Minnesota
Riverlands
Minnesota Supreme Court Orders New Review of Appeal in Redwood County Murder Case
The October 21 decision sends Keith Crow's application back to the district court; it does not overturn his conviction.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has ordered the Redwood County District Court to reconsider a preliminary application by Keith Hapana Crow, who was convicted in 2005 of first-degree felony murder in the death of Robert Berry Jr.
In a decision issued October 21, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled the district court had used an incorrect reason for rejecting Crow's application. The question involves a 2023 Minnesota law allowing some people convicted under an accomplice-liability theory to seek review.
The justices said the earlier appeal did not resolve whether Crow caused the death or intentionally helped cause it. The case goes back to Redwood County for a review of whether his application meets the legal threshold to proceed.
The decision does not vacate Crow's conviction, order his release or decide whether he is entitled to relief.
Original news coverage: https://www.wctrib.com/news/local/court-must-reconsider-crow-appeal-in-2004-murder-in-redwood-county
Read the court opinion: https://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/supreme-court/2026/a24-0902.html