Myon Burrell, who was freed from life sentence, charged with gun and drug possession

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Myon Burrell, the man freed by a pardons board after serving 18 years for the 2002 murder of a girl in Minneapolis, is facing new firearm and drug possession charges. 

Burrell, 37, was arrested earlier this week and charged on Friday with one count each being an ineligible person in possession of a firearm and fifth-degree possession of controlled substance. 

According to the criminal complaint, a Robbinsdale police officer initiated a traffic stop on Aug. 29 around 11 a.m. for a driver, identified as Burrell, who was allegedly speeding and driving erratically. 

Once Burrell pulled over and rolled down his window, the officer described what appeared to be smoke billowing out of the vehicle, which smelled like "burnt marijuana." The officer said Burrell's eyes appeared "red, glossy, and his pupils were dilated," charges read. 

The officer asked Burrell to get out of the vehicle and informed him he was searching the car for marijuana after there was "some indication of intoxication" during the field sobriety test. However, authorities said Burrell began walking away and started resisting. He was ultimately placed in handcuffs and put in the back of the squad car. 

According to court records, law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered a Glock 17 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, a backpack containing two bags of suspected marijuana, 16 pills field tested positive for MDMA, and 21 pills field tested positive for methamphetamine. 

While Burrell was freed on the murder conviction, his sentence was only commuted – he wasn't pardoned. As a result, Burrell is still not allowed to carry a weapon.

Burrell made his first appearance in court on Friday afternoon.