Minnesota Needs Accountability In Charging in Police-Involved Deaths.

Minnesota should institute grand jury review in all police-involved deaths. Any charge brought by complaint of Intentional Second Degree Murder or less would be subject to review for all charges more severe as defined by the MSG.

Hence, a grand jury would be authorized to indict for a greater charge. If not, the complaint would stand.

We already do this in Minnesota where prosecutors seek First Degree Murder indictments. In nearly every instance a complaint has already issued for every degree of murder but First Degree Murder.

The public must know that the symbiotic relationship between prosecutor and the police has a check. It should be mandatory.

Prosecutors who have not filed initial complaints in police-involved deaths must agree to submit their files for review by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office within 45 days of the incident.

So in a case where an officer is charged by Complaint with Second Degree Manslaughter, the prosecutor must within 20 days of issuing the charges convene the grand jury to consider any degree of homicide more severe than Manslaughter 2 up to and including Murder in the First Degree.

-Albert Turner Goins