to those listed above, and to people in attendance.

Cornelius is married, has two children, attended college at Southwest State in Marshall before majoring in political science and Spanish. She graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 2002 and has been an attorney for 20 years. 

Incumbent Cornelius highlighted the office’s retention rate, worker satisfaction, and technological improvements brought to an outdated case management system. In addition to internal improvements, Cornelius also made trips to each of Waseca County’s three high schools to speak on the dangers of online/cyber bullying. 

Brenda Miller, also a former Waseca County Attorney, has lived in Waseca since she was in first grade, was the youngest of five children, raised two children here, and has been married for 29 years. Miller is also a rural farmer. 

Question 1: What aspects of your education and previous job experience make you the most qualified person to be the county attorney?

Miller

Waseca high school graduate, MSU Mankato Graduate, Hamline Law Graduate. 

Former attorney in the Fifth Judicial public defender’s office in Watonwan County 

Managed public defender investigation branch in Watonwan County. 

31 years as an attorney

4 years as Waseca County Attorney

“Working as a public defender makes me uniquely qualified to review police reports with the eye of a defense attorney.”

Cornelius

Southwest State graduate, William Mitchell College of Law

Worked in Ramsey County Attorney Office 

LeSueur County Child Protective Services

Worked in Waseca County Attorney’s office since 2006

Cornelius said the highest profile case she has been involved with was the attempted murder of Aric Madson.

Question 2:  Are there any improvements in the attorney’s office you would like to see the county board support?

Cornelius

Body worn cameras

Funds for another drug task force agent as the county currently has only one

Miller

Retention of employees. Salary increase to help retention of employees. “You get what you pay for.” Miller shared that the Waseca County Attorney’s office is among the lowest starting salaries in Minnesota. 

“The top end pay scale needs to go up.” Miller said metro attorneys earn between $10,000 and $14,000 more with their starting salaries.

Question 3 - Describe a challenging case in your legal career that caused you to grow professionally and helped you be a better attorney.

Miller

John LaDue case. 

Miller said she grew as an attorney because of her experience with that case, citing the wide range of media attention. Three different judges oversaw the case, and Miller said in court it was her office against three different defense attorneys. 

Cornelius

A sexual misconduct case from a few years ago, involving two children. 

The case eventually reached a plea agreement with the defendant accepting 168 months in jail. However, the judge gave a probationary sentence, meaning the defendant would not go to jail. Cornelius appealed the case, her first time doing so, and won the appeal. 

Question 4: What do you believe are the biggest criminal concerns in this community? How will you work to minimize this illegal behavior? 

Cornelius

Drugs

Chemical Dependency

Mental health

Cornelius said working daily with all the various agencies, which she listed, helps accomplish this. She also said helping get people treatment, including involuntary placement, sometimes involving the court are also, sometimes, necessary.

Miller said she agreed, but added one point.

Rural burglaries 

“Are the punishments after these criminals caught enough?” Miller asked. 

Miller shared that mental health and chemical dependency often go hand in hand and said they are now treated as such in drug court. 

Question 5: Besides the role of prosecution of criminal behavior, what other important roles should be a priority in the prosecutor's office?

Miller

Civil issues

Elections, ballots

Reviewing bonds

Working with the planning and zoning department to determine what laws legally fall within different ordinances. 

Cornelius agreed with everything Miller said and added a couple things.

Timely responses to department heads

Representing the county on lawsuits 

Question 6: What qualities will you look for when hiring people in your office?

Cornelius

Hardworking

Cooperation/collaboration

Cornelius said she has three “fantastic assistant attorneys.”

Miller

Staff which can connect with a Waseca County Jury

Staff which knows their audience, including potential judges

Believable (when presenting to a jury/judge)

Quick on their feet

Versatile/wide knowledge base. “We can’t have lazy people.”

Question 7: What are the key factors the county should consider when deciding whether to seek a plea bargain or take a case to trial?

Miller

Information

Best/worst case scenario

Criminal history

“What can we do so this person doesn’t commit this crime again?” Miller said this is the question to ask. “What’s best for the county?”

Cornelius

Public safety 

Victim centered entity

“We are paid to protect public safety,” Cornelius explained. “Plea agreements help save victims the pain of testifying. We try to respect that whenever we can… (but) When the victim says  “I want to go to trial, we go to trial.” 

Question 8: Can you provide an example of a current law you would like changed? And how can you do this? 

Cornelius

2020 Madson Strong Law

In lieu of talking about a law she would like changed, Cornelius shared the journey of getting the law changed regarding the consequences for police shootings. “The law didn’t allow us to charge the shooter with the consequences we wanted him to have.” 

The law, which was successfully changed, had the same punishment for criminals who shot at police officers regardless of whether the officer was actually shot.  

“It’s easy to say you’re going to change a law, but it’s not easy in practice,” Cornelius explained. “The process took over a year, included hundreds of zoom calls, phone calls, and testifying before the legislature. It was a long process, but I would redo it everyday.”

Miller 

Attempt statute 

Miller said “attempt” applies to every criminal case and is the reason why changing this law is so difficult. She said current Minnesota law led to the dismissal of the attempted murder charge filed in the John Ladue case. The federal law, Miller shared, says a person needs to take substantial steps toward more than preparation, highly corroborate of intent. “Minnesota law is missing a line.” 

A result of this was that, in the Ladue case, despite Ladue having plans drawn up, more than 20 explosive devices and having practiced setting off devices, the court dismissed the attempted murder charge because Minnesota Law doesn’t have “highly corroborate of intent.” 

Closing statements

Miller thanked everyone, reminding viewers of her ethics and experience. She said if these are important qualities, then “Go vote.”

Cornelius said she ran in 2018 to be county attorney to regain trust in the office and “rebuild fractured relationships within the office.

“Money was not the problem, relationships were the problem.” 

Cornelius also cited her ethics and experience. 

This was the final debate of 2022; the election will be November 8.