Two women released from prison last week may be the first inmates in Minnesota to see their sentences reduced under the new legislation that redefines the crime of aiding and abetting felony murder.
Megan Cater and Briana Martinson were charged and eventually pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in the murder of Corey Elder in Bloomington nearly seven years ago. The pair, along with two others, broke into Elder’s residence in an attempt to steal drugs. While Cater and Martinson ransacked the apartment in search of drugs, the two other co-defendants violently assaulted Elder before eventually killing him. For their role in the crime, the women both received 13.5-year prison sentences.
However, state lawmakers recently rewrote the laws on aiding and abetting the crime of felony murder in Minnesota. Under the new law, only those who directly commit the murder or directly aid them can be charged with the crime. Proponents of the new law pushed for the change because a previous conviction for aiding and abetting felony murder came with the possibility of life in prison. The new law can be retroactively applied to individuals who have been convicted or pleaded guilty to the crime already.
Resentenced
Last week, Cater and Martinson were officially resentenced on lesser aiding and abetting first-degree burglary crimes. Cater received 69 months and Martinson received 57 months, but both women had already served more than 72 months in prison. They were both subsequently released from prison on the same day. They were originally scheduled to be released in fall of 2026.
“Ms. Martinson is grateful the Minnesota Legislature recognized that the previous felony murder law in Minnesota created too great a disconnect between liability and culpability,” said Martinson’s attorney, Bradford Colbert. “While she did not play a role in the tragic death that occurred, she understands the gravity of the loss and the trauma that night caused for so many. She feels awful for what happened, and deeply regrets her role in the events of that evening.”
In a written statement to FOX 9 on Monday, Bobbie Elder, Corey’s mother said that the Elder family feels let down by the criminal justice system.
“Although this change in law has its time and place for being warranted, this case is not one of them. Megan Cater and Brianna Martinson were the masterminds behind the events that led up to my son, Corey Elder’s, murder. They think that it was the actions of Maurice Verser that landed them in prison, but it was THEIR actions that did so. They were the ones that had and arranged the entire plan, including ensuring there was a gun present. They have convinced themselves and their families as a false narrative that paints them as victims, which is the opposite of the facts.”
While we don’t know the specifics of the case, we do believe that the change to the felony aiding and abetting murder charge is a positive change in the Minnesota judicial system. Hopefully the Elder family can find peace and the women who have been released can find a way to make a positive impact on the world now that they have a second chance at life.
For help with your own criminal defense issues, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
