The county board recently voted to install the additional equipment after Judge Lloyd Zimmerman refused to hear cases in the suburbs because of lax security. Zimmerman's concerns were raised several weeks after the shooting in Grand Marais where a prosecutor and witness were critically wounded, the AP reports.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that OSHA inspectors made an unannounced visit to the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter on March 13 after concerns about worker safety. The hospital -- which houses 400 adults deemed mentally ill and dangerous -- has been in turmoil for months.

Vikings cornerback Chris Cook was to appear in court Monday for the first time since being arrested on felony domestic assault charges, but that appearance has been canceled. He was ordered held without bail on Saturday. His lawyer says Cook denies strangling his girlfriend during the dispute.

Judge Lloyd Zimmerman tells KARE-11 his reassignment from civil to family court is "very bad punishment" after he complained about poor security at suburban Minneapolis courtrooms.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has rejected a legal challenge to a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo ID at the polls. In a separate decision, the court also threw out ballot titles written by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie for the voter ID amendment and another amendment to ban gay marriage. Republicans had argued that Ritchie overstepped his authority and was trying to influence voters to reject both amendments.

Last month, the central Minnesota city dropped their contract with the Benton County sheriff's office in order to save money. But Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson raised concern about possible legal ramifications of relying on private security.

Two sides in the fight over how to word the titles of two controversial ballot measures – on gay marriage and photo IDs at polling places – will clash in the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday.