United States v. Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr.
September 11, 2024 update
On September 3, 2021, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ralph Erickson issued an order in United States v. Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. criticizing the findings and testimony of the medical examiner, Dr. Michael McGee. In a 232-page opinion (United States vs. Alfonso Rodriguez Jr.), Judge Erickson called Dr. McGee’s testimony regarding the cause of victim Dru Sjodin’s death “unreliable, misleading and inaccurate.”
Although the Rodriguez case is not a Ramsey County case, Dr. McGee served as the medical examiner in Ramsey County from 1985 through 2019. He continued to work for the current Medical Examiner as a forensic pathologist until his retirement at the end of 2021. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office (RCAO) is committed to conviction integrity and to ensuring that all cases litigated by the office are just and fair. In response to Judge Erickson’s order, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi engaged the Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence, an independent non-profit, to recommend a course of action and assist with evaluating RCAO cases involving Dr. McGee. The first phase of the review will identify whether any cases require further, more detailed investigation.
The RCAO is also coordinating with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office Conviction Review Unit and the Great North Innocence Project, both of whom, as a result of Judge Erickson’s Order, are reviewing cases associated with Dr. McGee from outside Ramsey County.
Those with information about a case they believe should be reviewed under this process are asked to contact Michelle Monteiro.
Ramsey County Attorney’s Office case review timeline
- September 3, 2021 – Judge Erickson issues order calling Dr. McGee’s testimony in Dru Sjodin case into question.
- September/October 2021 – Michelle Monteiro, RCAO Conviction Review Specialist, analyzes Judge Erickson’s order to brief the County Attorney and assist with developing a plan of action.
- November 2021 – RCAO initiates conversation with Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence (PCE) and conducts initial data review to evaluate scope and volume of potential review.
- November, 2021 to April, 2022– RCAO conducts discussions, negotiations and finalization of contract with PCE.
- April 2022 – PCE begins Phase 1 review work, including a preliminary review of materials related to the September 2021 court order in the Rodriguez case. This phase also involved an initial categorization of 215 RCAO cases in which Dr. McGee was involved.
- May 16-18, 2022 – PCE conducts site visit in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
- November 2022 – PCE completes Phase 1 and advances 71 RCAO cases for further review in Phase 2.
- January 2023 – PCE begins Phase 2, which calls for a deeper analysis of cases identified in Phase 1 that need further review. This includes review of transcripts and reports to determine which cases require an in-depth review of the entire case, an analysis by an expert or both.
- In late 2023, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office extended PCE’s contract to provide additional needed funds to complete Phase 2 and start work on Phase 3 of the review.
- July 2024 – PCE completes Phase 2 and advances 7 RCAO cases for further review in Phase 3. PCE also interviews potential medical examiner experts who have not previously testified or consulted in cases involving Dr. McGee.
Note: The Prosecutors for Excellence case review encompasses only convictions by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office where Dr. McGee was a witness. We cannot review cases that were prosecuted in another county. We also cannot review any other work conducted by Dr McGee, including suicides or suspicious deaths that did not result in a criminal prosecution. If you have questions or concerns about a death investigation outside our review that involves Dr. McGee, please contact the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office at 651-266-1700 to report your concerns.