Attorney General's Office secures conviction in Beltrami County murder case

March 23, 2023 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that after a two-week trial, a Beltrami County jury has returned a verdict of guilty on the count of second-degree murder against Janelle Lorraine Johnson for the December 25, 2020 shooting death of Jesse Farris, her brother-in-law. Johnson shot Farris three times, including in the back, following an argument at Farris’ home, to which Johnson brought a weapon.

Attorney General Ellison’s office accepted and prosecuted the case upon the request of Beltrami County Attorney David L. Hanson under Minnesota Statutes Sec. 8.01, which provides, “Upon request of the county attorney, the attorney general shall appear in court in such criminal cases as the attorney general deems proper.” County Attorney Hanson’s office provided valuable assistance to Assistant Attorney General Daniel Vlieger in this successful prosecution.

“I thank County Attorney Hanson for putting his trust in my office to prosecute this case in partnership with his office. I’m proud of the attorneys in the Attorney General’s Office and the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office who brought this case to a successful conviction. I’m also proud of our partnerships with county attorneys who are on the front lines of delivering justice to victims and communities. We stand at the ready to assist them and look forward to doing more,” Attorney General Ellison said. “My thoughts today are with the family members who had to relive this terrible moment in their lives. I hope this conviction brings a measure of healing to them and the community.”

Attorney General Ellison’s office thanks the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.