MINI TRUE CRIME ROUNDUP: Vance Boelter sentenced, but is it enough?

**Lauren Barry** (0:02)
This is a True Crime Roundup from The On Deadline Podcast. We explore crime stories reported on by Audacy's radio newsrooms across the country. I'm your host, Lauren Barry. This week, we have updates on the Vance Boelter case in Minnesota and more. Boelter, who admitted to killing Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband, in addition to attacking others, received two life sentences this week. However, some were hoping for a longer trial and for Boelter to get the death penalty. We're also going to explore how lawmakers and law enforcement officials in Minnesota and other places around the country are trying to reduce crime.
In a Minnesota courtroom, the fate of admitted killer Vance Boelter was announced Thursday, July 23rd. He'll be in prison for the rest of his life.
Audacy Station WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities reported on what it was like as the sentence was delivered.

**Taylor Rivera** (1:16)
Appearing thin with a fresh haircut, Boelter remained unmoving through tearful victim statements. He did take the stand to apologize for causing quote, pain, loss, heartache, loneliness and confusion. Boelter waving his right to appeal what the judge called the longest penalty in his court's history for the politically motivated attacks against former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark and Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Federal prison officials will now coordinate Boelter's transfer to a permanent facility. No word on where that will be. Notable victim impact statements came from both the Hortman children and Hope, Yvette and John Hoffman. Attention now turns to Boelter's state-level proceedings. Outside the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, I'm Taylor Rivera, Newstalk 830 WCCO.

**Lauren Barry** (2:07)
Dan Cook also discussed the case on WCCO, including the disappointment among some that Boelter didn't receive the death penalty.

**Dan Cook** (2:17)
Biggest news story of the day, and it's going to be the biggest news story for a while, is the sentencing of Vance Boelter this morning. If you're following along like I was, obviously there were no cameras in the courtroom, but there are various different media outlets that were sending out information as it happened in real time. If you were following along and listening to some of the victim impact statements, which are a very necessary and important part of any kind of trial situation, it was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking to hear people like John Hoffman talking about violence never triumphing over justice. And the families of those impacted by this, just over and over and over again, Yvette Hoffman talking about how she genuinely believed that she was going to die.
It was heartbreaking. It was really heartbreaking. And I'm glad those folks got a chance to say what they said. I'm not as impressed, and I guess I didn't expect to be. But Vance Boelter's statement to every person, I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame or loneliness. I am truly sorry.
I mean, again, not that I expected him to be living in any kind of understandable reality, but goodness. Talking about not being able to read the room. But I want to focus in on one thing, because I want to ask you this question. Are you mad that there wasn't a trial?
Or hasn't been a trial? Because obviously now the state gets a shot at him, and it would appear Mary Moriarty is definitely going to take that shot.
But Mark Hortman's father was one of the people that testified.
And he said during his victim impact statement that his family was deprived, quote unquote, of a trial that they deserved. And that he had gotten blown off after asking to speak to the acting US. Attorney General, Todd Blanch, when the decision about the death penalty was still being weighed. And then he turned and addressed Vance Boelter and said that the, quote unquote, hottest fires of hell were waiting for him. He was clearly upset that there hadn't been a trial. He wanted a trial, he wanted the death penalty, and I understand that. Anybody related to a victim of a horrific crime like this would want there to be retribution or vengeance in that sense. Which is why, of course, we don't let folks in that situation make the ultimate decision, but they still get to say their piece, and they should. But I'm curious if you think that we were denied something as a public, that not having a trial here, if you're waiting for Mary Moriarty to put Vance Boelter on trial in a state case because you want there to be a trial, you want that whole kind of performance isn't the right word, but you want that stuff to come out. You want there to be testimony, you want all the facts, you want all of the inside stuff. Did you want there to be a trial? Are you mad that there wasn't a trial? Because I'll be honest with you, I'm not. I understand Mr. Hortman's anger and I understand his frustration and I don't judge him in any way, shape or form. I'm just speaking as a private citizen. I'm not mad that there wasn't a trial. I'm not mad that we didn't spend a bunch of money convicting a guy who they had dead to rights and was willing to cop a plea deal. And I won't be mad if Mary Moriarty works out a plea deal with Vance Boelter going forward when there isn't a state trial. I understand why she wants to do her bit, right? Because a state conviction or a state plea agreement means that no presidential pardon or other kind of nonsense can come in and interfere with the fact that Vance Boelter is never going to take a breath of free air ever again in his life. Convicted to two or was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences followed by 40 years. The man's never going to see free sunlight again, ever. And so the state can follow up and ensure that that never happens based on some silly federal decision by convicting him as well. But here's the thing. Do we really need to spend that money, that time, that potential impact on victims? Right? I'm glad the victims all got to say their peace today, except for Mark and Melissa Hortman, obviously.