Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Board of Pardons voted to commute the sentence of Brian Pippitt, a Native American man convicted of murdering a convenience store owner in 1998.

Pippitt has always maintained his innocence. Last year, the state’s Conviction Review Unit recommended Pippitt be exonerated and released from prison.

Native News reporter Melissa Olson was at the meeting and joins MPR News host Nina Moini to share more.

Correction Sept. 26, 2025: A previous version of this story incorrectly states the year the Clemency Review Commission was created. The audio and transcript have been corrected.