2023 News Archives

Ramsey County Attorney's Office determines use of deadly force justified in police shooting of Jesse Werling. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office determined that the use of lethal force was justified in the fatal police shooting of Jesse Werling, the gunman who fired over 100 rounds in a Roseville neighborhood last April. (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, January 4, 2023).

Ramsey County reviewing criminal cases after medical examiner’s trial testimony. Prosecutors in Ramsey County are reviewing more than 70 criminal cases after a federal judge widely criticized testimony from the county’s former medical examiner. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, January 18, 2023).

Building Proximity & Empathy Through Experience. For too long, prosecutors have taken the position that we have no control over what comes to our door nor what happens to people once we have secured their conviction, including the collateral consequences imposed by the legal system because of our actions. (Fair and Just Prosecution, Washington D.C., January 18, 2023).

Amid red flags, Ramsey County has been reviewing work of its former medical examiner. The Ramsey County attorney has launched an outside review of the work of the county’s former, longtime medical examiner after a federal appeals court judge wrote that the doctor’s testimony was “unreliable, misleading and inaccurate” in the murder trial of the man convicted of killing Dru Sjodin in 2003. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, January 18, 2023).

Guilty verdicts in doubt as Ramsey County reviews cases linked to ex-medical examiner. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said his staff has worked with an outside firm to comb through hundreds of cases in which Dr. Michael McGee was a witness and has narrowed its review to 71 cases. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, January 21, 2023).

White Bear Lake man fired at officers through bedroom door, striking one three times. “This case is an urgent reminder that we need meaningful investments and improvement in the services available through civil commitments to protect the public when people are a danger to themselves and others. -- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, January 26, 2023).

Las Vegas man guilty of 8 counts of attempted murder in shooting at St. Paul's Truck Park. The verdict capped several days of emotional testimony by St. Paul police officers, relatives of victims and Phillips, who took the stand in his own defense. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 9, 2023).

Ramsey County officials urge legislators to fund housing program for juveniles who commit crimes. Each home would accommodate four or five youths and provide them with counseling and social services before helping to ease their transition back into life at home, offering support and resources to parents and families. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, February 9, 2023).

Carjacking victim advocates for secure treatment homes. Patrick Connolly, whose wife was carjacked, joined Ramsey County justice leaders to ask lawmakers to fund juvenile treatment homes for violent teens. (KARE-TV, Golden Valley, MN, February 9, 2023).

Jury finds Nick Firkus guilty of the 2010 murder of his wife. Firkus was found guilty on one count each of first-degree and second-degree murder. His sentencing is set for April 13. (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, February 10, 2023).

What my family learned after a St. Paul carjacking. Last year, around this time, a group of teenagers followed my wife and my daughter home on a weekday morning after she went to the local pharmacy. After my wife pulled into our garage, three teenagers rushed her with masks on, pointed a gun at her, and took her purse and keys. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 18, 2023).

DNA backlog at Minnesota crime lab spurs calls for more funding. Minnesota’s premiere crime lab, at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in St. Paul, has nearly 4,000 criminal cases waiting for analysis and has a 140-day wait for results. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, February 28, 2023).

Citing backlog of 3,800 DNA cases, law enforcement officials push for legislative support. Without support, officials say that the average time to clear evidence could balloon to 240 days by 2025. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 28, 2023).

Weeding out systemic bias: Prosecutors seek answers.  It’s one thing to have a panel discussion about eliminating bias in the criminal justice system; it’s another to have it populated by current and former prosecutors. (Minnesota Lawyer, Minneapolis, MN, March 2, 2023).

Husband sentenced to life in prison in wife's 13-year cold case murder. In a packed courtroom, a Minnesota judge sentenced a man to life in prison without parole Thursday for the death of his first wife, 13 years after he shot her and lied to investigators that it happened during a home invasion. (ABC News, New York, NY, April 13, 2023).

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi honored for work advocating for sexual assault victims. Choi was presented the Professional Impact Award this month at the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Fighting for Change, an annual conference held by the nonprofit End Violence Against Women International. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, April 25, 2023).

Ramsey Co. Attorney on his office's progress 'reimagining juvenile justice'. Under this new program, 30 percent of the juvenile cases referred to Choi’s office between July 2021 and July 2022 went through the collaborative review process. Serious crimes that involved physical harm or guns were not eligible for the program. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, February 28, 2023).

County attorneys, sheriffs say ‘last-minute’ change will gut 48-hour law. Sheriffs and county attorneys across Minnesota are urgently rallying against a proposed law change that they say would keep inmates with mental illnesses “languishing” in jails instead of receiving treatment from the state. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, May 15, 2023).

Antoine Suggs sentenced to more than 100 years in St. Paul quadruple murder. Jessica Foreman, Loyace Foreman’s mother, was among nine family members who gave victim impact statements in court Monday. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, May 15, 2023).

AG joins Ramsey County attorney's review of Hmong man's shooting by St. Paul police. The addition of Attorney General Ellison to the review process adds a layer of trust and confidence to our process, and I am grateful for his office's involvement. – RCA Choi. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, May 16, 2023).

Ramsey County ready to launch new $10 million juvenile justice program. State lawmakers approved spending $10 million for a program that will help Ramsey County juveniles who have been involved with serious crimes get intensive counseling, mental health assistance, education and job training. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, May 24, 2023).

Ramsey County top prosecutor appointed to national policing board. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi’s recent appointment to the National Policing Institute board appears historic — he’s the first elected prosecutor to serve in the role and the first to join while actively serving as a prosecutor. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, June 2, 2023).

Ending low-level traffic stops hasn't led to more crime in Ramsey County. Choi, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry and other officials laid out an analysis by researchers funded by a local foundation comparing data on low-level stops before and after the changes that indicate the changes have not hurt public safety. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, June 7, 2023).

Black Drivers Were Pulled Over Less Often After a MN County Changed Its Policies. Black drivers experienced the largest decrease in these kinds of traffic stops, seeing a 66 percent drop in the number of stops per capita. (Vera Institute, Brooklyn, NY June 7, 2023)